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Remembered Today:

Tracking down Bn MO’s


ddycher

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All

 

Anyone have any ideas on how to track subsequent MO’s for a unit on active service ? When changing theatres did the MO go with the unit or was a new one assigned on arrival in theatre ?

 

in my case an MO named Chapman was the first appointed to the 5th Devon’s on their arrival in Egypt in April 1917. Their pre-war MO’s do not appear to have embarked with them for India.  

 

Been through the war diaries upto Division level and can’t find any detail. Working my way through Chapman RAMC MIC’s didn’t help either. 

 

I don’t know how long he was with the Bn but he does not seem to have gone with them to France. In France I have odd ref’s to differing MO’s none of who seem to have remained with the Bn very long. 

 

Any my ideas on how to dig out more detail  ?

 

regards

Dave

 

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For regiments in India, not specifically WW1, I believe all the doctors were appointed by the Medical Services in India, and that no regiments brought doctors with the regiments from England.

 

My "best guess" is that the same applied in various theatres of war during WW1and  the doctors were appointed by the Medical Services for the particular theatre of war.

 

This account shows that the the MO was appointed to his regiment in France

https://archive.org/stream/regimentalsurgeo00dolb#page/4/mode/2up

page 5. A Regimental Surgeon in War and Prison by Captain Robert V Dolbey, RAMC. 1917. Archive.org. 

 

 However,  the following indicates that the author travelled with  "his regiment " from England. 

The Diary of a Yeomanry M.O. : Egypt, Gallipoli, Palestine and Italy by Captain O Teichman RAMC (T F) 1921 Archive.org. However, I haven't read all the book, so don't know if he stayed with the same regiment continuously

 

Perhaps if there was a doctor attached to a regiment when it went to war, he  continued to be attached while ever feasible. However if he was replaced, the replacement was not permanently attached.

 

Cheers

Maureen

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If the RMO was with the battalion/unit on mobilisation then in most cases he stayed with them but having made a study of RMO's there was a lot of movement. The war diaries tend to give movements as do the ADMS diaries. Let us not forget that over 900 doctors were killed in the army during WW1 and many injured so bound to be a lot of movement. There was also a lot of movement of doctors between CCS and battalions etc and this did cause a problem as the war progressed with trying to retain specialist skills at CCS'. 

As far as India is concerned MOs for British units were from the RAMC not the Indian Medical Service.

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Both

 

Many thanks for this.

 

On embarking for India the original MO was posted to the Reserve Bn then forming. Neither he or the Lieut RAMC who joined later in October seem to have served overseas. I understand from “Doctors in the Great War” that this was normal practice. 

 

Once in India I had been working on the assumption that no MO’s were assigned and that medical services were provided via the Station Hospitals. Peter am I wrong on this ?

 

Thanks for your pointers on appointments in theatre. Will try to locate the ADMS diaries for the EEF and see if that gives any leads 

 

regards

Dave

Edited by ddycher
Typo
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Regarding RAMC doctors in India, from an obituary for a later period, but probably the same during WW1.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1460018/Brigadier-Peter-Lassen.html

Edric Henry Peter Lassen was born on December 8 1908. ...before joining the RAMC in 1934.  He was initially posted to a 200-bed military hospital at Rawalpindi, India, for general duties, but soon saw service in the North West Frontier Province, first as Regimental Medical Officer to the 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, in the Mohmand Campaign of 1935, then, the next year, with 4th (Indian) Field Ambulance in the Khaisora operation of 1936-37. ...After serving in the military hospital at Campbellpore and Nowshera, Lassen returned to Britain in 1940. 

I think RAMC doctors in India were attached to the Indian Medical Service, which moved them as required.

14 hours ago, petestarling said:

 

As far as India is concerned MOs for British units were from the RAMC not the Indian Medical Service.

I don't know if this was always the case. I would agree that the MOs would be of British background, not native Indian doctors, but there were British doctors in the Indian Medical Service.

 

Cheers

Maureen

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Maureen.

 

Thats interesting. In all the service records I have all the medical entries are at Station Hospitals. However the 5th Devons were at Multan then Lahore as garrison troops on internal security details not in combat roles.

 

Wonder if RMO's were only appointed on mobilization for active service ?

 

Regards

Dave

Edited by ddycher
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Possibly.  Also I guess MOs would have been in short supply in WW1, so perhaps they were allocated where they would be  of most use. which would generally be  either at Station Hospitals, or Field Ambulances on active service.

 

Cheers

Maureen

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The only unit/brigade That I have jn xepth knowledge of is 2nd RWF in 19 Bde.

Infy bdes each had a Field Ambulance with several doctors. Unit doctors (RMOs) and Fd Amb doctors did come and go to a limted degree but seem to be a closed group over periods.

Note also USA

 doctors as RMO later in the war.

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Thanks Grumpy

 

The war diary shows an MO attached with an RAMC detachment in arrival in Egypt in April 1917. Unfortunately it doesn’t name him. Chapman ref’d in the CO’s memories but not until the November. Current thinking is it is not the same man. 

 

A Field Ambulance joined the Bde in the August. Given your note above I am now seeing if I can find a link between Chapman and the 145th FA. 

 

Thanks again

Dave

 

 

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Thanks David

 

Saw that. They having nothing on 145 FA unfortunately.

 

Regards

Dave

 

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David

 

Most likely candidate is Thomas Paul Chapman. Born 1893. No theatre on MIC. Lieut from 10th May 1917. From Dublin Univ. Cont., O.T.C.  Second son of Mr. and Mrs. Chapman, Garden Vale, Athlone, Capt 10th May 1918. Relinquished his commission 26th May 1920. Add. Garden Vale, Athlone, Ireland. Freemason in No.101 Lodge.

 

I did look at Percival Chapman but he was already a Capt in Mesopotamia when my Chapman was still a Lieut in Palestine. Thanks for the input though. I did not pick up the photo when I was looking at him either.

 

Thanks again.

 

Regards

Dave

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