Ramc Soldier

[Guest]

I am trying to find any information on my G/Grandfather. I know he was in the RAMC and have obtained his Medal record card. I am also ex RAMC Combat Medic, joined in 1984 left 1998 and then rejoined the colours in 2003 with the Provost branch. I was surprised to learn of my G/Grandfathers service as a fellow Medic recently.

He was Pte Victory Wiliiam Joy Regtl No's- 350, 495594 and 201163, i know that they used to get new numbers when they changed units. It lists him as being in 6/7 Amb and no other unit which is confusing and arriving in Western Europe on 20.08.14, i imagine its France for he is listed as having been awarded the British war medal, Victory medal and the 1914 Star with clasp and roses. It also notes he was Discharged 01.12.15 due to what or why it is unknown.

There are also another bunch of numbers and wierd signs that i do not understand, 1 being a cross like the St Georges cross with dots in each QTR. Your help in this matter is most apprcieated.

In Arduis Fidelis.. A great site, well done people my hat goes off to you all.

[Michelle Young]

Hi Sean

Regarding his medal card have a look here

http://www.1914-1918.net/grandad/mic.htm

Welcome to the forum

Michelle

[apwright]

Welcome to the Forum, Sean!

His MIC actually says "6/F.Amb", No.6 Field Ambulance RAMC.

There is another card on Ancestry for a Mention in Dispatches, indexed as V W Joy with number 495594, and his name is listed in the London Gazette of 11/6/19, page 6926.

Strange that - MiD in 1918 and two 6-figure numbers (1917 onwards usually), and yet clearly "Dis. 1.12.15". Perhaps he re-enlisted later on?

The War Diary of 6 FA is at the National Archives in WO 95/1338

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalog...5635672&j=1

Adrian

[Heid the Ba]

Could he have been discharged as unfit through illness or wounds, recovered and later volunteered or been conscripted?

[BJanman]

Sean

The information on Victor’s Medal Index Card could be misleading. For example, he entered the war in France with the 6th Field Ambulance - this unit was a regular army unit and formed in Aldershot on 16th August 1914 from pre-allocated personnel and Special Reservists. However, his number 495594 is a Territorial Force number allocated to the 2nd Home Counties FIeld Ambulance. This ties in with his address being at Maidstone, Kent.

At first I thought he may have served in the Territorial Force but volunteered early to enter the war and was placed with a regular unit. That would mean his original number 350 would have changed to 495594 in 1917 with the new TF numbering system. However, the number 350 is a very late number for the Territorial Force, especially as he entered the war at the very start.

It is possible then that he was a regular in the RAMC - service number 350, who was discharged on the 1st December 1915 as his service time had expired. He then re-enlisted into the Territorial Force.

The service number 201163 could be Territorial Force or Regular Army, I have men on the RAMC database with very close numbers from both.

It might be an idea to go to the National Archive at Kew and look at the Medal Rolls RAMC/28 for his 14 Star and RAMC/101 to see which service numbers are quoted as this will help identify what his number was at the start and the end of the war.

Barbara

[Guest]

Many thanks for the information. I now live in Canada and therefore cant go to Kew. Some one mentioned that he had an MID listed within the London Gazzette 11/6/19 pg 6926. That search is coming up as nothing found, is there anything else that i could look at and gleam information,

many thanks Sean

.

The information on Victor's Medal Index Card could be misleading. For example, he entered the war in France with the 6th Field Ambulance - this unit was a regular army unit and formed in Aldershot on 16th August 1914 from pre-allocated personnel and Special Reservists. However, his number 495594 is a Territorial Force number allocated to the 2nd Home Counties FIeld Ambulance. This ties in with his address being at Maidstone, Kent.

At first I thought he may have served in the Territorial Force but volunteered early to enter the war and was placed with a regular unit. That would mean his original number 350 would have changed to 495594 in 1917 with the new TF numbering system. However, the number 350 is a very late number for the Territorial Force, especially as he entered the war at the very start.

It is possible then that he was a regular in the RAMC - service number 350, who was discharged on the 1st December 1915 as his service time had expired. He then re-enlisted into the Territorial Force.

The service number 201163 could be Territorial Force or Regular Army, I have men on the RAMC database with very close numbers from both.

It might be an idea to go to the National Archive at Kew and look at the Medal Rolls RAMC/28 for his 14 Star and RAMC/101 to see which service numbers are quoted as this will help identify what his number was at the start and the end of the war.

Barbara

[BJanman]

Sean

His entry in the London Gazette can be found here.

His number was 495594 when he was mentioned in despatches so was serving with the TF by then. As he was MID there is a very small possibility that he is mentioned in the war diary of either the 1/2nd Home Counties Field Ambulance or the 2/2nd Home Counties Field Ambulance but these are also held at the National Archive.

Just a thought but as he re-joined he may have continued to serve after the war and his service record is held by the MOD. The link here explains about service records and where to apply. It's a long shot but worth trying.

Barbara