2nd Welsh Field Ambulance

[Guest cardiffwest]

My father, 366135 Cpl Charles Herbert Bravey RAMC TF, serve with 2nd Welsh Field Ambulance at Sulva Bay. I am wondering what happened to 2 Welsh FA after they were withdrawn from Gallipoli. He didn't talk much about his experiences but I do have an Army Form W3083 showing that he was on a hospital ship from 23 Sep 1918 to 11 Oct 1918. The ship was HMHS Dunluce Castle.

[clive_hughes]

Hi,

if you go to the >Units and Formations section and conduct a search using the term "Welsh Field Ambulance" a number of references to the 1st 2nd and 3rd Welsh FAs RAMC will appear.

The histories of these three units were fairly similar, in that they were part of the 53rd (Welsh) Division (Territorial Force) in 1914 and served with it until just about the end of the War, in Gallipoli, Egypt and Palestine.

The 2nd Welsh FA was formed in April 1908 based on a core of the old Welsh Border Brigade Bearer Company of the Volunteer Force. Its HQ was in Cardiff.

On 1 April 1917 the personnel of the 2nd Welsh FA were renumbered in order of seniority, starting at 366,001. Charles Herbert BRAVEY was therefore 135th in order of seniority of service in the unit at that time.

The FA was broken up in September 1918, part being absorbed into the 170th CFA (?Combined Field Ambulance) still attached to the 53rd Divn., the remainder of the men being sent to the Base on 18 Sept. for redeployment. This might be why and when he was posted to the Hospital Ship.

I have had a look for his medal card on the Ancestry.com website (mis-indexed as BRAVERY), and what I found was actually the card for his Silver War Badge. This was an openwork silver badge with the royal cypher "GRI" and the legend "For Services Rendered". It was chiefly given to servicemen who were discharged from the Forces on the grounds of wounds, sickness etc.

His card records that he enlisted on 23 September 1914, and was discharged on 28 February 1919 under Kings Regulations, Para 392 XVIa which I suspect is a general statement that he was no longer fit for service. He was a Corporal in the 2nd Welsh FA. The index reference to the issue of his badge is: List RAMC / 1285. This will tally with a register at the National Archives, and may give you the badge number and his cause of discharge etc.

His medals are vaguely mentioned, but not specified; nor is his pre-1917 number given. I couldn't locate a near enough match for his service / pension papers, which may mean that they haven't survived.

If you want a general history of the 53rd Divn, try getting via your local lending or reference library:

C.H.Dudley Ward, History of the 53rd (Welsh) Division (TF) 1914-1918 . A modern reprint is available, by the Naval & Military Press, and can be found on eBay and elsewhere.

Hope this helps you.

LST_164