Ford, John Frederick (Oral history)

British boy bugler with 15th Stationary Hospital Royal Army Medical Corps at Gallipoli and Lemnos, Greece, 1915; served as laboratory technician with 155th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps with North Russia Relief Force in Soviet Union, 1919

REEL 1 Aspects of period in Folkestone, 1912-1914: prior movements as result of father's career in Royal Army Medical Corps; decision to join Royal Army Medical Corps; Boy Scouts activities. Recruitment as boy bugler into Royal Army Medical Corps at Shorncliffe Barracks, 12/8/1914. Recollections of period at Royal Army Medical Corps Depot, Aldershot, 8/1914-3/1915: role of bugle calls; bugle training; origins of boys; sleeping arrangements; meaning of bugle calls; lack of uniform for adult recruits; daily routine training; relationship with NCOs; passing education certificates; posting on passing out as bugler to newly formed 15th Stationary Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps, 2/1915. Voyage aboard City of Edinburgh to Alexandria, Egypt, 3/1915: damaged ship at Avonmouth. REEL 2 Continues: prior issue of pith helmet; units aboard; sea sickness; coaling ship at Malta. Period at Gabari Camp. Alexandria, 3/1915-4/1915. Voyage aboard Mynettus to Mudros, Lemnos, 4/1915: origin and water carrying role of Zion Mule Corps also aboard; food; running aground at Mudros. Voyage aboard Arcadian to position off V Beach, Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey, 24/4/1915-25/4/1915. Period aboard Dongola off Helles and Anzac, 25/4/1915-4/5/1915: role as temporary hospital ship; arrival of untreated wounded from beaches; attached naval doctors; acting as untrained anaesthetists in makeshift operating ward for minor wounds in ship corridor; question of view of fighting at Helles; question of Gallipoli strategy; question of adequacy of medical arrangements on Dongola; casualty case; move to Anzac, 2/5/1915. REEL 3 Continues: Anzac casualties brought aboard; taking seriously wounded to Alexandria. Recollections of conditions of service and lifestyle on establishment of 15th Stationary Hospital at Mudros, Lemnos, 5/1915-9/1915: duties blowing Last Post at funerals; tent accommodation for wards; visits to Mudros village; climate; lice problem; story of special milk diet whilst suffering from dysentery after being moved from hospital bed needed by casualties; story of father's posting to Mudros his arrangements to get Ford sent back to Egypt. Period in Cairo, Egypt, 9/1915: sight seeing visits with father; effects of dysentery. Voyage on Asturias to GB, 9/1915. Period in Dysentery Convalescent Hospital, 9/1915-10/1918. Effects of war experience. Background to beginning specialisation as laboratory technician in Royal Army Medical Coprs, 1919. REEL 4 Continues: Periods at Royal Army Medical Corps depots, 10/1918-4/1919. Posting to 155th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps and voyage aboard Czar via Murmansk to Archangel, Soviet Union, 4/1919: role and composition of North Russia Relief Force; send off at Southampton; period waiting for ice breaker at Murmansk; issue of British War Medal and use as propaganda purposes. Recollections of period in North Russia, 4/1919-9/1919: mosquito problem in initial billets at Archangel; boat journey with baggage party up Dvina River to Beresnik headquarters; horse fly problem; posting to hospital barge at Beresnik; bridge constructed from bank to barge; story of difficulty in collecting names of Russian wounded; appointment as clerk; local flowers; question of contacts with Russian civilians; question of Russian political situation and role of North Russia Relief Force; return with headquarters to Archangel, 7/1919; attending local musical hall; story of Russian interpreter in Slavo-British Legion. REEL 5 Continues: duties as clerk at Archangel. Evacuation on Czarina to GB, 9/1919: issue of rifles and precautions against Russian refugees; rough crossing; rail strike in Liverpool. Various aspects of service with North Russia Relief Force in Russia, 1919: morale of troops in Russia; absence of casualties; question of relationship with Russian civilians. Various aspects of training with Royal Army Medical Corps, 1914-1919: pay; basic medical training. Story of meeting ex-member of Zion Mule Corps whilst serving with Royal Army Medical Corps in Iraq, 1939-1945.