Donald leaves the 4th SAI (South African Scottish) to join General Dunsterville’s expedition to the Caucasus

Donald takes his leave of the 4th SAI (South African Scottish) Regiment while at Fins. Major C.M. Browne takes over command.

  • 1st Jan
    Relieved (by 3rd SAI?)
    In support and reserve 
    Quiet turn of  the year
    Carrying wire
  • 2nd Jan
    Working parties
    Wiring
    Artilleries active
  • 3rd Jan
    Support and reserve lines heavily shelled
    Gas shells… no casualties as the men were forewarned
  • 4th Jan
    Relieved 3rd SAI at the front
  • 5th Jan
    Quiet
  • 6th Jan
    Four enemy crossed our line and bombed behind the line
    Otherwise uneventful
    Cold
  • 7th Jan
    Rained all day
    Trenches becoming impassable due to the thaw
    Shooting from both sides at cemetery (Gouzeaucourt British Cemetery 57c.R.31.c.9.6 ?)
    Several casualties
  • 8th Jan
    Snow all day
    Relieved by BLUSH (3rd Regt)
    Moved to be battalion in brigade reserve in Fins
  • 9th Jan
    Hot baths and change of clothing
    Thaw set in
  • 10th Jan
    Work improving huts
    Major C.M. Browne M.C. reported from U.K. for duty
  • 11th Jan
    All ranks resting in view of the impending move tomorrow to Moislains for 10 days rest
    Major C.M. Browne M.C. took over command of the regiment vice Major D.R. Hunt
  • 12th Jan

    Major D.R. Hunt having proceeded to England on special duty is struck off the strength of the Regiment

    Marched to Moislains

  • Donald’s own memoirs written in April 1935 record…

    Early in 1918 I was sent on special duty to join a force under General Dunsterville in the Middle East. I went through Mesopotamia into Persia thence via Kermanshah, Hamadan, Kasvin to Resht where for a short while I was Military Governor. Thence to the Caspian Sea and, via Lankoran, to the Mugan Steppe in charge of a British Military Mission to keep the Russians and the Armenians fighting against the Turks and Tartars.

    This was the mission officially known as the British Military Mission to the Caucasus but commonly known as Dunsterforce. The history of Dunsterforce was written up by Major-General L.C. Dunsterville C.B., C.S.I. in a book called “The Adventures of Dunsterforce” pub. Edward Arnold, 1920.

    The war diaries of Dunsterforce are available from the National Archives as WO 95/5042, WO 95/5043 and WO 95/5044.