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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

39th. Field Ambulance Unit RAMC


desmondh

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I am interested in trying to find out more about by Grandfathers Unit and service during the First World War.

83751 Pte. Albert Thomas Hawkins served with the 39th Field Amb. Unit in Mesopotamia.

His service record of course did not survive so I have no idea when he was posted overseas.

I have a small hand book of his titled " The land of the two rivers " which I assume was issued to him and is signed and dated Sep. 9th 1917.

On a copy of his army form Z 21 it states he enlisted 1/12/1915 RAMC. Specialist Military Qualifications was Mental Attendant. Transferred to Z reserve 22/5/1919.

Would anyone possibly have information about the 39th F.A. unit in Mesoptamia or if any nominal rolls or photographs may exist.

Regards Des Hawkins

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there is a book called "via ypres 39th divisional field ambulance"

best regards John

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Via Ypres is the story of the three 39th Divisional Field Ambulances, which were the 132nd, 133rd and 134th Field Ambulances. It's not about the 39th Field Ambulance who served with the 13th Division.

Barbara

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  • 1 month later...
I am interested in trying to find out more about by Grandfathers Unit and service during the First World War.

83751 Pte. Albert Thomas Hawkins served with the 39th Field Amb. Unit in Mesopotamia.

His service record of course did not survive so I have no idea when he was posted overseas.

I have a small hand book of his titled " The land of the two rivers " which I assume was issued to him and is signed and dated Sep. 9th 1917.

On a copy of his army form Z 21 it states he enlisted 1/12/1915 RAMC. Specialist Military Qualifications was Mental Attendant. Transferred to Z reserve 22/5/1919.

Would anyone possibly have information about the 39th F.A. unit in Mesoptamia or if any nominal rolls or photographs may exist.

Regards Des Hawkins

Des

Have you got any idea about when your grandfather joined the 39th FA? Was he with them at Gallipoli? I have incidental references to their fortunes in Mesopotamia through the letters of some ex-39th FA men corresponding with each other and with some of their old pals in the 39th. It seems they had a rough time of it and had a change of officers for the worse after they were with withdrawn from the Dardanelles. I read that one of their men, a Sergeant Cutts, didn't want to rejoin the 39th (he was in Egypt waiting to be posted back to them) because he couldn't get on with the officers and was afraid of losing his stripes.

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  • 2 months later...

My grandfather also was in the 39th. From old stories I remember, and my dads failing memory, I know he was at Gallipoli and in Iraq. I found his attestation papers on Ancestry. It says he joined up in the fall of 1914, as did his 2 brothers.

His theatre was Egypt, I guess thats where they trained before Gallipoli. Thats what the Auusies did in the movie by the same name. I have some pictures of young men in uniform, but am not sure who they are. And no-one is alive who may have known them.

Are there books on the campaign, specifically Mesopotamia?

Thanks

Tom Driscoll

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  • 1 month later...
Des

Have you got any idea about when your grandfather joined the 39th FA? Was he with them at Gallipoli? I have incidental references to their fortunes in Mesopotamia through the letters of some ex-39th FA men corresponding with each other and with some of their old pals in the 39th. It seems they had a rough time of it and had a change of officers for the worse after they were with withdrawn from the Dardanelles. I read that one of their men, a Sergeant Cutts, didn't want to rejoin the 39th (he was in Egypt waiting to be posted back to them) because he couldn't get on with the officers and was afraid of losing his stripes.

My grandfathers WW1 service records were amoung those destroyed during the blitz. So regrettably I may never be able to find out much more about his military service.

We have always known that he was in the RAMC, but it was not until a return visit to see an aunt in England in 1994 that we came across his 2 service medals and a couple of documents. Army form Z11 Protection Certificate & Certificate of Identity named his unit and the theatre of war. Army form Z21 Certificate of transfer to reserve, indicates he enlisted 1/12/1915 & transfered to the reserve 22/5/1919. It also stated his special military qualifications was Mental Attendant. A career in which he continued after the war.

My grandfather never kept a diary nor did he say very much about the war - except that they had a very bad time over there.

As far as we know he never went to any reunions after the war or kept in touch with other unit members.

My Uncle does recall only one man that my grandfather ever kept in contact with after the war. Someone from Devon who was very badly scarred "mentaly" by the war after the troop ship he was on had been torpedoed and seeing many of his mates been sucked in to the thrashing props. of the ship.

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  • 5 years later...

My cousin Max Kay served in the ramc in the 39th field ambulance unit, in mesopotamia, where he died. I have a few links to dispatches written by officers describing the battles. I also have a photo of him with a group prior to leave the uk. Happy to share information.

I am interested in trying to find out more about by Grandfathers Unit and service during the First World War.83751 Pte. Albert Thomas Hawkins served with the 39th Field Amb. Unit in Mesopotamia. His service record of course did not survive so I have no idea when he was posted overseas.I have a small hand book of his titled " The land of the two rivers " which I assume was issued to him and is signed and dated Sep. 9th 1917.On a copy of his army form Z 21 it states he enlisted 1/12/1915 RAMC. Specialist Military Qualifications was Mental Attendant. Transferred to Z reserve 22/5/1919.Would anyone possibly have information about the 39th F.A. unit in Mesoptamia or if any nominal rolls or photographs may exist.Regards Des Hawkins

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  • 9 years later...

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