Description
Object description
His interesting ts memoir (15pp) as a clerk and NCO (TA) with the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) in the UK, France and Belgium, Norway, India, Middle East, Italy, and North West Europe (September 1939 - ?March 1946), including mobilisation (September 1939); active service with the 158th (Welsh) Ambulance (15th Brigade, 5th Division) at Bedwas near Caerphilly in Wales (September 1939 – November 1939); on active service near Le Mans, in Lille, Dechy near Douai and in the Maginot Line in France and Belgium (November 1939 – April 1940); participation with Sickleforce in the Norwegian Campaign (April 1940 – May 1940); at Turriff near Aberdeen, Ramsbottom in Lancashire, Newtownstewart and Fintona in Northern Ireland, and Horsham in Surrey (May 1940 – March 1942); the voyage in HMT SAMARIA from Liverpool to Bombay, India via Freetown, Sierra Leone and Cape Town, South Africa (March 1942 – May 1942); Ranchi, India (May 1942 – September 1942); the journey to and active service in the Middle East (September 1942 – July 1943 and June 1944 – February 1945), notably in Iraq (September 1942 – November 1942), Persia (November 1942 – February 1943), Egypt (February 1943 – June 1943), and Palestine (July 1944 – February 1945); Italy (July 1943 – June 1944), participating in the Sangro (December 1943), the Garigliano Crossing (January 1944), Anzio (January 1944 – May 1944) and the liberation of Rome (May 1944 – June 1944); and operations in Belgium and the occupation of Germany (March 1945 - ?March 1946), notably working with refugees (DP camps) at Magdeburg and Wolfenbuttel (no dates), co-ordinating German Military Hospitals at Hildesheim (until February 1946), carrying out hygiene inspections on German prisoners of war (from February 1946) and demobilisation; and commenting on army life, notably the medical examination, the conditions, the billets, the rations, off duty entertainment and leave; outbreaks of German Measles, meningitis and lice; the weather; the treatment and evacuation of the wounded from Norway, Sicily and Italy; hospitalisation with a skin infection; life on a troopship; life in India, notably the precautions taken to prevent disease; latrines; the Stern gang; his medical equipment; the rum ration; celebrating Christmas (December 1943); German shelling, including the summary shooting of a German artillery spotter; burying the dead; the deaths of comrades; his lucky escapes from death; and the execution of two Poles for rape. Also included are photocopies of a song (1p) about the crossing of the Garigliano (January 1944); a formal letters of thanks from the Major of Hildesheim (1p, November 1945) for helping German civilians injured in a train crash; and a short ms lecture (5pp) of his service with the 158th (Welsh) Ambulance in France, Sicily, Italy and North West Europe (September 1939 – ?March 1946), including the death of a soldier from drinking illegal alcohol in Hildesheim.
Content description
His interesting ts memoir (15pp) as a clerk and NCO (TA) with the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) in the UK, France and Belgium, Norway, India, Middle East, Italy, and North West Europe (September 1939 - ?March 1946), including mobilisation (September 1939); active service with the 158th (Welsh) Ambulance (15th Brigade, 5th Division) at Bedwas near Caerphilly in Wales (September 1939 – November 1939); on active service near Le Mans, in Lille, Dechy near Douai and in the Maginot Line in France and Belgium (November 1939 – April 1940); participation with Sickleforce in the Norwegian Campaign (April 1940 – May 1940); at Turriff near Aberdeen, Ramsbottom in Lancashire, Newtownstewart and Fintona in Northern Ireland, and Horsham in Surrey (May 1940 – March 1942); the voyage in HMT SAMARIA from Liverpool to Bombay, India via Freetown, Sierra Leone and Cape Town, South Africa (March 1942 – May 1942); Ranchi, India (May 1942 – September 1942); the journey to and active service in the Middle East (September 1942 – July 1943 and June 1944 – February 1945), notably in Iraq (September 1942 – November 1942), Persia (November 1942 – February 1943), Egypt (February 1943 – June 1943), and Palestine (July 1944 – February 1945); Italy (July 1943 – June 1944), participating in the Sangro (December 1943), the Garigliano Crossing (January 1944), Anzio (January 1944 – May 1944) and the liberation of Rome (May 1944 – June 1944); and operations in Belgium and the occupation of Germany (March 1945 - ?March 1946), notably working with refugees (DP camps) at Magdeburg and Wolfenbuttel (no dates), co-ordinating German Military Hospitals at Hildesheim (until February 1946), carrying out hygiene inspections on German prisoners of war (from February 1946) and demobilisation; and commenting on army life, notably the medical examination, the conditions, the billets, the rations, off duty entertainment and leave; outbreaks of German Measles, meningitis and lice; the weather; the treatment and evacuation of the wounded from Norway, Sicily and Italy; hospitalisation with a skin infection; life on a troopship; life in India, notably the precautions taken to prevent disease; latrines; the Stern gang; his medical equipment; the rum ration; celebrating Christmas (December 1943); German shelling, including the summary shooting of a German artillery spotter; burying the dead; the deaths of comrades; his lucky escapes from death; and the execution of two Poles for rape. Also included are photocopies of a song (1p) about the crossing of the Garigliano (January 1944); a formal letters of thanks from the Major of Hildesheim (1p, November 1945) for helping German civilians injured in a train crash; and a short ms lecture (5pp) of his service with the 158th (Welsh) Ambulance in France, Sicily, Italy and North West Europe (September 1939 – ?March 1946), including the death of a soldier from drinking illegal alcohol in Hildesheim.
History note
Cataloguer SNR