71 Field Ambulance RAMC

[kayball]

Hi all. Sorry if this is in the wrong topic, but it is the best I can find.

I have been trying to find details of all the battles in which my father took part and which regiments brigades the unit was attached to in France/Belgium.

He was a member of the 71st Field Ambulanace for the whole of WW1, as far as i am aware , and the following is all the information I know about him:

32343 Private (later in 1918 Cpl) S. (Sydney) Kay

71 Field Ambulance RAMC.

Medal card shows ‘Theatre of War first served in’ as France, and is dated

27/ 08 /15

Only award entered on card is:

15 Star RAMC 8A676

I know (as I have the medals) that he was awarded ‘Pip, Squeak and Wilfred, but, more importantly, the Military Medal (MM) on 29th June 1918 but this is not shown on the Medal Card.

This later award was promulgated in the Times dated October 24, 1918, page 13, Issue 41929 under the heading:

“Official Appointments and Notices – Bravery In The Field. Military Medal”

It reads: “32343 Pte. (now Cpl.) S. Kay. RAMC. (Wigan”

A copy of the citation reads:

For great Gallantry and devotion to duty June 15th during operations 1918.

Corporal Kay was responsible for the evacuation of causalities from the regimental aid posts of the two right battalions. Under an intense bombardment of gas shells and high explosives, which destroyed the roads and necessitated a difficult carry of a mile, often across the open, Corporal Kay worked continuously until the aid posts were clear of wounded.

His splendid example encouraged his fellow bearers and his resource saved many lives.

Awarded the Military medal for the above.

Signed E.F Falkner Lieut. Colonel. AA & QMG.

(Further research shows the full name of the signatory to be Eric Felton Falkner. Lieutenant Colonel. Army Service Corp.

This later Staff Officer's name should help clarify the battle in which he was awarded the MM

Can qnyone please help me to fill the gaps or point me in the right direction?

[sotonmate]

Kayball

Our leader has listed all Field Ambulances in the Long Long Trail at top left of this page. Click on it and then click on Army then scroll down to RAMC and click again. The click on Field Ambulances and you will see what 71 was up to if you then click on 23 Division !

The War Diary,should you want to get to read it,is at Kew under WO95/1602,and will give a day-to-day account of activities all the way from August 1914 to May 1919.

In respect of the Medals you might find that there is a second MIC showing the issue of the British War and the Victory Medals.

Best wishes

Sotonmate

[kayball]

Kayball

Our leader has listed all Field Ambulances in the Long Long Trail at top left of this page. Click on it and then click on Army then scroll down to RAMC and click again. The click on Field Ambulances and you will see what 71 was up to if you then click on 23 Division !

The War Diary,should you want to get to read it,is at Kew under WO95/1602,and will give a day-to-day account of activities all the way from August 1914 to May 1919.

In respect of the Medals you might find that there is a second MIC showing the issue of the British War and the Victory Medals.

Best wishes

Sotonmate

Thanks alot for the above information. Only querie is that MM was awarded for action on 15 June 1918, when, according to history as directed above, 23 Division were by now in Italy.

Kayball

[sotonmate]

Kayball

That's often the problem,he may not have gone to Italy with them and perhaps stayed behind in France,or even gone on leave to UK for a few days and maybe returned to another FA. Do you know where he won the MM. I know that it says your man was into the French theatre of operations from 27.8.1915 but did he win the MM in France ? It might be that the London Gazette will say where he won it ,if you don't know for sure.

Sotonmate

[kayball]

Kayball

That's often the problem,he may not have gone to Italy with them and perhaps stayed behind in France,or even gone on leave to UK for a few days and maybe returned to another FA. Do you know where he won the MM. I know that it says your man was into the French theatre of operations from 27.8.1915 but did he win the MM in France ? It might be that the London Gazette will say where he won it ,if you don't know for sure.

Sotonmate

[kayball]

I was trying to find out in which battle he won the MM. I thought it may be possible to trace from the detailed citation regarding 'left and right' battalions and also the name of the commander who signed it. Is it possible to find this info on the web; if so where? Sorry to seem so dense, but this is my first attempt at this sort of thing!

Kayball

[sotonmate]

Kayball

The War Diary I mentioned may have the answer,or you can try the London Gazette,I think you can go into it on line. I haven't, so maybe if you go to the Long Long Trail at top left of this page,click on Research,then scroll down to Out of the Ordinary,click on records of Gallantry Awards then click on Read this,you can search online !!

Best wishes

Sotonmate

[BJanman]

Kayball

The 71st Field Ambulance arrived in France on the 27th August 1915, so going on your father's MIC date of entry he served with this medical unit right from the start.

The 71st Fld Amb first served with the 70th Brigade of the 23rd Division, in June 1916 it changed to the 69th Brigade but during June 1917 it went back to the 70th Brigade again.

On the 8th November 1917 the whole Division left the BEF and went to Italy. On the 15th & 16th of June 1918 they were involved in the fighting on the Asiago Plateau. I do not have the war diary for the 71st Fld Ambulance but the Official History states:-

"The 23rd Division ADMS., Colonel W Croly, had organised his field ambulances to work on two sectors, right and left. The right sector had two regimental aid posts, clearing by hand carriage to a divisional collecting post on the San Sisto road, and thence by motor ambulance car to an advanced dressing station at Pria dell'Acqua. The left sector had also two regimental aid posts, with hand carriage to a collecting post and motor ambulance transport thence to an advanced dressing station at Capitello. The regimental aid posts were in a cave and in Italian dugouts. There was no congestion in them at any time; but the roads from them and from the collecting posts were rendered impassable to wheeled transport by the heavy barrages and by fallen trees. The wounded had consequently to be carried by hand for a considerable distance to the Val del Barenthal road on the right and to bearer posts on a new line on the left. The road to Capitello was, however, cleared and repaired by the afternoon of the 15th and the original line of evacuation restored.

The advanced dressing stations were heavily shelled on the morning of the 15th June, but at no time was there any delay in clearing the wounded.

The main dressing station was at Granezza. The walking wounded continued to arrive at it up till noon, and after that hour the stretcher cases came in steadily. In the afternoon there was some congestion at Granezza, owning mainly to an insufficient number of motor abulanc convoy cars coming up, but evacuation procedded normally when a circuit of cars had been established. Granezza was heavily shelled during the morning of the 15th June. It was a crowded locality, and the DMS instructed the ADMS on the 19th June to seek a more suitable place for his main dressing station. "

So far the information appears to correspond so it is possible that he may be mentioned in the war diary for the 71st Fld Ambulance. In the meantime though, I hope this helps.

Barbara

[kayball]

Kayball

The 71st Field Ambulance arrived in France on the 27th August 1915, so going on your father's MIC date of entry he served with this medical unit right from the start.

The 71st Fld Amb first served with the 70th Brigade of the 23rd Division, in June 1916 it changed to the 69th Brigade but during June 1917 it went back to the 70th Brigade again.

On the 8th November 1917 the whole Division left the BEF and went to Italy. On the 15th & 16th of June 1918 they were involved in the fighting on the Asiago Plateau. I do not have the war diary for the 71st Fld Ambulance but the Official History states:-

"The 23rd Division ADMS., Colonel W Croly, had organised his field ambulances to work on two sectors, right and left. The right sector had two regimental aid posts, clearing by hand carriage to a divisional collecting post on the San Sisto road, and thence by motor ambulance car to an advanced dressing station at Pria dell'Acqua. The left sector had also two regimental aid posts, with hand carriage to a collecting post and motor ambulance transport thence to an advanced dressing station at Capitello. The regimental aid posts were in a cave and in Italian dugouts. There was no congestion in them at any time; but the roads from them and from the collecting posts were rendered impassable to wheeled transport by the heavy barrages and by fallen trees. The wounded had consequently to be carried by hand for a considerable distance to the Val del Barenthal road on the right and to bearer posts on a new line on the left. The road to Capitello was, however, cleared and repaired by the afternoon of the 15th and the original line of evacuation restored.

The advanced dressing stations were heavily shelled on the morning of the 15th June, but at no time was there any delay in clearing the wounded.

The main dressing station was at Granezza. The walking wounded continued to arrive at it up till noon, and after that hour the stretcher cases came in steadily. In the afternoon there was some congestion at Granezza, owning mainly to an insufficient number of motor abulanc convoy cars coming up, but evacuation procedded normally when a circuit of cars had been established. Granezza was heavily shelled during the morning of the 15th June. It was a crowded locality, and the DMS instructed the ADMS on the 19th June to seek a more suitable place for his main dressing station. "

So far the information appears to correspond so it is possible that he may be mentioned in the war diary for the 71st Fld Ambulance. In the meantime though, I hope this helps.

Barbara

[Guest Pauchet]

Bonjour à vous,

Je vous contacte sur ce fil de discussion car dernièrement, j'ai été contacté par une personne ayant retrouvé une plaque de remplacement militaire de Sydney Kay en Picardie ( France) avec le numéro de matricule que vous recherchez. Cette personne souhaite offrir à la famille ce souvenir et ayant pris connaissance de votre recherche concernant votre père, je souhaite entrer en contact avec vous afin de voir les modalités pour la restitution de cet objet familial.

A bientôt, cordialement Rudy.

[kayball]

Dear Rudy.

I have just accessed the Great War forum and found your most exciting posting., Dated March 2014. This is with regard to my father’s duplicate tag found in Picardy with the inscription S Kay32343 RAMC.

Is this an original item from that date in WW1?

If so I apologise for the long delay but I do not access this site very often.

Please contact me direct at pkay@ntlworld.com for return information and cost.

I look forward to hearing from you sooner than I responded to you.

Best Wishes

Peter Kay (the youngest son of Sydney Kay 32343 RAMC)

Cher Rudy .

Je viens accédé au forum Grande Guerre et a trouvé votre commentaire le plus excitant . , Daté 2014. Ceci est à l'égard de tag duplicata de mon père trouve en Picardie avec l'inscription S Kay32343 RAMC.

Est-ce un élément d'origine à partir de cette date dans WW1?

Si oui, je présente mes excuses pour le retard mais je ne pas accéder à ce site très souvent.

S'il vous plaît me contacter directement au pkay@ntlworld.com des informations de retour et le coût.

Je me réjouis de vous entendre plus tôt que je répondais à vous.

Meilleurs voeux

Peter Kay (le plus jeune fils de Sydney Kay 32343 RAMC )

[kayball]

To all who have responded, particularly Barbara and B Jay.

I have finally resolved my original query as to where my father Cpl S Kay 32343 RAMC was awarded the Military Medal.

I have not pursued this for a couple of years and yesterday (June 3rd 2016) I 'googled' Lt Colonel EF Falkner DSO, who had signed the original citation, and found the following, which I had not found when I checked previously.

LONDON GAZETTE 30718 '6494 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 3 JUNE, 1918.

CUT>....

War Office,

3rd June, 1918.

His Majesty the KING has been graciously

pleased, on the occasion of His Majesty's

Birthday, to approve of the undermentioned

rewards for distinguished service in connection

with Military Operations in Italy. Dated

-3rd June, 1918: —

CUT>

.

TO BE BBEVET LIEUTENANT-COLONEL.

(On Retired List, Reserve of Officers, Special

Reserve, New Army, or Territorial Force, in

.the case of Officers belonging to these

categories as applicable.)

Maj. (actg. Lt.-Col.) J. H. Bateson, D.S.O.,

R.G.A. »

Maj. (T./Lt.-Col.) W. T. R. Browne, D.S.O.,

A.S.C. i

Maj. (T./Lt.-Col.) R. M. Campbell, A.S.C.

Maj. (actg. Lt.-Col.). A. R. B. Cossart,

D.S.O., R.A.

Maj. (T./Lt.-Col.) E. F. Falkner, D.S.O.,

A.S.C.

CUT>

Under authority delegated by His Majesty the

KING to the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief

the British Forces in Italy, the following immediate

Military Rewards, additional to the Rewards contained

in this Gazette, have been conferred on

Regimental Officers, Non-commissioned Officers, and

Men, during the period covered by this Gazette:—

D.S.O. , 1

M.C. 8

M.C. Bars 1

D.C.M. .. 1

M.M. 6

M.S.M. . 2

From this information., I now know that my father did go to Italy with the 23rd division and was under the command of EF Falkner, The description provided previously of the engagement in Italy by the 23rd division and the date does indeed reflect that in the citation signed by Lt Colonel Falkner. Incidentally, the War diary of the 71st Field Ambulance RAMC notes the posting to Italy on its last page, but I cannot find any further diary for the time in Italy.

Thank you all for your help..

Best regards

Kayball

.

[Ron Clifton]

The diary of 71 Fd Amb for its time in Italy is in this file:

WO 95/4234 71 Field Ambulance 1917 Nov. - 1919 Mar.

It has not yet been digitised but is available to see at Kew.

Ron