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- Imperial Camel Corps during the Great War -


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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

Imperial Camel Corps



25th May 1916 Postings

22nd May 1917 Railway Demolished

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.



Want to know more about the Imperial Camel Corps ?


There are:6582 items tagged Imperial Camel Corps available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


Those known to have served with

Imperial Camel Corps

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Arthur Clive. Trpr. 3rd Btn. (d.24th Nov 1917)
  • Brain David. L/Cpl. 9th Btn.
  • Cameron Donald Law Patrick . WO. 4th Btn.
  • Gammage John Kingsley. Pte.
  • Hamilton John. L/Cpl.
  • Hogue Oliver. Major
  • Langtip Henry. S/Sgt.
  • Mackenzie MC. Arthur Arundel. Capt.
  • McDonald John Richard. Tpr. 3rd Btn (d.7th Nov 1917)
  • McDonald John Richard. Tpr. 3rd (Australian) Bn. (d.7th Nov 1917)
  • McNeil Frederick Christensen. Pte. Scottish Horse Field Ambulance
  • Neillands Robert. Cpl. 2nd. Btn. (d.8th Aug 1918)
  • Ralphs Ernest. Pte.
  • Valler William Frederick. Pte. 3rd Battalion
  • White-Robinson Sidney Ralph. Sgt.

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please. Add a Name to this List

More Imperial Camel Corps records.


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  • 12th March 2024

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      Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.






254016

L/Cpl. David Brain 9th Btn. Sherwood Foresters

David Brain volunteered in 1914. He was a sniper, landing with first wave at Suvla Bay to cover landings and evacuating with the last of the rearguard. Mostly his duties were shooting out resistors on the telegraph line along the ridge behind Turkish lines. During service in Egypt, he was briefly attached to the Camel Corps. He found riding camels most uncomfortable. Thence to the Somme, on counter sniper work in no man's land.

On 23rd of September 1916 he took out a German sniper who had been causing a spot of bother, after spending 3 days in a prepared location in a crater covering one of the firing points the enemy sniper swapped between. He went in with his bayonet fixed to finish him off. He found the enemy very severely wounded. He had shot at the muzzle flash, and his bullet had travelled along the length of the K98, tearing up most of the enemy's right shoulder, forearm and wrist. As the enemy sniper was now maimed for life, he stuck the shattered K98 up above the crater and summoned a German stretcher party. He figured valuable enemy resources would be used treating him, while otherwise he'd be just listed as missing in the mud of no man's land. No one on either side knew they were there. Well, that was his excuse when given a rocketing for not just letting his opponent live, but also using his field dressing on anyone but himself. Maybe there was something of "There but for the Grace of God go I" too. It could easily have gone the other way in such a duel.

In 1917 and again on sniper work in no man's land he was shot at by hostile aircraft strafing trenches and positions. He was hidden from ground observers, but not from the air. He was gassed but recovered. David was severely injured at Polygon Wood, this time some of his right arm was blown off by a shell, with shrapnel all through his body. He was evacuated to Blighty, spending over a year in a military hospital recovering from wounds till early 1919.





250714

Pte. Frederick Christensen McNeil Scottish Horse Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps

Frederick McNeil was the half brother of my great grandfather John Duncan McNeil. Fred was the son of John McNeil (master joiner) and Amelia Lewis, and was born on 6th May 1893 at 44 Wellpark Rd., Saltcoats, Ayrshire.

He enlisted in the Scottish Horse Field Ambulance, RAMC in 1915 and landed with them at Suvla Bay on 1st Sep 1915. He later served with the 1/4th Essex Regiment, as part of the Imperial Camel Corps.

Fred (an accountant in peace time) married Dorothy Saunderson in Cairo on 6th Feb 1925, and they emigrated to New Zealand. Fred later served in the NZ Territorial Force with 2nd Battalion Wellington Regiment, and later as OC of 4 Guards Company, Featherstone Prisoner of War Camp (outside Wellington). Fred was discharged on 11th Oct 1945. He was awarded the Victory Medal, British War Medal, 1914-1915 Star, 1939-1945 War Medal, and the NZ 1939-1945 War Service Medal. Fred died on 3rd Jan 1972 in Auckland.

Richard MacNeil




250630

Pte. Ernest Ralphs Imperial Camel Corps

Ernest Ralphs joined the Shropshire Yeomanry with his younger brother Harold who was under age. He volunteered for the Camel Corps and ended in the Royal Hussars. Like so many he never discussed his experiences but laughingly told me that a nasty dark scar on his cheek was caused by riding into a palm tree on an out of control camel!

Glenn Ralphs




247934

Pte. William Frederick Valler 3rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers

William Valler was 17 when he enlisted into C Company, 3rd (City of London Regiment) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers on 4th September, 1914. The following year he took part in the first landing at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, and later served in the Imperial Camel Corps in Egypt.

In September, 1916 he went to France where he took part in several important battles until March, 1918 when he was shot in the leg at Cambrai and taken prisoner. In December that year he was returned to England and demobilised. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, BWM and Victory Medal.

Alan Forshaw




247566

Sgt. Sidney Ralph White-Robinson 7th Dragoon Guards

My grandfather, Ralph White-Robinson served in Egypt and Palestine with the 7th Dragoon Guards and Army Veterinary Corps, attached to the Egyptian Camel Transport Corps. He was Mentioned in Despatches for taking a supply train through enemy lines. Accompanying the MiD was a letter from E. Lewis COMS, Arab Corps, EEF dated 4th of March 1918. "To A trustworthy friend, a thorough gentleman and a gallant soldier whose services in the Egyptian Expeditionary Force although Mentioned in Despatches is deserving of the highest honours that a British soldier can obtain."

Sidney Ralph White-Robinson

S. R. White-Robinson and colleagues

S. R. White-Robinson

R. White-Robinson




223457

Trpr. Clive Arthur 3rd Btn. Imperial Camel Corps (d.24th Nov 1917)

Clive Arthur died on the 24th of November 1917, aged 20 and is buried in the Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Cairo, Egypt. He was the son of Samuel Robert and Margaret Arthur and had been born at Lismore, New South Wales.

s flynn




222657

Tpr. John Richard McDonald 3rd (Australian) Bn. Imperial Camel Corps (Australian) (d.7th Nov 1917)

John McDonald died on the 7th of November 1917, aged 20. He is buried in the Beersheba War Cemetery in Israel and was the s on of Arthur Alexander and Mary Ann Sara McDonald, of Cuan, Bunnan, New South Wales. Native of Scone, New South Wales.

s flynn




218311

Tpr. John Richard McDonald 3rd Btn Imperial Camel Corps (d.7th Nov 1917)

Trooper John Richard McDonald served with the 3rd Battalion Imperial Camel Corps during WW1 and was killed in action on the 7th November 1917 age 20. He is buried in Beersheba War Cemetery in Israel. He was the son of Arthur Alexander and Mary Ann Sara McDonald, of Cuan, Bunnan, New South Wales. Native of Scone, New South Wales.

S Flynn




217598

Capt. Arthur Arundel Mackenzie MC. Imperial Camel Corps

Arthur Arundel Mackenzie was born at Greta, New South Wales, on 12th April 1891. Sadly, he lost his mother when he was about six years old. Before the First World War he spent several years in the senior cadets and when he enlisted was a member of the local rifle club at Guyra, New South Wales. The 24-year-old station manager enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force on 12thAugust 1915 and departed Sydney with reinforcements for the Imperial Camel Corps (ICC) aboard RMS Morea on 27th May 1916.

On arrival in Egypt, Mackenzie was assigned to the 4th Company of the 1st Australian Battalion of the ICC. Sadly, the start of his service also marked the end of his brother's service: Ronald Mackenzie was killed in action at Pozières. Shortly after the second battle of Gaza in April 1917 Mackenzie was wounded in action with a gunshot to his right leg. After recovering, he rejoined his unit as it advanced through Palestine and towards Gaza.

In April 1918, in one of the last actions of the ICC, Mackenzie fought to defend the hill at Mussallabeh. Some of the Australians ran out of hand grenades and resorted to heaving boulders down upon the attacking Turks. Mackenzie and his outnumbered group of men put up a vigorous and determined resistance and succeeded in forcing a retreat. For his actions at Mussallabeh Mackenzie was awarded the Military Cross. After battling several bouts of malaria, he was transferred to the 14th Light Horse Regiment and served with the unit until the end of the war. The Syria campaign had ended and from his letters home it is clear he was deeply affected by the hardships that the country's starving people had endured throughout the war.

Mackenzie returned to Australia as an honorary captain at the end of 1919, and his appointment with the AIF was terminated on 8th April 1920. He later served with the 3rd Volunteer Defence Corps during the Second World War. Arthur Mackenzie died at Guyra in 1970.

s flynn




217594

S/Sgt. Henry Langtip 4th Light Horse Regiment

Henry Langtip was born at Port Albert, Victoria, in 1888. Known as Harry, the 27-year-old farmer enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force on 25th January 1916. His brothers Bertie and Leslie enlisted at the same time and another brother, Ernest, enlisted the following day. All four brothers were allocated to the 4th Light Horse Regiment, and after several months of training they left Melbourne aboard HMAT Itria on 18th April 1916.

For the remainder of the year Henry Langtip and his brothers participated in training and performed mostly guard duty in the Suez Canal zone with the 1st Light Horse Double Squadron and then the Imperial Camel Corps. In February 1917 the brothers were transferred for the last time to the 4th Light Horse Regiment. In his diary Henry recorded the events of 31st October when, after a long and terrible ride through the desert all night, he and his brothers participated in the famous charge at Beersheba that helped break the Turkish defensive line. The unit moved into Palestine and then Transjordan, participating in several further raids and battles. Langtip's brother Leslie was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions in the advance towards Damascus.

On 15th June 1919 Langtip and his brothers embarked for home with the rest of their regiment. All four brothers had survived the war and some of the most daring feats in the Egyptian and Middle East campaigns. War would return to the region some two decades later and on 12th November 1940, while Axis forces bombed the towns of Palestine, Henry Langtip died at Rutherglen, Victoria.

s flynn




217586

Major Oliver "Bluegum" Hogue 6th Light Horse Regiment

Oliver Hogue was born in Sydney on 29 April 1880. Despite growing up in the city, his ability at sports and his skill as a horseman led Hogue to consider himself a bushman and, after completing school, he travelled thousands of miles by bicycle along Australia's east coast. He worked as a commercial traveler before joining the Sydney Morning Herald in 1907 as a journalist. After the outbreak of the First World War Hogue tried unsuccessfully to become Australia's official war correspondent and instead enlisted as a trooper with the 6th Light Horse Regiment. He departed Sydney aboard HMAT Suevic on 21 December 1914.

Hogue served on Gallipoli for five months before being evacuated to England with enteric fever. He returned to his unit in the Sinai region in early 1916. Hogue developed a reputation as a loyal and enthusiastic officer unafraid of front-line service, and he was a regular writer to both his family and his former employer. Writing under the pseudonym "Trooper Bluegum", his contributions to the Sydney Morning Herald were published as books back in Australia. After participating in the battle of Romani in August 1916 he was transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps (ICC) and was involved in the battles of Magdhaba, Rafa, and Gaza in 1917. In letters home Hogue frequently referred to the fearlessness and achievements of the Australian troops, especially at Romani. He was also critical of the British press coverage of the war, which largely overlooked the accomplishments of the ICC and Australian troops in general.

July 1918 Hogue was transferred to the 14th Light Horse Regiment and participated in the advance through the Jordan Valley. He was also promoted to major at this time. After reaching Damascus, and with the Turkish surrender in October, Hogue took leave to England in January 1919. Having survived the entirety of the First World War he soon after contracted influenza and died in London on 3 March 1919.

s flynn




217562

Pte. John Kingsley Gammage 1st Btn.

John Kingsley Gammage was born at Cootamundra, New South Wales in 1887. At the time of his enlistment in late January 1915, Gammage listed his father, William Gammage, as his next of kin and his occupation as a baker. He departed Australia with the 1st Battalion aboard HMAT Argyllshire on 10th April 1915.

Gammage landed at Gallipoli on 26th June 1915. He was wounded in the left leg during the battle of Lone Pine in August 1915 and was sent to Mudros for treatment and recuperation. He re-joined the 1st Battalion on 25th September 1915. After the evacuation from Gallipoli, Gammage returned to Egypt with the Battalion but was transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps on 29th January 1916. He served with the Corps in Libya and Palestine. Attached to the Anzac Provost Corps from 16th March 1918, Gammage was transferred permanently when the Imperial Camel Corps was disbanded in June 1918. He received a promotion to extra regimental second corporal on 9th March 1919. John Gammage departed Egypt aboard HMAT Delta to return to Australia on 2nd August 1919.

s flynn




217485

WO. Donald Law Patrick Cameron 4th Btn. Imperial Camel Corps

Donald Law Patrick Cameron was born at Balranald, New South Wales in 1897. He was living in Mosman and working as a motorboat driver when he enlisted on 8 February 1917. Although Cameron had spent two years with the Citizens Naval Reserve, he joined the Imperial Camel Corps and departed Sydney aboard HMAS Port Sydney on 9 May 1917.

After arriving in Egypt in June, Cameron became an acting corporal in the Camel Reserve Company, and then joined the 4th Battalion, Imperial Camel Corps in August 1917 as a trooper. He served in Palestine throughout 1917 and in mid-1918 joined the 1st Light Horse Regiment, then serving in Jordan. Cameron's stay with the 1st Light Horse Regiment was short-lived as he soon transferred to the Mobile Veterinary Section and then fell sick in September 1918, spending three months recovering from fever. After recuperating, Cameron served out the rest of the war with the Australian Base Post Office in Egypt, finally returning to Australia on 14 March 1919.

Donald Cameron also enlisted in the Second World War as a warrant officer with the 202nd Australian Camp Hospital

S Flynn




207000

Cpl. Robert Neillands 2nd. Btn. Imperial Camel Corps (d.8th Aug 1918)

I am the proud grand nephew of Cpl. Neillands whos erved with the Imperial Camel Corps in the Great War.

A United States Coast Guard Veteran myself an the proud nephew of 1stLt. Richard G. Neillands M.I.A. August 18th 1951 over the skies of Korea, and the son of Sgt. James D. Neillands 20th U.S.A.A.F. B-29 Superfortress Flt. Engineer. God bless the Neillands Family and the Forces for freedom

John G. Neillands




205159

L/Cpl. John Hamilton Imperial Camel Corps

My grandfather Jack Hamilton, was an apprentice working at a Dunfermline Bank, he was initially in the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry but was then in the Imperial Camel Corp and was at Gallipoli. He had a camel which he named 'White Lightning', they would race their camels in any quiet periods to ease boredom but he complained his was very slow (it was also coloured black!). He also told me that they would keep 'pet' scorpions in match boxes.

My dad has a book 'roll of honour' from the Commercial Bank of Scotland Ltd (Dunfermline branch) which lists my grandfather as: Hamilton John (L. Cpl. Imperial Camel Corp). He caught dysentry in the great war and nearly died, but for the care of a staff nurse who insisted on him regularly taking Castor oil.

He went back to working in the bank when he returned from the war. He later went to work for the MOD at a dockyard in scotland and was awarded an MBE in 1960 for 'civil services'. My Grandfather survived both wars (in WWII he was in the Home Guard I believe) and died in 1984.

Gillian Norris








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