3 Home Counties field ambulance

[Steven Reader]

Trying to get through a bit of research on my great grandfather. I am aware that he was in the 3rd Home Counties Field Ambulance, joining in 1914 and surviving the war. I believe that he was trained in Surbiton in Surrey although he was from Yalding in Kent and may have signed up and trained in Maidstone. He would have probably served in Ypres and Salonika but we have discovered a photo recently of him in 1916 in Floriana hospital which i have attached and think is fascinating. He is the second row and on the far right hand side. It makes you want to find out about all of the people in it and how they ended up on Malta. Family myth suggests he contracted yellow fever in Salonika and ended up out in Malta recovering. I am not so sure as the photo doesn't look like he is a patient. Is he is RAMC uniform? I am trying to find out if there are any records for 3 home counties field ambulance in Malta but haven't found anything out yet. Does anyone have any photos of 3 home counties field ambulance or suggested literature?

 

Any info gratefully received! Basic details below...

 

First name(s) Walter Last name Reader Service number 497650 Rank Private Badge number B347122 Enlistment date 16-Nov-1914 Discharge date 18-May-1919 Unit from which discharged Royal Army Medical Corps T.F Cause of discharge 392 (xvia) Whether served overseas Yes Badge date of issue 22-Dec-1919 Age on discharge 23 Record set Silver War Badge Roll 1914-1920 Category Military, armed forces & conflict Subcategory First World War Collections from Great Britain

 

Kind regards,

Steven

Edited 22 April , 2017 by Steven Reader
Added text

[clk]

Hi Steven,

  

3 Home Counties Field Ambulance was also known as 83 Field Ambulance, and formed part of 27 Division. The war diary for their time in France is available for download from the National Archives (£3.50) from here. It will also be available on Ancestry. Unfortunately the diary for their time in Salonika, etc hasn't been digitalized yet. If you did want a copy, can't get to Kew in person, and a quote for them to provide you with a copy is prohibitive, an independent file copying service might give you an affordable alternative.

 

A copy of the diaries for the Assistant Director Medical Services (27 Division) would probably give a better incite into how the medical arrangements within the division worked. There is the same problem though with current availability.

 

In the photo, nearly all the men appear to be wearing standard 'hospital blues' - a blue open neck jacket with white lapel facings, blue trousers, white shirt and red tie. Examples can be seen on google images here.

 

Regards

Chris

 

Web pages such as this one give an interesting overview on the inception and development of military hospitals in Malta

Edited 23 April , 2017 by clk