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 Posted by plbramham » Mon May 20, 2013 2:55 pm
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 General Global moderator Posts: 1369 |
| I've always wondered why after the horrors (and expense!) of four years war Britain chose to extend matters and became involved in Russia during 1919-20. Perhaps there's a clue in the term I've seen applied to the campaign - "Churchill's Private War"? ("Must make sure we don't let these Bolshevik- Johnnies take over the ancestral family estates in our country old chap!" type attitude!)
Anyway, while I knew the Border Regiment were in Ireland 1919 onwards, I always thought that they were not involved in Russia, until I found the below examples which seems to indicate that some soldiers from 9th Border Regiment were transferred/attached to the Middlesex Regiment in Russia: Private John Sanderson 9th Bn. Border Regt no 35711. - His Soldier’s Small book states service in Salonika, Bulgaria, Russia, India and Ireland. A farmworker. Born Wexham, Blackpool 1898. Enlisted Preston 2/3/17 aged 18 years 2 months. Height 5 feet 2 inches, fair complexion, brown hair, blue eyes. Living with father, mother, 3 brothers & one sister at 43 Garstang Rd Wexham. Arrived in Salonika 24/3/19 where contracted fever (left there listed as 9th Border 18/4/19). Attached 26th Middlesex Regt as pioneer. (26th Middlesex were in South Russia & Black Sea with HQ 27 Division). Served in Bulgaria & Russia. At Carlisle castle for a few weeks in 1919 after being in hospital with Malaria. Then went with 1st Border Regiment as no 390001 to Karachi, India by 1920. He was serving with 2nd Border in Castlebar County Mayo Ireland on discharge in June 1921. (Changing from India to Ireland and 1st to 2nd battalion in one year sounds incredible, but those are the locations in his small book!) I have a postcard (attached below) sent to Sanderson with Russian printing on the back from a soldier on a troopship heading home and about to call at Port Said. Unfortunately stamps have been long removed, but postmark looks Egyptian Arabic? Associated documents and letters make me believe this card was sent by: Private Leonard Henry Brereton. Son of the station master Llangeinor Wales in 1901. He married Plymouth 1927 and died in Weston 1982. His Border Regiment no was 35672 (39 below from Sanderson’s number in 9th Border where they presumably met) He was also transferred to Middlesex Regiment (no. G(?)/ 106470) and went to Russia. Anyone else found any Russia connections to the Border Regiment? Paul  |