any help hear on an ramc mans posting

[douglynn]

Any help hear please I have a man on his 1902 records states home, then netley for 6 days, then crete, then malta ,home then signed off 1914 my question is please what interest did we have in the 2 islands thanks for looking doug

[Willywombat]

Malta was full of hospitals, hence an excellent place for an RAMC man!

In fact, today's BBC news site even has reference to it: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30098000

And a link on the above page to another with more info: http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zpx8d2p

[douglynn]

Thank you very much

[douglynn]

I can see it used in ww1 but 1902 where would troops be coming from? Thanks for looking

[HeatherC]

South Africa? But bear in mind hospitals don't just exist for wars and Malta's location and excellent natural harbour (and the fact that it was a British Dominion at this time) made it a perfect place to treat Empire troops from the Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa. Try Googling and you'll find stuff like this http://www.maltaramc.com/articles/contents/reghosp.html

[douglynn]

Thank you

[tullybrone]

Hi,

British troops were based on Crete 1898/1909 as part of a multinational (British, Russian, French & Italian) "peacekeeping" force following a Greek led revolt against Ottoman Empire occupation of Crete.

Regards

Steve Y

[douglynn]

That maybe explains it he was a 12 year man before ww1 thank you steve

[Ron Clifton]

Both Malta and Gibraltar had regular British Army units garrisoned there, to defend the colony and its vital naval base. By 1914 there were five British battalions based in Malta, and on the outbreak of war they were replaced with a London TF infantry brigade.

Ron

[Keith_history_buff]

On 26/11/2014 at 11:55, tullybrone said:

Hi,

British troops were based on Crete 1898/1909 as part of a multinational (British, Russian, French & Italian) "peacekeeping" force following a Greek led revolt against Ottoman Empire occupation of Crete.

Regards

Steve Y

 

I was looking at the service record of 5522 Private Henry Joseph John Dobbins, 2nd Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. He didn't appear on the 1901 Census, and it is because he was on the island of Crete at the time. I did initially think he was 40 years too soon, but came across this most interesting website owned and maintained by Mick McTiernan. It appears that the city which we currently know as Heraklion was where the main British presence was found. The Turks referred to it as Candia, and the Greeks referred to it as Megalo Castro.

The British in Crete 1896 to 1913

[seaJane]

Candia / Heraklion was indeed the HQ of the British portion of the international protectorate. Also the site of the action in 1898 after which the only VC to the RN Medical Service was made. Click. (Admittedly out of GW period, apologies for the diversion).