Just A Walk In The Sun with the Hereford Regiment Museum

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The final part of Douglas Pike’s diary, runs through September 1915 until his evacuation from the Gallipoli Peninsula, suffering from dysentery.  He includes fascinating details of everyday life in front line trenches, attacks by Turkish forces and ways in which he acted as a guide to relieving battalions, including the Buffs.  Finally, he reflects on the campaign from a hospital camp and marvels at the successful withdrawal, while also recognising that the campaign was “for nothing.” 

Douglas Pike was mentioned in dispatches for his actions at Gallipoli in the early phases of the Herefordshire Regiment’s involvement.

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Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

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This third extract of Douglas Pike’s Gallipoli Diary finds him caring for Pte Yates, a wounded comrade through the night of 13th/14th August 1915, awaiting promised stretcher bearers, which never came.  On reaching Lala Baba the next morning RSM Chipp tells him he has missed the battalion and in the evening he sets out for Chocolate Hill to find them.  We then hear of conditions in the front line and how Douglas volunteers for a listening post.

We featured excerpts of Pte  Pike’s diary in a podcast episode a little while back, looking at the first 24 hours at Suvla Bay. After a number of requests, here is the diary in full, detailing conditions faced by men of the 1st Herefordshire Regiment at Gallipoli.  We’ll publish it in four parts.

Map references appear on the podcast page of our website.

2221 Pte Douglas Harry Pike was born in Ross-on-Wye, the son of Henry Pike a miller and grain merchant.  He was educated in Weston-super-Mare, and by October 1914 when he joined the Herefordshire Regiment, he was working with his father.

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If you like what you hear, don't forget to like and subscribe to help us reach a wider audience.

Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

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Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

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This second part of Douglas Pike’s Gallipoli Diary picks up on the morning of 10th August 1915.  Douglas meets up with ‘A’ Company and they spend the day fighting alongside the South Wales Borderers; he is sent back to the beach for rations, and on his return finds his unit has moved.  After searching his is finally reunited with the Herefords and he is asked to accompany a wounded man back to the dressing station.

We featured excerpts of Pte  Pike’s diary in a podcast episode a little while back, looking at the first 24 hours at Suvla Bay. After a number of requests, here is the diary in full, detailing conditions faced by men of the 1st Herefordshire Regiment at Gallipoli.  We’ll publish it in four parts.

Map references appear on the podcast page of our website.

2221 Pte Douglas Harry Pike was born in Ross-on-Wye, the son of Henry Pike a miller and grain merchant.  He was educated in Weston-super-Mare, and by October 1914 when he joined the Herefordshire Regiment, he was working with his father.

Support the show

If you like what you hear, don't forget to like and subscribe to help us reach a wider audience.

Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

Support the Museum?  Become a Patreon supporter or a Become a Friend

Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

Send us Fan Mail

We featured excerpts of Pte Douglas Pike’s diary in a podcast episode a little while back, looking at the first 24 hours at Suvla Bay. After a number of requests, here is the diary in full, detailing conditions faced by men of the 1st Herefordshire Regiment at Gallipoli.  We’ll publish it in four parts.

This first episode deals with the first 24 hours, the first and day and night.  The landing at Suvla Bay, the lack of information, the desperate search for water, the advance of the Regiment, and Pte Pike’s Ross-on-Wye Company being detached from the rest of the battalion.  Douglas Pike paints a compelling picture of courage and determination in the face of very challenging circumstances.

Map references appear on the podcast page of our website.

2221 Pte Douglas Harry Pike was born in Ross-on-Wye, the son of Henry Pike a miller and grain merchant.  He was educated in Weston-super-Mare, and by October 1914 when he joined the Herefordshire Regiment, he was working with his father.

Support the show

If you like what you hear, don't forget to like and subscribe to help us reach a wider audience.

Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

Support the Museum?  Become a Patreon supporter or a Become a Friend

Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

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In this month’s episode, Col Andy Taylor is joined by Rev Paul Roberts from northern France, to explore the story of the men of the Herefordshire Regiment who were transferred to the 11th Border Regiment (the “Lonsdale Battalion”). 

Paul Roberts visits Ten Tree Alley Cemetery of the Somme as part of his pilgrimage walk along the Via Francigena, from Canterbury to Rome.  The pair explore the brave and bloody action at Redan Ridge in November 1916, and the stories of the Herefordshire men involved. 

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If you like what you hear, don't forget to like and subscribe to help us reach a wider audience.

Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

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Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

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Intrigued by a German sounding name on a war memorial at Walford, just outside Ross-on-Wye, Col Andy Taylor and Rev Paul Roberts do some detective work in this episode.  They uncover the story Colin Baumgarte, killed with the Worcestershire Regiment on 27th August 1917 and his brother Conrad Baumgarte who served with the Herefordshire Regiment; the brother's Hannover-born father, Henry; and his links with trade in the town.

This leads our intrepid pair to the Market Place in Ross where Henry kept a hairdresser and tobacconists, and to links with the Ross Rifle Volunteers in the Boer War.  Later they head down to Ye Old Ferrie Inn, near Symonds Yat on the banks of the Wye near to where the Baumgartes kept the Royal Hotel (now the Royal Lodge).  

Along the way they discover what the "Gothenburg Principle" was and also the weight of the heaviest salmon pulled out of the river in the 1912 season.

Finally a poignant end to the episode where they explore the fate of other members of the Baumgarte family who stayed in Germany.

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If you like what you hear, don't forget to like and subscribe to help us reach a wider audience.

Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

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Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

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This episode finds curator, Col Andy Taylor joined by Major James Hereford, former curator and Friend of the Museum.  James shares with us his deep roots in the county - right back to Maurice de Hereford in the 1140s.  We hear about several notable "Herefords" - including politically astute High Sheriffs and Pope-defying clerics.

We then hear about James' army career as a young Light Infantry officer in Cyprus, as an Aide-de-Camp in Malaya and his final posting as Training Major for the 5th Battalion, the Light Infantry (Volunteers).  A role that found him travelling up and down the country visiting scattered companies and platoons of this Territorial Army Battalion as far afield as Truro and Durham.

James also shares insights from his time as Curator and founder of the Friends of the Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum.

If you like what you hear, don't forget to like and subscribe to help us reach a wider audience.

Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

Support the Museum?  Become a Patreon supporter or a Become a Friend

Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

Support the show

If you like what you hear, don't forget to like and subscribe to help us reach a wider audience.

Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

Support the Museum?  Become a Patreon supporter or a Become a Friend

Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

Send us Fan Mail

In this, our special Christmas episode, Colonel Andy Taylor and Rev Paul Roberts are joined by Major James Hereford and Danny Rees .  Each of our museum boffins talk about their favourite exhibit in the Museum - we hear about the Drum Major's sash, Doenitz's car pennant, a captured Boer rifle and a medal with the regimental number "1".

The episode then takes a competitive turn, when our four experts take it in turn to pose questions and compete for a coveted glittery Santa hat, replete with regimental cap badge.  Listen to which stinkers fox our museum brains trust.

If you like what you hear, don't forget to like and subscribe to help us reach a wider audience.  Wishing you a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year!

Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

Support the Museum?  Become a Patreon supporter or a Become a Friend

Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

Support the show

If you like what you hear, don't forget to like and subscribe to help us reach a wider audience.

Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

Support the Museum?  Become a Patreon supporter or a Become a Friend

Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

Send us Fan Mail

This episode finds Col Andy Taylor and Rev Paul Roberts taking a walk through the Herefordshire market town of Bromyard.  They begin in St Peter's Church in the centre of the town, taking a look at the unusual First World War Memorial there. 

Our wanderers then take a stroll round the corner to Kirkham Gardens to the former Territorial Drill Hall.  This building, today used as the detachment building for Bromyard's Army Cadets is probably the oldest Territorial building which has been in continuous use in the county.

Then a trip up to the rather windy Bromyard Downs to explore the former rifle range there and to talk about Jacob Patrol of the Home Guard Auxiliaries - Bromyard's embryonic resistance movement in case of enemy invasion during the Second World War.

Finally, windswept and hoarse, Andy and Paul retire to the Rose and Lion pub for refreshment and a chat about Bromyard's adopted destroyer during WW2 - HMS Vivien and their very personal connection with the ship. 

If you like what you hear, don't forget to like and subscribe to help us reach a wider audience.

Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

Support the Museum?  Become a Patreon supporter or a Become a Friend

Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

Support the show

If you like what you hear, don't forget to like and subscribe to help us reach a wider audience.

Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

Support the Museum?  Become a Patreon supporter or a Become a Friend

Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

Send us Fan Mail

Often the best stories come out once we stop recording! 

In this short bonus episode we hear a little bit more about Bill Jackson's time with the Herefordshire Light Infantry in the mid 1960s, including escape and evade exercises with the SAS in the Cotswolds and over the Long Mynd, other regimental personalities, the infamous "bunny girl tail" incident in Newcastle and the importance of collecting oral history before its too late!

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Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

Support the Museum?  Become a Patreon supporter or a Become a Friend

Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.

Support the show

If you like what you hear, don't forget to like and subscribe to help us reach a wider audience.

Visit our website - Herefordshire Light Infantry Museum; follow us on Facebook Herefordshire Regimental Museum | Facebook or visit our Youtube channel Herefordshire Regimental Museum - YouTube.

Support the Museum?  Become a Patreon supporter or a Become a Friend

Theme Tune - The Lincolnshire Poacher, performed by the outstanding Haverhill Silver Band.

This podcast generously supported by the Army Museums Ogilby Trust.