First Special Brigade, 1916-Transit
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First Special Brigade, 1916-Transit
I have the First Special Brigade departing Colombo on the 19th of March, 1916. Does anyone know the date of arrival or departure from Djinbuti or Port Said. the convoy ( at least two ships )arrive Marseilles April 20th, 1916. Many thanks in advance.
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Re: First Special Brigade, 1916-Transit
If this is the unit of the Russian Army sent to France the book "With Snow on there Boots" should have it
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Re: First Special Brigade, 1916-Transit
Thank You Mr. Pratt; Found the book you mentioned in WorldCat.org and will be ordering through our public library as an inter-library loan.
Re: First Special Brigade, 1916-Transit
With Snow on their Boots will not answer your question. The movement of the first contingent of Russian troops (~9.000 men) is covered on pp. 35-36. Embarkation was to start on 29 February 1916 in Dalny. The sailing dates were:
29 Feb - Latouche-Tréville (1.600 men)
2 March - Himalaya (2.500 men)
12 March - Sontay (2.400 men)
Not given - Tambor (1.550 men split between her and Yaroslav)
Not given - Yaroslav (1.550 men split between her and Tambor)
Not given - Atlantic (622 men split between her and Amazon)
Not given - Amazon (622 men split between her and Atlantic)
March 18 was the last sailing. The sailing order above appears to be correct. Chapter 2 fn 19 states that even the French records don't agree on sailing dates and numbers. Not all the ships sailed together.
Latouche-Tréville and Himalaya stopped in Port Said "shortly after 1 April'. There were stops in Hong Kong, Singapore, Djibouti and/or Aden.
I feel the best place to find your answer will be convoy/sailing records for French shipping. There is a very expensive French history on the special brigades that might have this detail.
Also note that only this part of the 1st Special Brigade sailed using this route. All the remaining Russian forces left from Archangel to Brest (including the 2nd and 4th Special Brigades for Salonica).
29 Feb - Latouche-Tréville (1.600 men)
2 March - Himalaya (2.500 men)
12 March - Sontay (2.400 men)
Not given - Tambor (1.550 men split between her and Yaroslav)
Not given - Yaroslav (1.550 men split between her and Tambor)
Not given - Atlantic (622 men split between her and Amazon)
Not given - Amazon (622 men split between her and Atlantic)
March 18 was the last sailing. The sailing order above appears to be correct. Chapter 2 fn 19 states that even the French records don't agree on sailing dates and numbers. Not all the ships sailed together.
Latouche-Tréville and Himalaya stopped in Port Said "shortly after 1 April'. There were stops in Hong Kong, Singapore, Djibouti and/or Aden.
I feel the best place to find your answer will be convoy/sailing records for French shipping. There is a very expensive French history on the special brigades that might have this detail.
Also note that only this part of the 1st Special Brigade sailed using this route. All the remaining Russian forces left from Archangel to Brest (including the 2nd and 4th Special Brigades for Salonica).
Jeff Leser
Infantrymen of the Air
Infantrymen of the Air
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Re: First Special Brigade, 1916-Transit
Thank you jwsleser: You confirmed the first three. Don't know about Tambor or Yaroslav will research. Atlantique and Amazone are French ships that would remain on the Marseilles to East Asia run for years. Might be able to narrow the window of sailing even a bit more. Again many thanks.