Salonica from March 1916 to May 1918

[Guest]

I live in Australia and do not have access to some research.

Grandfather Pte George Chetwood No 177898 Army Service Corp , Welsh Regiment, Machine Gun Corp.

Arrived in Salonica on the "Cestrian" on 11th February 1916.

The Units mentioned in his "Burnt Records" on Ancestry are ASC362 Coy: 81st Machine.

There are no records on line from when he arrived in Salonica on 11/2/1916 to hospitalisation on and off May 1918 to November 1918 when he had Malaria and Hernia.

He embarked for UK 26th December 1918.

After his demob and for the rest of his life he spent a lot of time in and out of hospital with what we would call today war neurosis.

Any information about where he may have been or what he would have been doing would be of assistance - would he always have been in Salonica or other places.

Thank you Pauline

 

If I have this request in the wrong place please let me know - this is my first time using this site.

 

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[kenf48]

Welcome to the forum.

 

His record shows he was stationed at 34 Reserve Park in Salonica while serving with the ASC.  The Reserve Park would not have been in the front line but around the port.  As Horse Transport Driver he would be line of communications transport providing ration and other supplies throughout the Division.

 

He was transferred as shown to 23rd Bn Welsh Regiment, these were Pioneers to the 28th Division.  However it appears from June 1918 he was either in Hospital or convalescent Depot and did not go on active service with them.   Hostilities in Salonica effectively ceased on 30 September 1918.

He was transferred to the MGC in December.

 

Malaria was endemic in theatre, engaged in transport and supply he may have been exposed in hot spots such as the Struma Valley.  The after effects of the disease would have continued to a greater or lesser extent after demobilisation and he received a small pension as a result.  This appears to have been time limited (39 weeks) by which time he may have had no obvious signs of the disease, however if he had cerebral malaria it may have led to some permanent damage, and cognitive dysfunction.

 

Ken

 

 

 

[Guest]

Thank you so much Ken.  This could explain his post war medical problems.