1st Special Field Ambulance Workshop Unit

[Chris_Baker]

This unit sailed from Devonport on 7 November 1915, went via Alexandria and arrived at Salonika on 27 December 1915. Its history is rather obscure and there is no war diary.

 

To save me having to delve into the Salonika ORBAT or headquarters diaries in the hope of finding a snippet or two, does anyone have any knowledge of it? I am interested in the period from arrival up to mid-1916.

 

Edited 5 October , 2019 by Chris_Baker
Why can I never type the word "the" properly?

[Waggoner]

Would this have been an ASC unit?

 

All the best,

 

Gary

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Chris

 

I had a look at my establishments database and there is one for a Special Field Ambulance at Salonika from 1916 onwards: ten officers and 213 men. Workshop units of ASC personnel were normally formed on a scale of one for every three ambulances, to service the motor ambulance cars, but I can't find a separate establishment for them.

 

I would guess - and it is no more than that, that these field ambulances were intended to serve either the local Macedonian Labour battalions, or the ASC Columns attached to the Serbian Army.

 

If you have a copy of Mike Young's book on the ASC, he might mention them.

 

Ron

[Chris_Baker]

Thank you, Ron. I'll off to Kew later this week and will be looking for details. I'll post them here (or add them to the Long, Long Trail if they are particular interest).