London Exhibition Gallery

Lake Doiran - Thessaloniki

French & British forces landed in Thesaloniki in Oct 1915 to support the Serbs who had been invaded by the Central Powers but in fact they arrived too late and after a short incursion into Serbia near Lake Doiran concentrated on the fortification of Salonika.
Because of the huge amount of wire used it became known as the "Birdcage" and by the summer of 1916 the force was well entrenched as it was joined by Serbian, Russian & Italian units with the front extending from the Aegean to the Adriatic roughly along the Greek border and then through Macedonia. In 1917 the fighting was mainly centred around Lake Doiran but it was not until July of 1918 that a major offensive was undertaken to end the Balkan war. In September the British launched a disastrous attack on heavily defended positions to the west of Lake Doiran and sustained enormous losses. However the prerssure told on the Bulgarians who agreed to an armistice on 30th Sept 1918

© Mike St. Maur Sheil / westernfrontphotography.com

Nimy Canal Bridge - Mons

The original bridge was held by 4th Batt. Royal Fusiliers on Aug 23rd. Lt Dease & Pvt. Godley were both awarded V.C.s for their action at this point. Dease commanded two machine guns which were on the embankment on the left of shot with the Germans attacking from the other side of the canal. By midday one MG was out of action and Dease was firing the other single-handedly although he had been hit three times. When he finally succumbed to his wounds, Pvt. Godley took over and held off the attack for almost an hour before he too was wounded and captured although not before he had thrown the MG into the canal. Dease is buring in St Sy phorien CWGC but Godley survived the war in captivity.
Original bridge was blown up in 1940

© Mike St. Maur Sheil / westernfrontphotography.com

Rifle ammunition clips in the Pocket - Argonne

"The Pocket" was the name given to the position occupied by "The Lost Battalion", eight American units of the 77th Division, roughly 550 men, isolated by Germans after an American attack in the Argonne Forest on 3rd October 1918. Roughly 197 were killed in action and approximately 150 missing or taken prisoner before 194 remaining men were rescued on 7th October. They were led by Major Charles White Whittlesey who received the Medal of Honor and was also a pallbearer at the ceremony interring the remains of the Unknown Soldier.
However he never overcame his guilt at the loss of so many of his men and he committed suicide in 1921

© Mike St. Maur Sheil / westernfrontphotography.com