PART VII.

Epilogue.

The following extract from a letter from an officer at Aleppo to a former “O.C.” of the Squadron (now demobilized) will perhaps serve as a fitting close to the record of the service of the 20TH MACHINE-GUN SQUADRON.

“Aleppo. “4-10-19.

“Dear.....

“Just a line to let you know how we are getting on.  The 14th B’de has been abolished and several Units disbanded.  The Cadre of the Sherwoods also, who are now in the 13th Brigade, is going home, but there are only a few of them to go to U.K.  The 20th M.G.S. is to be disbanded, and the personnel to go to the 19th Squadron.  We got orders yesterday to wind up the ‘20th’ and send the personnel to the ‘19th’ and I have to report to the 10th Cav.  Bde. at Homs.  What for I don’t know yet.  One consolation, all the men but five are now eligible for U.K.!!  Well, well, it can’t be helped, and perhaps it is as well we were broken up now as the men will perhaps be home by Xmas if the Strike is over.

     “Hope you are enjoying ‘Civvy’ life.

“Yours, &c.,
“.....”.

The following are extracts from THE TIMES of the 24th July 1919 and the DAILY MAIL of 28th July 1919.  They will not be read without sincere regret by all those members of the 20th “M.G.S.” who had previously served in the 5th Cavalry Division.

     GENERAL SIR HENRY MACANDREW.

Major-General Sir Henry John Milnes Macandrew, K.C.B., D.S.O., died from heart failure, resulting from burns, on the 16th inst. in Syria, where he was serving in command of the 5th (Indian) Cavalry Division.

A son of the late Sir Henry Macandrew, of Aisthorpe, Inverness, he was born on August 7th 1866, and joined the 2nd Batt.  Cameron Highlanders in 1884, being transferred to the Lincoln Regiment two years later.  Entering the Indian Army in 1888, he joined the 5th Cavalry, to which regiment he belonged until his promotion to major-general in 1917, and of which he was honorary colonel when he died.

He had extensive staff experience, being a graduate of the staff college and having spent about one-third of his service in the Indian Army on the staff.  He went through the Tirah Campaign as brigade transport officer in 1897-98 (dispatches and frontier medal with two clasps), and he served through the South African War in various capacities, gaining the South African medal and four clasps, the King’s medal and two clasps, and the D.S.O., and being twice mentioned in dispatches.  He was brigade-major to the Inspector-General of Cavalry in India in 1903-5.

He served in France on the staff of the Indian Cavalry divisions from 1914 till 1917, when he was promoted major-general and received command of the 5th Cavalry Division.  His services in France secured four mentions in dispatches and the K.C.B.  He proceeded to Palestine