Hello, My Father Kenneth Stone served as a medic with 35 FDS and landed on Gold Beach on D day +2 hours, and followed the allied advance through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany in 1945. I took him back to "Gold King Red" and Ver Sur Mer Normandy and various other sites, and hope to take him back to Nijmegen for the 70th Anniversary of Operation Market Garden in September. I'm trying to find out information of his journey through Northern Europe with the help of VE day Menu Card listing various towns and villages en route. regards Linda Cornwall PS photo attached taken on 7th June showing medical supplies arriving on the beach. My father is holding the red cross flag in the centre
good day lindap.m.yesterday.08:47pm.re:hello.a most interesting post.your father covered a lot of ground.thank you for sharing the brilliant photo.i am happy for you and your dad.regards bernard85
Welcome to the forum, Linda. I don't believe that 35 Field Dressing Station were Divisional troops of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division, whereas 47 and 48 FDS were. However, they were part of the mix for the landings on Gold Beach on D-Day, landing on 'King Red' with the 69th Infantry Brigade - 5th Bn East Yorkshire Regiment, & 6 and 7th Bns Green Howards - and its supporting units. 35 FDS appear to have landed on King Red in two tranches; 15 men on foot in two parties at H+90, then 13 men on foot and two jeep parties at H+120. They all appear to have travelled across the channel in LCT IV. Does your father have his service records and the 35 FDS War Diaries? if not, you may find these useful sources of information, but, that said, you have the best source already - your father!!! Best, Steve.
Hi Steve, Thanks for your response. That's really interesting. I'll have to ask him about the unit landing in different tranches. He tells me his LCT accelerated as it approached the beach and then hit a mine which buckled the landing doors making them difficult to open. My father got out into over waist high water. Each RAMC member carried a large rucksack of medical supplies, and were briefed before dismemberment to carry on one shoulder so it could be easily ditched if they fell into the sea to prevent drowning. He also commented on being strafed and the noise of chaos of engagement. When the beach head was secured he formed part of Beach Group 9 treating and transporting casualties from the front line to hospital evacuation ships. When we returned to Normandy we took him to a small museum in Ver-Sur- Mer. This triggered a lot of emotion and memories and focused specifically on King sector. He did say too, he wasn't attached to any regiment, which doesn't help track his whereabouts! He does have a service record which doesn't reveal a lot of information, and I think I must try to get to London to check the War Diaries, ideally before we go to Holland.
Hello Linda, The alternative to having to travel up to London (Kew), is to use the War Diary copying service offered by one of a couple of forum members: 1. Andy (handle 'Drew5233') 2. Lee (handle 'PsyWar.org') If you click on any message you see originating from either of them you will find a link to their service; it is all fairly straight forward. The service is reasonably priced too! NB. This assumes that RAMC War Diaries are held at the National Archives. Best, Steve.
Linda, I am at the moment studying the identical unit on the next door beach, Jig Green. I ordered some 1,500 pages of documents from Andy (Drew). These arrived last week so I have not got very far. There should be details of 35 FDS on one of the discs but I have not even looked at it yet. I would guess that your photo shows the Casualty Evacuation Post set up by 35 Field Dressing Station. The Red Cross flag will be attached to the DUKW which will be equipped to collect casualties from the CEP and take them to the LSTs equipped for casualty evacuation. The DUKW could swim out to the LST and then climb aboard it to unload. I see a padre, probably from the Beach Group battalion and some stretcher bearers who were specially trained for this work. I hope to find some detailed reports etc, plus maps but it will take some time. Weeks rather than days, depending on the weather. Mike
Thanks Steve will do. I have checked the National Archives and confirmed a record is held, but not digitalised, for the unit. Reference 177/ 921.Will take up your excellent suggestion. Thanks for the insight too Mike. Good luck with the Jig research. Linda
