gpashe Posted 31 October , 2017 Share Posted 31 October , 2017 (edited) Hi I have just discovered the original contract that my grandfather received when he signed up for a further 12 month in January 1917 - he was assigned to the No 23 Ambulance Train (which was heretofore never known). I am wondering if there are any records of this ambulance train - especially for 1917. Edited 1 November , 2017 by gpashe Typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 31 October , 2017 Share Posted 31 October , 2017 There is a War Diary available at Kew, but it has not yet been digitised so you cannot download it online. WO 95/4137 22 Ambulance Train 1915 Aug. - 1918 Jan. WO 95/4137 22 Ambulance Train 1918 June - 1919 Jan. WO 95/4137 23 Ambulance Train 1916 Mar. - 1919 Apr. WO 95/4137 24 Ambulance Train 1915 Sept. - 1919 Apr. WO 95/4137 25 Ambulance Train 1916 Mar. - 1919 Apr. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petwes Posted 31 October , 2017 Share Posted 31 October , 2017 Available to download for £3.50. The diary for 1918 is also available. Peter Reference: WO 95/4137/3 Description: Lines of Communication Troops. 23 Ambulance Train Note: The pages in this item are part of a larger record (piece). The record has been split into smaller parts during the digitisation process. Date: 1916 Mar - 1917 Dec Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGM Posted 31 October , 2017 Share Posted 31 October , 2017 (edited) Not a direct answer, but don't forget the National Railway Museum for some background info. for example NRM Resource sheet. Image of interior of No. 23 Scarlett Finders diary entry references to No.23 : May, December 1917 (TNA, WO95/3990) June 1918 (" ") Edited 31 October , 2017 by TGM typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpashe Posted 31 October , 2017 Author Share Posted 31 October , 2017 Many thanks for these suggestions and speedy replies. Keep them coming... Yes I noticed the typo in the title as soon as I posted it - but could not figure how to change it subsequently )-: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 31 October , 2017 Share Posted 31 October , 2017 Thanks petwes I did not know that the digitisation process had reached the L of C yet! Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 31 October , 2017 Admin Share Posted 31 October , 2017 I have a copy of No 23 AT and I can confirm that Captain Ashe signs off every sheet of the war diary and includes a hand written letter from him to the base record office submitting said diary for each month e.g. Regards Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 31 October , 2017 Admin Share Posted 31 October , 2017 Just interesting to note that this No 23 AT carried 46852 patients throughout the year of 1917. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpashe Posted 31 October , 2017 Author Share Posted 31 October , 2017 It all eventually took its toll on my grandfather - the strain and exhaustion as OC led to him suffering a breakdown just after Christmas 1917 and he was returned to UK and then eventually to Dublin. He was still in his 20s. PTSD was not recognised back then and treatment for neurasthenia was only in its infancy. There is no evidence that any form of counselling or on-going treatment was made available once he was deemed to be unfit to return to active duty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpashe Posted 31 October , 2017 Author Share Posted 31 October , 2017 Russ did you get that record from Kew via the reference given above? How many pages does it run to? Thanks - Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin RussT Posted 1 November , 2017 Admin Share Posted 1 November , 2017 22 hours ago, gpashe said: Russ did you get that record from Kew via the reference given above? How many pages does it run to? Greg That image I posted was a page from the piece mentioned in post #3 above for the AT 23 War Diary covering the period between March 1916 to Dec 1917, and which is available for download from The National Archives for £3.50. That piece runs for circa 100 pages covering the above-mentioned period. It is a daily account of the locations of AT 23 and the numbers of patients carried. Regards Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpashe Posted 2 November , 2017 Author Share Posted 2 November , 2017 I have purchased and downloaded it. Everything my grandfather said about the train constantly breaking down seems true, and the volume of wounded carried too. It really must have been quite hellish on those trains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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