Andrew Smith

The 413th Company (2/2nd Lowland) were part of the 52nd (Lowland) Division from March 1915. Andrew arrived in Egypt on the 22/06/1915. In 1916 the Division moved to Egypt after being evacuated from Gallipoli and concentrated at Abbassia near Cairo. It subsequently moved to El Kantara and on the 2nd March took over No 3 Section of the Suez Canal defences. The 23rd April 1916 was St. George's Day and also Easter Sunday, and dawn found the 5th Mounted Brigade, dispersed over a wide area. The Brigade was made up of the Warwickshire Yeomanry, the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, and the Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars (Worcestershire Yeomanry). These regiments were deployed as follows : At Oghrantina was two squadrons of Worcestershire Hussars (less one troop), with four officers and 60 other ranks of the 2/2nd Lowland Field Company Royal Engineers. At Katia was one squadron and a machine gun subsection of the Gloucestershire Hussars, along with 40 dismounted men of the Worcestershire Hussars, and a detail from the Royal Army Medical Corps, Army Veterinary Corps and camel transport. At Bir el Hamisah were the Warwickshire Yeomanry (less one squadron), and one squadron and one troop from the Worcestershire Hussars. At Romani, near Pelusium, were the Gloucestershire Hussars (less one squadron), and a machine gun subsection in reserve. Battle of Oghratina - The oasis at Oghratina had been occupied by a squadron from the Worcestershire Hussars and a dismounted detachment of Royal Engineers thirty-six hours before the Ottoman attack; a second squadron arrived just twelve hours before the attack, so defensive works had not been extensive. These squadrons stood to at 04:00 in dense sea-fog, which was common at that time of year. They heard the sound of pumps operating at wells 500 yards (460 m) to their southwest, and an Officer who investigated found about sixty Ottoman soldiers. The yeomanry completely surprised this small Ottoman force, opening fire and causing heavy casualties, but in following up their retreat, the yeomanry were met with very heavy rifle fire from a much larger force. Soon afterwards, British squadrons on the right were attacked, and by 05:15 the whole camp was being assaulted from north, east and southeast in overwhelming strength at a range of 50 yards (46 m) or less. The Ottoman attack began with heavy fire from light guns, machine guns and rifles. Although the commander of the yeomanry detachment had orders to retire if attacked in force, he could not leave the dismounted engineers. The Ottoman attack was resisted for two hours, but by 07:45 eleven yeomanry officers and 135 other ranks were casualties. The survivors, four officers and forty-two other ranks, surrendered. Andrew was taken prisoner by the Turks on the 25/04/1916. He was reported as being a Prisoner of War on the 11/07/1916 and he died in Turkish hands from typhus fever on the 25/03/1917. Andrew's death date is listed on some records as died in or around 01/04/1917. Service Records state 25/03/1917 as does his Medal Index Card and CWGC. Andrew served at home from the 12/01/1914 until the 08/06/1915. He was part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force from the 09/06/1915 until he was taken P.O.W. The war of 1914-1918 relied on engineering. Without engineers there would have been no supply to the armies, because the Royal Engineers maintained the railways, roads, water supply, bridges and transport. Royal Engineers also operated the railways and inland waterways. There would have been no communications, because the Royal Engineers maintained the telephones, wireless and other signalling equipment. There would have been little cover for the infantry and no positions for the artillery, because the Royal Engineers designed and built the front-line fortifications. It fell to the technically skilled Royal Engineers to develop responses to chemical and underground warfare. And finally, without the Royal Engineers the infantry and artillery would have soon been powerless, as they maintained the guns and other weapons. Little wonder that the Royal Engineers grew into a large and complex organisation. At present, 4,160 Commonwealth casualties of the First World War are commemorated by name in the Cemetery, many of them on special memorials. Unidentified burials from this period number 2,729. Andrew is also remembered on the Gartsherrie Church and 1st Boys Brigade Rolls of Honour and at the Family Plot in Old Monkland Cemetery (see photos x 2). See photos for Andrew's Medal Index Card, his Newspaper clippings x 4, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his CWGC Grave Registration x 3, his Headstone Report x 2, his Service Records x 23, Andrew's Pension Record, the Royal Engineers Cap Badge, the CWGC Iraq Roll of Honour x 4 and Andrew's name in the CWGC Iraq Roll of Honour.