The 'First Dozen' Departs

At 1.30pm on January 16th 1915 the 1st Battalion arrived at Southampton Docks.  
At 2.00pm embarkation began to get the Battalion onto their transport. 
By 4.00pm all loading was completed and at 5.00pm, the SS Mount Temple weighted anchor for France containing the Battalion, the Headquarters of 83rd Brigade and 103rd Battery, Royal Field Artillery. 
First stop was an overnight stay at St. Helen's on the Isle of Wight, from where they would pick up their destroyer escort in the channel and proceed to France. From the dust of Egypt to the cold snows of the Western Front, another Battalion of Suffolk soldiers were off to war.

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