1/3rd West Riding Field Ambulance

[GNJ]

As you will see this is my first post for this forum! However, recent family events have brought into my possession documents on which I feel I need some advice.

My grandfather, W F Northend, served throughout the war in the 1/3 West Riding Field Ambulance, and kept a diary throughout. It is illustrated with his contemporary sketches and he returned to the battlefields in 1929 to take photographs of key sites which he included in the bound version of the diary. Whilst much information is a personal view of life in the Field Hospital, it inevitably contains much about movements and actions.

He was also one of the committee producing "The Lead-Swinger", the magazine of the Field ambulance and which bears considerable resemblance to the 'Wipers Times' recently featured on BBC. The Lead-Swinger was produced in manuscript at the time, but copies were brought back to England where they were printed and bound for distribution to members of the Field Ambulance. Internet research (ok, Google!) shows copies in the archives of several countries, plus the Wellcome collection. However, this is usually volume 1, whereas I have both 1 & 2.

So I am happy to provide information to those who might need it, but, with 2014 rapidly approaching, I feel I should do something more generally with the documentation. I am aware of the IWM centenary project but, like many, am concerned about the commercialisation of the documents.

Any suggestions / advice please?

[bigronhartley]

Hello GNJ

Welcome to the forum, I read with great interest about the Diary kept by your Grandfather, W F Northend, who served with the 1/3 West Riding Field Ambulance.I am researching Cpl Herbert Bower, 422 and later 405247, Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorial Force) who was awarded the Military Medal whilst serving with the 1/3 West Riding Field Ambulance (a Sheffield based unit) during the Great War. The award was notified in the London Gazette dated 28 January, 1918 and shows that Cpl Bower was from Sheffield. I would be most grateful for any information regarding his Military Medal and the actions that his unit were involved in around the end of 1917. Hoping that you might be able to help.

Regards

Ron

[P.Rhodes]

Hello GNJ

My uncle Waide Reginald Worrall was also in the 1/3 WRFA. After the death of my Aunt I discovered volume one of the 'Lead Swinger' while clearing her house. I also have found reference to it in various places which leads me to think it might be an important document. I don't think either of my sons would want it which makes me think of a suitable home for it in the future. Sheffield archives perhaps?

Members thoughts on a good home for my 'Lead Swinger' would be appreciated.

Peter

[GNJ]

Hello GNJ

Welcome to the forum, I read with great interest about the Diary kept by your Grandfather, W F Northend, who served with the 1/3 West Riding Field Ambulance.I am researching Cpl Herbert Bower, 422 and later 405247, Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorial Force) who was awarded the Military Medal whilst serving with the 1/3 West Riding Field Ambulance (a Sheffield based unit) during the Great War. The award was notified in the London Gazette dated 28 January, 1918 and shows that Cpl Bower was from Sheffield. I would be most grateful for any information regarding his Military Medal and the actions that his unit were involved in around the end of 1917. Hoping that you might be able to help.

Regards

Ron

Hi ironduke, thanks for your reply. I think it was an earlier post of yours that highlighted this forum to me some time ago, as a response mentioned my great-uncle who also picked up an MM at the Somme.

I'm unsure of quite how wide a search to throw through the diary. However, going back from the end of January there is no major action recorded until the beginning of October 1917. On October the 9th a number of members of the Field Ambulance were killed or wounded during an offensive involving 146 and 148 brigades. The exact location isn't given but they are billeted at 'Banks Farm' with local names Vlamertynghe Road and Poperinghe also mentioned. The following day there was also a huge effort from the FA to recover casualties, with my grandfather being sent forward to replace stretcher bearers killed the previous day.

Whether this is the action that generated the MM for Cpl Bower isn't clear, and it may be that he had left the FA before the medal was presented, as my grandfather does tend to mention medals being presented at the "OC's parade" on other occasions. However, these dates may be worth your investigation further.

Hope this helps, and I will bear in mind your question as I read through more of the diary.

Regards,

Gordon

[GNJ]

Welcome GNJ - it sounds like you have an absolute treasure trove!

Personally I'd like to see all of your material, but I would be particularly interested in the sketches and photographs. Would it be too much of a burden to scan this material?

Thanks for your welcome, MrSwan. However, you know not what you ask! The diary runs to something over 400 pages (typed) and there are probably well over 100 further pages of images. Is there anything of specific interest?

Regards,

Gordon

[bigronhartley]

Hello Gordon

Thanks very much for the information. I take it that 146 and 148 brigades, were two of the Infantry Brigades associated with the West Riding Territorials (49 Division).

Regards

Ron

PS Is there any mention of Captain Tom Ramsden Kenworthy or Sgt Major Maury ?

[saw119]

I would definitely suggest donating it to Sheffield Archives or Local Studies. As a Sheffielder myself I think this material should be where the public can access it. A great find as we'll, maybe you could get it published there are plenty of local publishers in Sheffield who would be interested I'm sure.

[West riding]

Hi,

My Grandad was in 49th division A battery 245 th Brigade Royal field artillery. Which hailed from West Yorkshire, I would be grateful to know if there was any mention of them in your archive.

Cheers,

Gary

[bigronhartley]

Hello Gary

A battery 245 th Brigade Royal field artillery was based in Leeds at Fenton Street Barracks. What was your granddad's name and number ? He may have been mentioned in the Local Newspapers.

Regards

Ron

[West riding]

Hi Ron,

His name was Harry wainwright, I have two numbers (not sure why) 1521 is the one on his enrollment papers plus 775375.

Thanks for your help in finding some information.

Regards,

Gary

[spof]

Gary

This should help explain why he has two numbers http://www.1914-1918.net/renumbering.htm

Glen

[West riding]

Hi Glen,

Thanks for the link, it does help to understand the renumbering. However you couldn't explain the difference between Territorials, yeomanry and regulars could you, I am not sure of the difference.

Regards,

Gary

[spof]

Gary

In general terms, Regulars were full time soldiers, Territorials were part time (like today's TA) and Yeomanry were the Territorial equivalent of Cavalry. For the renumbering, you can ignore Regulars as tehy didn't renumber until the introduction of the Army wide numbering system in 1920.

Glen

[West riding]

Hi Glen,

Thanks for the info, seems from looking at long trail info he was territorial force first line recruited from Leeds and Bramley.

Cheers,

Gary

[spof]

It certainly looks that way. From this extremely useful post:

775001-780000 245 BDE, RFA TF/ 1/1 W RIDING BDE

[Guest culledr]

As you will see this is my first post for this forum! However, recent family events have brought into my possession documents on which I feel I need some advice.

My grandfather, W F Northend, served throughout the war in the 1/3 West Riding Field Ambulance, and kept a diary throughout. It is illustrated with his contemporary sketches and he returned to the battlefields in 1929 to take photographs of key sites which he included in the bound version of the diary. Whilst much information is a personal view of life in the Field Hospital, it inevitably contains much about movements and actions.

He was also one of the committee producing "The Lead-Swinger", the magazine of the Field ambulance and which bears considerable resemblance to the 'Wipers Times' recently featured on BBC. The Lead-Swinger was produced in manuscript at the time, but copies were brought back to England where they were printed and bound for distribution to members of the Field Ambulance. Internet research (ok, Google!) shows copies in the archives of several countries, plus the Wellcome collection. However, this is usually volume 1, whereas I have both 1 & 2.

So I am happy to provide information to those who might need it, but, with 2014 rapidly approaching, I feel I should do something more generally with the documentation. I am aware of the IWM centenary project but, like many, am concerned about the commercialisation of the documents.

Any suggestions / advice please?

Hello My name is Derek Cullen I am a retired Sheffield Consultant Physician and am involved in preparing an exhibition for next years commemoration of WW1 in Sheffield University Medical School. I would welcome an opportunity to speak to you as the exhibition will tell the story of the 3rd West Riding Field Ambulance and also the lead Swinger. Regards

Derek Cullen

[shaunparkes]

GNJ

Read your post with interest as WF Northend's father, J W Northend, was half brother to my great great grandfather. I have a lot of research on the extended Northend family history if of interest to you.

WF's brother Ernest also served in 1/3 WR Fd Amb - he was Territorial Force before the War - won the Military Medal on the first day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, for rescuing a wounded enlisted soldier under heavy shellfire. It was Ernest that encouraged WF to join the Fd Amb.

Three of the four brothers served during the Great War, and all survived. The fourth brother was unfit for military service due to chronic asthma, from which he passed away in 1939.

Hope to hear back from you.

[shaunparkes]

I would definitely suggest donating it to Sheffield Archives or Local Studies. As a Sheffielder myself I think this material should be where the public can access it. A great find as we'll, maybe you could get it published there are plenty of local publishers in Sheffield who would be interested I'm sure.

Indeed ! WF (William Frederick) Northend's father JW Northend was a master printer who founded the Sheffield-based firm JW Northend Fine Printers which still operates in Sheffield today, although not under Northend family control now - I think WF was the last of JWs sons, and poss the last Northend, Director of the company.

[GNJ]

GNJ

Read your post with interest as WF Northend's father, J W Northend, was half brother to my great great grandfather. I have a lot of research on the extended Northend family history if of interest to you.

WF's brother Ernest also served in 1/3 WR Fd Amb - he was Territorial Force before the War - won the Military Medal on the first day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, for rescuing a wounded enlisted soldier under heavy shellfire. It was Ernest that encouraged WF to join the Fd Amb.

Three of the four brothers served during the Great War, and all survived. The fourth brother was unfit for military service due to chronic asthma, from which he passed away in 1939.

Hope to hear back from you.

Shaun, you have PM.

[Guest kathleentravis]

Hi I am new to this forum. My Husbands Grandad was William Brooks 1/3 West Riding Field Ambulance 837 New number 405260 Sargeant Major he is mentioned in the Leadswinger with a very good cartoon of him. He obviously was a stern sergeant which inferred in the cartoon. He was wounded gassed? and received the French Militairre Medal trying to find informaton of him as most people want. He died 12/11/1918 from pnuemonia (could have been the spanish flu) does anyone have the war diary or any other information

[Clear Bell]

As you will see this is my first post for this forum! However, recent family events have brought into my possession documents on which I feel I need some advice.

My grandfather, W F Northend, served throughout the war in the 1/3 West Riding Field Ambulance, and kept a diary throughout. It is illustrated with his contemporary sketches and he returned to the battlefields in 1929 to take photographs of key sites which he included in the bound version of the diary. Whilst much information is a personal view of life in the Field Hospital, it inevitably contains much about movements and actions.

He was also one of the committee producing "The Lead-Swinger", the magazine of the Field ambulance and which bears considerable resemblance to the 'Wipers Times' recently featured on BBC. The Lead-Swinger was produced in manuscript at the time, but copies were brought back to England where they were printed and bound for distribution to members of the Field Ambulance. Internet research (ok, Google!) shows copies in the archives of several countries, plus the Wellcome collection. However, this is usually volume 1, whereas I have both 1 & 2.

So I am happy to provide information to those who might need it, but, with 2014 rapidly approaching, I feel I should do something more generally with the documentation. I am aware of the IWM centenary project but, like many, am concerned about the commercialisation of the documents.

Any suggestions / advice please?

Just noticed this post - and would like to ask if you are able to confirm that William was at the Royal College of Art some point before the outbreak of the war? I think I have found him in the 1911 census living with two other "art students" at 84 Kings Road, Fulham and all studying at the RCA. I am not sure when he left and have not been able to locate his student file: I have been researching students and ex-students from the college at the time.

[Edsjts]

Just discovered this thread, and hope its still live. My grandad was in the 3rd field ambulance (Tom Smith) and he served from 1914 until 1919. Remember him saying he took gas cases and they did not know what to do. I found the field diary and this did indeed happen in Ypres when Gms first used Chlorine gas with Phosgene in 1916. Any mention of him in the diary?

He picked up a bronze ,christ, from the mud and carried through the war and until he died.

Did not know about the lead swingers so thanks... Will look it up.

[Guest cbd]

Just come across this thread following Googling my great grandfather - the William Brooks mentioned by kathleentravis above. If anyone is still looking at this thread, I'd love to see the cartoon of William that kathleen mentions. My Dad remembers his grandma wearing the MM on Rememberance Days and the argument about who should inherit it when she died! First I've hear of the Lead-Swingers, so I need to get looking that up now.

 

 

Edited 5 January , 2017 by cbd
Copied and pasted too many times!

[P.Rhodes]

Hello cbd

Welcome to 'the' forum. I've sent you a message regarding The Lead Swinger.

 

Peter

[Guest]

Hello, 

 

I am currently doing a project for the my M.A. at McMaster University and was wondering if anyone could tell me whereabouts the 1/3 W. Riding Field Ambulance was located in February-April 1919 during demobilization?