Evacuation Chain from Achi Baba, Gallipoli

[IainTDSRN]

My 2 x Great Uncle, 2312 Private George Strachan 5th (Renfrewshire) Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, was injured in the attack on Achi Baba, Gallipoli on 12 July 1915. I am trying to find out his journey from the bullet wound back to the UK.

I have found out that he was seen in 149 Field Ambulance on 12 July and was transferred to the Casualty Clearing Hospital on W Beach, Cape Helles. I found this information on Find my Past: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record/browse?id=s2%2fgbm%2fmh106%2fmh106-208%2f0007.

See the attached admission and discharge entry. George Strachan was discharged from the Army on the 31 December 1915 due to the wound to his left arm, he was “awarded” the Silver War Badge. How George got to 149 Field Ambulance is something I would like to find out. 52 (Lowland) division had 3 Field Ambulance Units attached to them: 1/1; 1/2 and 1/3 Lowland Field Ambulances. Was George seen by one of these Units?

What happened to him after he was transferred to the Clearing Hospital. Which Hospital Ship was he transferred to? Did he go to the Hospitals on Mudros or was he taken to the Hospitals in Alexandria or Malta before being discharged on 31 December 1915?

I hope that someone may be able to help me find this information. 

[michaeldr]

1 hour ago, IainTDSRN said:

I have found out that he was seen in 149 Field Ambulance on 12 July and was transferred to the Casualty Clearing Hospital on W Beach, Cape Helles. I found this information on Find my Past: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record/browse?id=s2%2fgbm%2fmh106%2fmh106-208%2f0007.

149th FA had previously been known as the 2nd Field Ambulance, RND.
Surgeon Rear-Admiral Arthur Gaskell's History of the Medical Unit of the RND has the following re the events of 12 July 1915

Although the first attack was delivered by the 52nd Div., “it was considered advisable that the R.N.D. Medical Unit should take over all the medical arrangements as they knew the ground better and were in every way better prepared than the Medical unit of the 52nd Division. I arranged, however, that their First Field Ambulance bearers should supplement our lst Field Ambulance and their 3rd our 2nd. I also later made some use of two sections of Bearers from the 42nd Division. 
The general scheme of evacuation was divided into two stages or areas. 
Stage "A" consisted in bringing the wounded from the Regimental Aid Posts to "Sandbag Corner" near Brown House. 
Stage "B" included the carrying the wounded down the nullah from Sandbag Corner to the wagons at the Advanced Dressing Station at the rear of Hill 200. 
A cursory glance at the trenches would at once make anyone realize that the evacuation of wounded even with all the ways clear would be an extremely difficult feat. 
Now in these actions of 12th July onwards the number of troops thrown into the Sector amounted to something like 12 men to the yard of front! yet in about two days our men evacuated 2,100 wounded.” 

 

This is from the report of the OC 2nd Field Ambulance as reproduced by Gaskell

"Imbros, July 18 1915. 
To A.D.M.S., Divisional Headquarters, R.N. Division. 
Sir, 
I have the honour to submit the following report on the action 12th and 13th July in so far as it bears on the work done by the Field Ambulance under my command. 
1. The following was the arrangement for the transport of the wounded. "C" sub-division bearers under Surgeon Sparrow were posted at the East Lancashire Field Ambulance Station in the nullah. They were receiving cases from the First Field Ambulance bearers at the head of the nullah, carrying them down to Backhouse Post and calling in at the East Lancashire Dressing Station for dressing when necessary. From Backhouse Post to Skew Bridge the bearing was done by the Lowland Division Bearers and from Skew Bridge cases were taken over by the Bearers of " A" and "B " sub-divisions under Surgeons Mayne and Foxell who were stationed at 200 Hill. The cases were then transported by wagons to my main dressing station, where they were seen and finally passed to the Casualty Clearing Station by motor ambulances. This arrangement worked rapidly and smoothly, there being practically no blocking of transport en route........

... ... ....

I have the honour to be, 
Sir, Your obedient servant, 
(Sgd) C. E. Cortis Stanford. Staff Surgeon R.N. "

Edited 2 March by michaeldr

[horatio2]

7 hours ago, michaeldr said:

149th FA had previously been known as the 2nd Field Ambulance, RND.

The three RND Field Ambulances (1st - 3rd) of the Royal Marines Medical Unit (RMMU) of the RND at Gallipoli were not re-numbered as 148, 149 and 150 Field Ambulances until after they arrived in France in May 1916, ten months after the 12 July 1915 Action of Achi Baba Nullah described by @IainTDSRN.

Edited 2 March by horatio2

[michaeldr]

Thanks H2: perhaps I should have substituted 'was' for 'had'

Incidentally, page 2 of WO-95-3106-2_01 gives “Became No.149 (RN) Fld. Ambce. JLY 1917"

Edited 3 March by michaeldr

[seaJane]

The originals of Gaskell's report are linked in my bibliography pinned to the top of this sub-forum (download it and use ctrl-F to search for Gaskell).

If you have trouble with the download let me know.

seaJane 

 

[alantwo]

The hospital ship was probably HS Asturias as it was taking casualties from 'W' Beach on 12th/13th July. Checking some of the Australian artillerymen mentioned in the Discharge and Admissions book in my notes, examples such as No.15 Driver Pugh, No.30 Corporal Swann, No.2479 Driver Faulder and No.3301 Sergeant O'Shaughnessy were all admitted 12th/13th July to this ship. It's no guarantee that your 2 x Great Uncle was also admitted, just a possibility.

Regards

Alan