Notes |
- Fred Maclaren 1900 to 1980,
Born 1900, Scotland
Died 1980, Scotland
Son of John Maclaren 1868-1908 and Clara Hillhouse.
Husband of Casselle. Father of Jean.
Was an aerial observer at one of the British Army's last cavalry
charges at the Battle of Huj in Palestine in 1917.
He amongst other things had been a military advisor in Abyssinia andmilitary governor of some where in the middle east.
Note: The Times Letters to the Editor. 199?
From R D Bridgewater,March 26th 199?.
"...Following the third battle of Gaza, the Turkish withdrawal was being
covered by several batteries of their artillery, located on a
commanding ridge and supported by infantry and machine guns. Three
squadrons comprising units of both the Warwickshire Yeomanry and
Worcestershire Yeomanry charged these guns and their escorts, being
completely exposed over the last 1000 yards to the fire of the enemy
machine guns and rifles, and without any covering fire of their own.
Wavel wrote that: 'Eleven guns, four machine guns and about seventy
prisoners were taken, and a large number of the personnel of the
batteries- Germans and Austrians besides Turks- who all stood to their
guns to the last, were killed with the sword. The casualties of the
Yeomanry were, however, extremely high. Of twelve officers, three
squadron commanders were killed and six others wounded: of 158 men, 26
were killed and 40 wounded; of the 170 horses, 100 were killed."
From Major General J F W Friedberger March 27th.
" In the final volume of the recently completeed eight volume A
History of British Cavalry, the Marquis of Angelsy records the battle
which took place at Gerbze, east of Constantinople, on July 13th 1920.
Chanak nationalist has severed a link connecting General Ironsides
forces, who were occupying the Izmid Peninsular in the afermath of the
Versailles Peace Conference. The 20th Hussars, part of a battle group
with the 2/39th Royal Garwhal Rifles, artillery and engineers,
dislodged the enemy and relieved the position. Lord Anglesey writes:
There can be no shadow of doubt that the last proper charge launched
by a complete regiment of British cavalry against well-armed troops
took place in Turkey in 1920 during the Chanak crisis. An eye witness
recorded: "Over the crest of the ridge came the whole of the 20th
Hussars, two squadrons abreast in column of troops, with the third
squadron in depth, nearly three hundred men in all."
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