Swallow in flight insignia

[BSM]

The attached image consists of a swallow in flight on a circular background. Unfortunately that portion of the photograph is somewhat faded however it was painted on the side of an ASC ambulance somewhere on the Italian Front. Any input as to its origin/Unit etc would be appreciated. Thanks & Regards....Rod

[Kate Wills]

I have a concert party photo with exactly the same image painted in the middle of the proscenium arch above the stage.

No clues as to the unit, but Cartolina Postale is printed in larger letters above Carte Postale, which seems to confirm the Italian front, which at least narrows the field. There are leaves on the trees on my photo.

Next question - which ASC units served in Italy, and when?

The LLT gives the following for Italian front:

Army Service Corps

360 (MT) Company ASC (4th Pontoon Park)

Army Troops Supply Column (MT) ASC

443rd and 1047th Army Auxiliary (HT) Companies ASC

93 Company ASC (1st Mobile Repair Unit)

654 and 1037 (MT) Companies ASC, attached RGA

369, 370, 374, 375, 377, 380, 383 and 398 (MT) Sections ASC

No 2 Section AA Workshop

::::::::::::::

PS Rod

What is the context of that big number 18 in your photo?

[Mike_H]

Rod

The swallow vehicle sign was the badge of 36th Motor Ambulance Convoy which served as GHQ troops in Italy. The bird was blue on a white background with a very thin red edge to the circle which doesn't show up in the picture. The sign was described as 12 1/2" in diameter.

Mike

[Kate Wills]

36th MAC = 908 Company ASC

A smidgen of extra information on 36th MAC, from a January 1969 obituary in the British Medical Journal:

Robert Leech Newell was born on 8 February 1894. A medical student at the onset of the first

world war, he volunteered for foreign service and was granted a commission in the R.A.M.C. He continued in the

hospital as house-surgeon and then house physician until he graduated M.B., Ch.B. in 1916, and tcok the Conjoint diploma in the same year. He was awarded the Bradley Memorial Scholarship for clinical surgery.

From 1916 to 1919 he served in France and Italy. During this time his great organizing

ability was very evident. In 1918 as commanding officer in charge of the 36th Motor Ambulance Convoy he was responsible for the evacuation of the wounded at the battle of Piave, and for this work he was decorated by the King of Italy with the Croce di Guerra.

Later he was commanding officer of a 200-bedded prisoner-of-war hospital in Italy. He was demobilized in 1919 with the honorary rank of major, R.A.M.C. On his return to civilian life he held the appointment of

demonstrator in anatomy at the University of Manchester while he was also working for

higher surgical qualifications. After successfully negotiating the primary and final

examinations at the first attempt he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of

England in 1921. ...

[BSM]

Mike thanks for the identification. That puts it to bed I would think. If not classified, may I inquire as to your source, i.e., WD document etc?

Regards....Rod

Rod

The swallow vehicle sign was the badge of 36th Motor Ambulance Convoy which served as GHQ troops in Italy. The bird was blue on a white background with a very thin red edge to the circle which doesn't show up in the picture. The sign was described as 12 1/2" in diameter.

Mike

[Mike_H]

Rod

The information is from a collection of drawings of ASC vehicle signs held by the Department of Printed Books at the IWM, information collected from units at the end of the War.

Mike

[Kate Wills]

Mike,

It isn't mentioned in Mike Young's ASC book, which surprises me, as I assume he used this source in compiling his very extensive list of company insignia.