Friends of Islington Museum

The EEF spent much of the summer of 1918 training the troops who had arrived from India to replace those sent to the Western Front. Although  the 54th (East Anglian) Division stayed in Palestine,there were skills to be maintained and new techniques to be learned. The battalion padre, Captain the Rev Wilson had joined the Finsbury…

Training, road-building and enemy fire…   In March 1918 the Germans launched a major offensive in France and Flanders. This had an immediate effect on the Southern Palestine campaign . The War Office ordered General Allenby to send 2 infantry divisions to France as soon as possible although they acknowledged this would  ‘entail loss of efficiency and a temporary…

Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught reviews the troops   Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught toured bases of the EEF in Egypt and Southern Palestine during March 1918. A career soldier for over 40 years, the Duke’s visit was calculated to raise morale amongst all the troops . L/Cpl Jock  Christie should have been decorated with his recently awarded Victoria…

Operations in the Jordan Valley Mule drawn limber 1/11th London Regiment. El Kubri, December 1917. © IWM (Q 57790) At this stage in the campaign it was increasingly hard to replace transport animals and their equipment. During the action at Mejdel Taba, artillery fire killed and wounded some of the brigade mules (the 1/5 Bedfordshire Regiment recorded this…

Victoria Cross awarded !         The award of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the British Armed Forces  to Lance-Corporal Jock Christie was a great morale booster for the battalion, 162 Brigade and the 54th East Anglian Division. In later life Jock Christie preferred not to dwell on this period  and…