R.A.M.C. Officers

[Beselare]

I am looking for advice on how to research RAMC officers. The officer in question is Capt. George William McBeath ANDREW. The medal index card gives me two numbers and I don't know if they are of any use or not (X/4786 and ER/5/7636). There is probably a WO/95 site but if there is I can't find it. Can anyone please help?

Bob

[headgardener]

Very few RAMC officer's files appear to have survived. I've probably researched about 20 and turned up no more than 2 or 3.

I'd be interested in other people's experiences, but the best sources for research imho are the Medical Directory (an annual publication, a bit like the Army List, which usually gives a brief summary of the man's career) and obituaries in medical publications (BMJ, Lancet, etc - it depends which medical organizations he belonged to). War-time Army Lists give very little info beyond dates of appointments or promotions.

[Beselare]

Thanks for the information. It looks as if this is going to be a long job.

Bob

[headgardener]

It looks as if this is going to be a long job.

I wouldn't say that! Try to have a look at a Medical Directory from about 1921 and you'll almost certainly find some good pointers. A quick look at the London Gazette already tells me that in July 1919 he is in a VERY long list of names which I suspect were recipients of an MID (I tried looking back through the earlier pages in order to see what the list referred to, but I gave up after about 20 pages...!), and he appears to be a TF man, and his unit was given as 2/2 (Home Counties) Field Ambulance RAMC. I've found plenty of interesting biographical info on RAMC officers (Doctors, that is...) including on their wartime service, but most of it has come from non-military sources.

[rksimpson]

Hi

"The medal index card gives me two numbers and I don't know if they are of any use or not (X/4786 and ER/5/7636)" - sorry no use at all, it reads Issue Voucher x/4786 at 8.11.21 , ie the medals were posted out under that issue voucher on that date. The EF/ etc is some code they used as a reference, but no one now has any idea what it means.

Have you looked at the actual medal rolls, they are under G W M Andrew.

regards

Robert

[Beselare]

Thank you Headgardener and Robert - I have indeed looked at the medal index card and like you Robert I had hoped the reference numbers might give a clue, but they don't.

I was wondering about MID as on the medal card there is information that he applied for his medals on 18.9.21 and then there is, in brackets, 'M in D'. The information about him being a TF man and his unit is very valuable information for me.

Bob