Help to dicipher war records

[baker87]

I’m struggling to dicipher the first 3 lines of a page in my great grandfather, William Parsley’s war records.

I understand he was in the Royal Fusiliers and enlisted at Hounslow on 1 March 1916.

From the page I have attached he was posted B.E.F (British Expeditionary Force) on 8 Aug 1916. On 21 Dec 1916 suffered synovitis to right knee, but it’s the bit after that and before, 5 B.R.C.H Wimereux, I can’t work out and also on 29 Dec 1916, I’m struggling to work out what ‘sick H.B 3801’ is.  

On another page of his records it states his injury occurred while on trench duty, and is stamped, 142 field ambulance, R.A.M.C 16/12/16.

Any information on this or where he was based in the trenches would be very welcome.

 

thanks

[seaJane]

5th British Red Cross Hospital Wimereux?

HB (etc) is some kind of code, I think, and I do not know the key.

[baker87]

Yes, I thought that too. Was thinking H.B was maybe for a base hospital but the numbers are very puzzling as nothing comes up on internet searches! 🤦🏻‍♀️

[sotonmate]

I believe that it (HB 3801) could be a bulletin reference advising War Office/Home Regiment admin etc of his removal while under treatment from a war front.

I have often seen,both here and in other records, where wounded lists have a reference. "HA 5273" in the line above is another such reference.

"Fur 21.3.1917" may mean that he went on furlough before joining the Labour Corps. "D 29.12.1916" likely to be date of discharge from hospital so hewould probably have spent a while in recuperation before the "Fur".

I see from medal records that he first landed (his number 26450) after 1915 with 2 Battalion Royal Fusiliers (86 Infantry Brigade of 29 Division) which had been at Gallipoli/Egypt from 4/15 to 1/16 and had moved to France in 3/16, though it looks like,from the edge of your photo, that he first joined the Battalion in 8/16, so in France.

The ref to joining the Labour Corps and the Border Regiment must have been only in the UK for they don't appear on his Medal Card. The next entry, Somerset Light Infantry (his number 53931) shows he served overseas with 6 Battalion, a part of 43 Infantry Brigade of 14 Division, and a few moves which culminated in Jul 1918 as 43 Bde going into 16 Division. Your record shows he was discharged to Class Z Reserve on 2 .10.1919 (though the medal roll gives 28.5.1919. You will know what date he joined the SLI as it is cut off from the page you post.

Edited 10 November , 2018 by sotonmate