Private Joseph Holmes D.C.M.

[Bruce L]

 I'm in Australia and was hoping that members may be able to assist with any information on Pte. Joseph Holmes who was awarded the D.C.M. He was the grandfather of a friend of mine, and like many others, she knows nothing of his WW1 service. She has a service number for him - 076770, but I don't know if this is correct. She also thinks he was in the Army Service Corps, but has also mentioned she thought he was an ambulance driver - which doesn't make sense, wouldn't that be Royal Army Medical Corps? I can navigate Australian Army service records, however I've no experience of the UK system. I'd much appreciate if anybody could assist with any information, however basic it may be, as my friend has no knowledge of her grandfather at all. Many thanks!

[CorporalPunishment]

8 minutes ago, Bruce L said:

 I'm in Australia and was hoping that members may be able to assist with any information on Pte. Joseph Holmes who was awarded the D.C.M. He was the grandfather of a friend of mine, and like many others, she knows nothing of his WW1 service. She has a service number for him - 076770, but I don't know if this is correct. She also thinks he was in the Army Service Corps, but has also mentioned she thought he was an ambulance driver - which doesn't make sense, wouldn't that be Royal Army Medical Corps? I can navigate Australian Army service records, however I've no experience of the UK system. I'd much appreciate if anybody could assist with any information, however basic it may be, as my friend has no knowledge of her grandfather at all. Many thanks!

ASC Drivers drove the ambulances for the RAMC.     Pete.

[FROGSMILE]

41 minutes ago, Bruce L said:

 I'm in Australia and was hoping that members may be able to assist with any information on Pte. Joseph Holmes who was awarded the D.C.M. He was the grandfather of a friend of mine, and like many others, she knows nothing of his WW1 service. She has a service number for him - 076770, but I don't know if this is correct. She also thinks he was in the Army Service Corps, but has also mentioned she thought he was an ambulance driver - which doesn't make sense, wouldn't that be Royal Army Medical Corps? I can navigate Australian Army service records, however I've no experience of the UK system. I'd much appreciate if anybody could assist with any information, however basic it may be, as my friend has no knowledge of her grandfather at all. Many thanks!

You can read about a typical ASC ambulance driver here: https://ossett.net/WW1/Frank_Walker.html

Edited 7 March by FROGSMILE

[CorporalPunishment]

A shining example of an ASC ambulance driver was Private R. G. Masters who won the VC on April 9th 1918 when he was attached to 141st Field Ambulance RAMC. A great man.        Pete.

 

 

 

[SteveE]

DCM.  London Gazette #29369, dated 16 November 1915, page 11422, link is here… https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29369/supplement/11422

 

Edited 7 March by SteveE

[Bruce L]

Many thanks to those who've taken the time to reply so far - special thanks to SteveE for the link to the London Gazette, much appreciated mate.

[Bruce L]

1 hour ago, SteveE said:

DCM.  London Gazette #29369, dated 16 November 1915, page 11422, link is here… https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29369/supplement/11422

 

Many thanks for your help Steve, my friend will be thrilled at reading this extract from the London Gazette. Great work mate and much appreciated! I'm surprised to learn that Jerry  fired at an ambulance - I assume that they were marked with the Red Cross? You read of cases where they left stretcher bearers alone, so I wonder what happened in this instance.