DOIRAN MEMORIAL
Lake Doiran
Greece
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 41.1696, Longitude: 22.76776
Location Information
The Doiran Memorial stands near Doiran Military Cemetery, which is situated in the north of Greece close to the Macedonia border and near the south-east shore of Lake Doiran. It is approximately 3 kilometres north west of Drossato village behind and to the west of Doirani village and is reached via a farm track.
From Thessaloniki take the Thessaloniki – Kilkis National Road north for approximately 70 km following the directions for the town of Kilkis until you come to a crossroads with the town of Drossato on your right. Turn left at this crossroads following the signs for Doirani Village/Lake and Customs. Continue on this road for approximately 2 km where you shall pick up the CWGC signs on the outskirts of the village that shall lead you around the village of Doirani and to Doiran Military cemetery. Continue past the cemetery for approximately 1 km following the CWGC signs up a rough track until you arrive at the Memorial.
The Memorial stands on what was called Colonial Hill, and can be seen from a distance and is a landmark.
Visiting Information
The memorial is always open and may be visited at any time.
Historical Information
The DOIRAN MEMORIAL stands roughly in the centre of the line occupied for two years by the Allies in Macedonia, but close to the western end, which was held by Commonwealth forces. It marks the scene of the fierce fighting of 1917-1918, which caused the majority of the Commonwealth battle casualties.
From October 1915 to the end of November 1918, the British Salonika Force suffered some 2,800 deaths in action, 1,400 from wounds and 4,200 from sickness. The campaign afforded few successes for the Allies, and none of any importance until the last two months. The action of the Commonwealth force was hampered throughout by widespread and unavoidable sickness and by continual diplomatic and personal differences with neutrals or Allies. On one front there was a wide malarial river valley and on the other, difficult mountain ranges, and many of the roads and railways it required had to be specially constructed.
The memorial serves the dual purpose of Battle Memorial of the British Salonika Force (for which a large sum of money was subscribed by the officers and men of that force), and place of commemoration for more than 2,000 Commonwealth servicemen who died in Macedonia and whose graves are not known.
The memorial was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer with sculpture by Walter Gilbert. It was unveiled by Sir George Macdonogh on 25 September 1926.
Commemorated on Memorial: United Kingdom 2,173.
The memorial stands near DOIRAN MILITARY CEMETERY. The cemetery (originally known as Colonial Hill Cemetery No.2) was formed at the end of 1916 as a cemetery for the Doiran front. The graves are almost entirely those of officers and men of the 22nd and 26th Divisions and largely reflect the fighting of April and May 1917 (the attacks on the Petit-Couronne), and 18-19 September 1918 (the attacks on Pip Ridge and the Grand-Couronne). In October and November 1918, after the final advance, a few burials were added by the 25th Casualty Clearing Station.
After the Armistice, graves were brought into the cemetery from the battlefields and from some small burial grounds, the most important of which was Strumnitza British Military Cemetery, north-west of Doiran, made by the 40th Casualty Clearing Station in October and November 1918.
The cemetery now contains 1,338 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, 449 of them unidentified. There are also 45 Greek and one French war graves.
Total Burials: 1,393.
Identified Commonwealth Burials: United Kingdom 888, India 1. Total 889.
Unidentified Commonwealth Burials: 449.
Other Nationalities: Greece 45, France 1. Total 46.
Images in the gallery below used with the permission of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission

7827 Private
James Doran
12th Lancashire Fusiliers
Killed in Action 14th September 1916, aged 38.
Son of Michael and Sarah Doran, of Burnley, Lancs. Brother Michael 64372 Scottish rifles of 10 Bedford St-Twice Wounded. Son of Michael & Sarah Jane.
James Doran
12th Lancashire Fusiliers
Killed in Action 14th September 1916, aged 38.
Son of Michael and Sarah Doran, of Burnley, Lancs. Brother Michael 64372 Scottish rifles of 10 Bedford St-Twice Wounded. Son of Michael & Sarah Jane.

63970 Private
Frank Joseph Ison
1st Bn. Welsh Regiment
8th April 1918, aged 24.
Son of Elijah and Clara Ison, of Orchard St., Quy Cambridge.
Frank Joseph Ison
1st Bn. Welsh Regiment
8th April 1918, aged 24.
Son of Elijah and Clara Ison, of Orchard St., Quy Cambridge.

24622 Private
John Howard Mawdsley
8th Bn. King's Shropshire Light Infantry
27th December 1916, aged 32.
Son of William Henry Mawdsley, of Oakengates, Salop; husband of Alice Morris (formerly Mawdsley), of 16, Frame Lane, Doseley, Dawley, Salop.
Picture courtesy of Dave Shaw
John Howard Mawdsley
8th Bn. King's Shropshire Light Infantry
27th December 1916, aged 32.
Son of William Henry Mawdsley, of Oakengates, Salop; husband of Alice Morris (formerly Mawdsley), of 16, Frame Lane, Doseley, Dawley, Salop.
Picture courtesy of Dave Shaw

S/17924 Private
John Firth Spence
10th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
9th May 1917, aged 33.
Son of Matthew and Robina Spence; husband of Maggie Jolly Spence, of Lochend, Stenness, Orkney. Born at Orkney.
'News from the War Office has been received that Pte. John F. Spence, Black Watch, who was reported missing from Salonika on the night of the 8/9th May, 1917, is believed to have died on that date or since. He was the second son of Mr and Mrs Matthew Spence, Post Office, Harray, and was 33 years of age. He was married to Maggie, the younger daughter of the late Mr Wm. Jolly and Mrs Jolly, Madras House, Harray: Before joining the colours he was for several years a postman in Stenness, and was well liked by the people of the parish. He leaves a widow and three young children to mourn his loss, who reside at Lochend, Stennes.'
He was born and lived in Orkney. His children were Stanley (My father), Jack (who died of T. B. during World War Two but was not in the services and his daughter Irene.
Remembered by his Grandson John Rognvald Spence
John Firth Spence
10th Bn. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
9th May 1917, aged 33.
Son of Matthew and Robina Spence; husband of Maggie Jolly Spence, of Lochend, Stenness, Orkney. Born at Orkney.
'News from the War Office has been received that Pte. John F. Spence, Black Watch, who was reported missing from Salonika on the night of the 8/9th May, 1917, is believed to have died on that date or since. He was the second son of Mr and Mrs Matthew Spence, Post Office, Harray, and was 33 years of age. He was married to Maggie, the younger daughter of the late Mr Wm. Jolly and Mrs Jolly, Madras House, Harray: Before joining the colours he was for several years a postman in Stenness, and was well liked by the people of the parish. He leaves a widow and three young children to mourn his loss, who reside at Lochend, Stennes.'
He was born and lived in Orkney. His children were Stanley (My father), Jack (who died of T. B. during World War Two but was not in the services and his daughter Irene.
Remembered by his Grandson John Rognvald Spence

20773 Lance Corporal
Charles Albert Stallard
9th Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment.
Died 25th April 1917, aged 29 in the Salonika campaign.
Son of Mrs. Edith Stallard, of 36, Jervis Rd., Stamshaw, Portsmouth.
Picture courtesy of great nephew, Kyle Greenfield.
Charles Albert Stallard
9th Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment.
Died 25th April 1917, aged 29 in the Salonika campaign.
Son of Mrs. Edith Stallard, of 36, Jervis Rd., Stamshaw, Portsmouth.
Picture courtesy of great nephew, Kyle Greenfield.