Author: friendsofislingtonmuseum

  • Finsbury Rifles: Away from the Western Front. 9th June to 17th June 1916.

    Date 9 to 10/6/16 Work on defences as usual. Orders received to prepare to join a mobile column. Date 11/6/16 Battalion proceeded to join mobile column by route march to point of concentration via Geneffe railhead. Burgea for the night. Date 12/6/16 Battalion proceeded to a point 6 miles east…

  • Finsbury Rifles, Away from the Western Front. 1st June – 9th June 1916.

    Location SHALLUFA Date 1 to 2/6/16 Work on defences as usual. Captain Comber reported from English leave. Date 3/6/16 Work on defences as usual. 6 other ranks joined from 54th Divisional Base Details. Date 4 to 8/6/16 Work on defences as usual. 3 other ranks joined from 54th Divisional Base…

  • Finsbury Rifles, Away from the Western Front. 24th May to 31th May 1916.

    In this passage follow the Rifles from Gebel Murr (on the East of the Suez Canal) to bases at Kubri and Shallufa (to the north of the Canal). The map below comes from the book ‘The New Zealanders at Gallipoli’ (1919), and illustrates the location of El Kubri and Shallufa. It took…

  • Finsbury Rifles, Away from the Western Front: 17th May to 23rd May.

    Work continues as usual, with inspections and work on defences. The Rifles prepare to return to Kubri, from Gebel Mur. Date 17/5/16 Work on the defences before breakfast. Various fatigues found. Guards and piquet’s as usual. Date 18/5/16 GOK Division visits the post 05/54 inspected the works. Normal routine. Date…

  • Finsbury Rifles, Away from the Western Front. 10th May to 16th May 1916.

    In this passage we see the Rifles move from El Shatt to Gebel Mur. The Diary logs the arrival of Captain Tattersall, alongside 40 other ranks. Tattersall is pictured below , standing on a dune, in an image which illustrates the wide horizons and tall dunes of the Rifles’ environment at…

  • Finsbury Rifles, Away from the Western Front. 3rd May to 9th May.

    In early May the Battalion moves to El Shatt, and settles in before beginning a 7 day tour of duty and providing men to support defence work.  On the 7th of May, the Rifles receive an order to provide 350 Officers and men, for a Desert Column.  Date 3/5/16 Battalion parades…

  • Family Fun this May Half Term!

    Family Fun this May Half Term!

    Join us this half term for one of our exciting family events, below, or simply pop in to say hello and play in our toy and role play corners! Dance in Swan Lake 30th May, sessions at 10am and 11am. Under 5’s.  Join us at Moreland Children’s Centre to take…

  • Under 5’s this Summer term!

    Under 5’s this Summer term!

    Join us for our Messy Play and Storytelling sessions. We’ve got toys, role play, sensory stories and messy crafts for all, in a warm and welcoming space. Messy Play does get messy – don’t forget a change of clothes! Messy play: Radical Art 11th May 2017, 10am-11.30am Come and see…

  • The Finsbury Rifles, our local regiment

    Who were the Finsbury Rifles? The Finsbury Rifles, or  the 11th (County of London) Battalion, part of the London Regiment, was one of the many cogs in the large machine of Britain’s Armed Forces. It was a volunteer unit of the Territorial Force (a forerunner of today’s modern army reserve) which…

  • Finsbury Rifles, Away from the Western Front. 26th April to 2nd May 1916.

    This passage charts the busy life at camp, while the troops were stationed at Kubri, along the Suez Canal. We see much coming and going of Captains and Lieutenants, as they lead Advance Parties, return from hospital or even head to England. In the photo above we can see the proximity of…