S.S.A.2

[Croix de Guerre]

I am seeking information and or photographs concerning  a British "Friends" volunteer ambulance section numbered S.S.A.2 that served in the Vosges region of France beginning in November 1915.  They replaced a previous American volunteer ambulance unit (SSU 3) that had served in Alsace since April of that year.  The attached photo illustrates an ambulance bearing the St. John's insignia about to be loaded with wounded at the Henri Jungkt Hospital in Moosch, Alsace, France in December 1915.  

[Croix de Guerre]

https://imechearchive.wordpress.com/2017/05/30/friends-ambulance-unit/

[Croix de Guerre]

Sorry to beat a dead horse but it is remarkable that there is no information out there about this unit.  The designation is correct as far as I have been able to ascertain from French and American sources. I have searched extensively to no avail.   I wrote to the Quaker Library but have not heard back from them yet.  Perhaps St. John's might have records?  The silence from the membership of this forum is deafening.  

[T8HANTS]

.

I knew a gentleman who served with a ST J A unit in France, he had a French helmet because the army wouldn’t give them British ones he said.  I suspect that as a civilian organisation there will not be much in official documents.  My suggestion is you do a local paper trawl using one of the online companies that offer access to British newspapers such as Find My Past and try gaining info about the personnel as way to build the picture you require.

[Croix de Guerre]

Thanks for the advice!  I will check out that source.  I have a subscription to Newspapers.com which does offer a limited selection of English and Canadian sources.  No luck with them, but I will keep digging.  I have come across a comical account of a clash of cultures concerning the American ambulance men and the Brits.  The Americans for the most part were college aged volunteers, that were pulling a three to six month stint.  They paid their own way over and were working under the auspices of the American Ambulance Hospital of Paris.  They drove converted Model T Fords and were fairly independent in the sense that they would spend days on end assigned to remote mountain aid stations that the heavier French ambulances were unable to reach.  The British S.S.A. 2 ambulance unit arrived in November to replace the Americans who had been serving in Alsace since April 1915 and the differences between the two philosophies were immediately apparent.  The Brit ambulances were large, privately owned vehicles paid for by the "gentlemen" volunteers.  They were driven and maintained by hired, paid chauffeurs.  There were so many different makes and models of cars that the English section was required to have two large lorries dedicated to hauling around all of the various spare parts needed to repair their multitude of vehicles.  An American boy (the son of a wealthy banker) was assigned to show a group of English ambulance men the "ropes" by taking them around to the various post de secours and field hospitals in their new area of operation.  At lunch time, they all pulled up to a popular inn and restaurant to eat and as they began to head for the front door, the American driver looked back to notice that the hired chauffeurs were lingering by their cars.  He waved to them and encouraged them to join them.  To his surprise the British  "gentlemen" held an impromptu conference to decide whether or not they would allow their hired men to eat with them.  It was decided that while they were "in the mountains" they would forgo the usual formalities and allow it.  The American wondered to himself what they were going to do at bed-time as they often were forced to sleep in dimly lit shacks, jowl to elbow with French brandcardiers (stretcher-bearers) and wounded French soldiers.  

[KizmeRD]

You may well have to research French sources to discover more about the specific activities of Section Sanitaire Anglaise Deux during November 1915 - seeing as this unit was attached to the French Army.

Or as a general starting point, the FAU official history written by Meaburn Tatham & James E. Miles - The Friends’ Field Ambulance Unit 1914-1919.
 

 

[seaJane]

I haven't anything on SSA2, but I can offer SSA 13 (may not have much about the section's activities) and 19:-

Richardson LF. Mathematical psychology of war: dedicated to my comrades of the motor ambulance convoy known as S.S. Anglaise 13, in whose company this essay was mainly written, 25 February 1919. Oxford: Hunt, 1919.

[Wright H (ed.).] Two years with the French Army: Section Sanitaire Anglaise 19: an account of the work of a motor-ambulance convoy of the Friends' Ambulance Unit, B.R.C.S. London: Pelican Press, 1919.

There may be something more specific in the Red Cross Museum and Archives: https://www.redcross.org.uk/about-us/our-history/museum-and-archives

sJ

[Sea Dog]

Having just discovered this forum as I seek to "declutter" family memorabilia that I have inherited over the years, this is my first post.

Further to the request for photos of SSA2 by Member2 in 2021, I have just scanned in some 50 plus photos that belonged to my Grandfather who served with this unit. They came into my possession some 40 years ago and I would welcome advice as to who might want the originals as otherwise they will go to the dump.  I have circulated the digital copies to my cousins etc. and none have comeback asking for the originals. They are mostly in Postcard format and those that I can date were taken towards the end of the war.  I have attached an example below.  Some are better quality than others.

I believe that my Grandfather was awarded a Croix de Guerre and I have photos of 2 different award ceremonies.  I did enjoy the account of the Gentlemen discussing whether they could allow their drivers to lunch with them.  Whether my Grandfather had such reservations as a young man before the war I don't know but afterwards he was very much more relaxed.

I do not know how this forum works but if Member2 is still interested in contacting me, I will need to be alerted by email if that is possible.

[RussT]

12 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

if Member2 is still interested in contacting me, I will need to be alerted by email if that is possible.

By "Member2" you actually mean @Croix de Guerre, who I have now tagged.

He will not have your email address but he will be able to PM if he is still around and is interested

Russ

[Croix de Guerre]

46 minutes ago, RussT said:

By "Member2" you actually mean @Croix de Guerre, who I have now tagged.

He will not have your email address but he will be able to PM if he is still around and is interested

Russ

Thanks Russ,

I was just notified that you mentioned my name and I just messaged the man who posted about the photos.  I may be too late.  I hope not as that would certainly be a shame.

Thanks for thinking of me!

Cheers!

Tom

[RussT]

9 minutes ago, Croix de Guerre said:

I just messaged the man who posted about the photos.  I may be too late.  I hope not as that would certainly be a shame.

He should get a notification by email that you have PM'd him.

Russ

[Sea Dog]

Thank you Russ.  I have just replied to Croix de Guerre.  Please excuse my inexperience of Forum Procedures. Perhaps you can teach an (old) Sea Dog new tricks.  I am delighted that someone wants these photos 100 years after they were taken.

Hugh

[RussT]

Great news 

[Croix de Guerre]

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

Thank you Russ.  I have just replied to Croix de Guerre.  Please excuse my inexperience of Forum Procedures. Perhaps you can teach an (old) Sea Dog new tricks.  I am delighted that someone wants these photos 100 years after they were taken.

Hugh

Hello Sea Dog,

I heard my name mentioned in your reply to RussT and look forward to hearing from you.  

Thank you,

Tom