Guest suestead Posted 20 January , 2006 Share Posted 20 January , 2006 My great uncle William Jode RAMC 2559 enlisted in 1915. He was a musician and played the French Horn. Was this the reason he was put into the RAMC? I have heard that there was a tradition that musicians acted as stretcher bearers in wartime. Is this true? Or did he simply choose to enlist in the RAMC? Sue Stead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 20 January , 2006 Share Posted 20 January , 2006 Sue In answer to you questions Bandsmen did act as stretcher bearers but I don't believe that being a musician would necessarily have been the reason for his joining the RAMC. As enlistment was voluntary in 1915 your Great Uncle would have had the choice of which unit he wanted to join, in this instance the RAMC was the unit of choice. Hope this helps Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 21 January , 2006 Share Posted 21 January , 2006 Welcome to the Forum Sue. As Steve says, musicians could and did serve in virtually every unit of the army. RAMC men did not bear arms, and it could be that he wanted to do his bit for the war effort, but not as a combatant. You can see from the insignia above the red cross on his sleeve that he was a bandsman. Can you tell me a little more about him? Did he play in a band or orchestra in civilian life. Did you know him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest suestead Posted 21 January , 2006 Share Posted 21 January , 2006 Thank you Steve & Kate for your replies to my question. William Lovelace Jode was born 1889 Clerkenwell, Middlesex and died 1968 Toronto, Canada. He probably learnt the French Horn with the Boys Brigade in Bristol where he lived as a boy (the family were Methodists) but he worked as an insurance agent. He served with the RAMC 1915-1919. On 22 April 1919 Sgt W L Jode RAMC(TF) 60 General Hospital BSF (whatever that means) arrived back in England. Because times were hard he and his brother Charles & their families emigrated to Canada in 1922. William continued to play his horn there - I have a photograph of him with the Toronto Transport Commission Band in 1926. I met him twice when I was a small girl and he was visiting England from Canada but I remember him with great affection because of the food parcels they used to send us after WW2 (with chewing gum!) Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 21 January , 2006 Share Posted 21 January , 2006 Sue 60 General Hospital BSF (whatever that means) No idea what the BSF stands for but for your information 60 General Hospital was located in Salonika. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 21 January , 2006 Share Posted 21 January , 2006 Sue BSF = British Salonika Force Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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