Waak; admitted to CCS

[TEW]

I noticed the admissions of Waaks into 18ccs May-June 1918. They are listed beside Nurses. There is one instance of WAAC. I thought the latter should be qmaac by then. There could be a South African connection to waak, perhaps womens army auxiliary korps?

TEW

[DavidOwen]

Morning TEW

I can't find any reference to WAAK or W.A.A.K. anywhere (except for the Belgian / Dutch usages of the first word). Might it be someone's miss-hearing of the original WAAC?

Regards

David

[TEW]

I did wonder about WAAK being WAAC but there is one example in the same hand of WAAC whereas WAAKs admitted are frequent through May & June 1918. Also WAAC should have been QMACC by then but perhaps that hadn't filtered down yet.

The same CCS does have monthly tables of admissions for ORs which includes South African Brigade which is where I went with the Womens Army Auxiliary Korps notion.

The DMS diary gives 18CCS intake area as being 'ADMS St Omer' as opposed the usual EG XVI Corps.

Quite a lot of Nursing Sisters admitted, BRC Nurses, WAAKs and one WAAC.

Will dig the dairy out again and re-post.

TEW

[JulianR]

The South African Official History states that their nurses were part of the South African Military Nursing Service

 

Julian

[TEW]

But as WAACs are not nurses perhaps the WAAKs are not either? A SA equivalent as a guess.

TEW

[DavidOwen]

But I don't understand why a search of the net and the NA is finding nothing, surely if a unit existed it would have left a trace?

Does this abbreviation appear in any other CCS or other diaries?

[JulianR]

The South African nurses were known as SAMNS, i.e. South African Military Nursing Service.  This is their equivalent of QAIMNS, and the South African Medical Corps the equivalent of RAMC.

 

The SA OH gives numbers of those who died, but did not mention any auxiliary corps.

 

Julian

[JulianR]

If you go to http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/records/abbreviations-in-world-war-one-medal-index-cards-unit.pdf

 

there is no such abbreviation

 

Julian

[TEW]

Just been through the diary. They only list those 'in hospital' and those evacuated, no admissions as such. By following it through there are only about 7 WAAKs in total BUT it does say eg;

In hospital. WAAKs sick 2

Evacuated WAACs 2.

All other entries are for WAAKs. So I think it's just sloppy clerical work.

Thanks for taking the time.

TEW

[Moonraker]

1 hour ago, JulianR said:

If you go to http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/records/abbreviations-in-world-war-one-medal-index-cards-unit.pdf

 

there is no such abbreviation

 

Julian

Pedantically* there may be no such abbreviation in the list - but there could still have been one that has been not been included.. I checked the list a couple of hours ago and immediately noticed a couple of omissions. It is, however, extremely, useful. I incline to TEW's theory of sloppy clerical work, or perhaps the WAAK entries were made by someone for whom Afrikaans was a first language (as it is today for 6 million people).

 

* Cue for groans from those GWF colleagues who know me from Skindles - the off-topic section of the GWF for established members, some of whom are inclined to wallow in pedantry.

 

Moonraker

[JulianR]

I do have to say that I am under impressed with that list.  It does not say where the names of the Regiments have been found, in the country column there is a SAC.  EA could be Egyptian Army or East Africa, some Rhodesian units are described as being South Africa, e.g. The British South Africa Police were the police force of Southern Rhodesia.   I believe that it also contains Boer War Units, but does not specifically say that. I appreciate that some men will have had service on the Boer War or other campaigns, and have to be covered, but without a warning it could be a trap for the unwary.  

 

Julian

[JulianR]

I suspect the TEW is probably right in saying that it was an Afrikaans, or perhaps Flemish speaker, if we allowed Belgians to help out in the CCS.

 

Julian