Help with RAMC Nursing Orderly History

Other than saying hello, this is my first post, so I apologise if it's lengthy or if there may be too many questions to answer to a single post.
I am trying to gain some insight into my Dad's service in the RAMC during WW2.
He joined the RAMC in Durham in June 1939 (Army Number 7265347). His service record shows;
Home 10/6/39 - 28/9/39
(which is no doubt initial training)
BEF 29/9/39 - 28/1/40
Leave 29/1/30 - 7/2/40
BEF 8/2/40 - 30/5/40
(He was evacuated from Dunkirk which I presume was 30/5/40. He did say he boarded a fishing boat although the soldier boarding in front and the one behind were both shot/killed - I have no idea of the name of the boat.)
Home 31/5/40 - 18/3/41
MEF 19/3/41 - 6/11/43
(He said he travelled throughout North Africa and the Middle East. Mentioned Egypt/Alexandria/Tobruk/Libya and some other places/areas throughout those regions. Also said he had a period attached to the LRDG as a Nursing Orderly although no further information was forthcoming.)
Home 7/11/43 - 9/12/43
Whilst in his ambulance in the desert he was shot by a Messerschmitt fighter which he said regularly used the crosses on the top of ambulances for target practice. The bullet went through the ambulance roof and his knee. Fortunately he kept his leg but did have a limp for the rest of his life.
I presume that he must have been injured at some stage before 6/11/43 which I can only assume would be the date he was actually flown back to the UK following some treatment to stabilise him whilst still in Africa. He was subsequently given a medical discharge.
Other than showing that he joined the RAMC, his records don't give any other indication of his actual unit, where he would have been at any particular time, or the types of vehicles/ambulances he would have operated in at any given time. The only entry which gives any other indication is on the Medical Classification section of his service record. He was graded 'A1' by the O.C. 14th L.F. Amb. - the entry dated 24/7/40 (which would be whilst at 'Home' following evacuation from Dunkirk).
I am not sure if this means that he actually joined the 14th Light Field Ambulance RAMC before the outbreak of war, or if he initially joined another unit and some unit change/designation may have occurred after the Dunkirk evacuation.
I'm not sure if anyone may be able to shed any light on the unit(s) he would have been in or where he would have actually been during his periods abroad whilst in both the BEF and MEF.
When I was much younger and a lot more ignorant to anyone but myself (read teenager!) we visited the IWM Duxford. I am certain it was an Austin K2 'Katy' ambulance we saw on display and that he said he had served in this type of vehicle during his war service (not sure if he meant throughout or just a specific period). Again having trawled the internet I am not certain if this would be the type of vehicle he would have served in whilst in both France and North Africa, and if so what the likely symbols/markings/colour schemes these would have been. Additionally, if he had been attached to the LRDG as a Nursing Orderly, if a K2 would have gone with him/another vehicle type/or if he would have been in the vehicles they used themselves.
Again, I apologise for the amount of information I have added and the number of questions I have. However, any help anyone is able to give or pointers as to where I may be able to get answers or do further research myself for information would be greatly appreciated.

 

Welcome to the forum. You might find articles from the the "RAMC Journal" of interest. For example the link below is for an article ( 1.6 MB download ) published in March 1939 but it gives much background information about the "Western Desert" and ambulances. Searching for "Dunkirk" brings about 80 results, although some will have been published concerning the First World War. Good hunting.
https://militaryhealth.bmj.com/content/jramc/72/3/151.full.pdf

 

Thanks Papiermache I'll have a look. Just general searches I've done on the internet have not been that fruitful which is why I knew it would be good to ask some questions here. A great help to start me off on. Thank you.

 

It is often better if you post copies of his Service Record as there may be information that is not apparent to you. I suspect, due to the paucity of information that you have provided that there may be some pages missing from the Service Record you have.
Casualty List 1034 shows your Dad as being wounded in Libya 28/12/42.

Tim

 

Thanks Tim. Looks like he was wounded quite a lot earlier than I thought. I know that family had been given some indications that he may not survive but it sounds as if he received treatment for some considerable time before they brought him back to the UK. I'll get his service record uploaded tomorrow as it may be better interpreted by someone here. Many thanks.

 

Upload of Service Record together with the other documentation I have for Dad's military service (anniversary of his birthday tomorrow bizarrely enough). He kept it all together, which I've also done since he passed, so I'm pretty sure this is all he had.

 

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

From the original documents you have posted so far (Regular Army Red Book AF B108 and his AB64 Book and the copy of his Attestation paper) I presume you have not obtained his copy service records from U.K. MOD/National Archives.

I’d encourage you to apply to MOD for his service records as they will disclose more information than in the papers you have posted.

Get a copy of military records of service

Steve

 

Having uploaded the images it looks as if one or two may have uploaded twice for some reason. Apologise.

 

Thanks Steve,
I'll have a look at what you're suggesting. Having clicked the link however, the list of information it says will be provided does not look anything more than what I already have (which is a reason I'd not gone down that route previously). If there's likely to be more in depth information in what they supply though I'll certainly apply. Thank you.

 

Have a look at the service records posted in the service records sub forum for an idea of what you may receive - the system is changing and in most cases National Archives provide more than MOD used to provide.

For example -

Private David Ward - Reconnaissance Corps

and


Researching my relatives' service records


The most important form is the B103 that gives a more detailed indication of a man’s movements and locations at unit level compared to the broad stroke entries in the Red Book.

Steve

 

Steve,
Many thanks. Having an idea of which door to look behind to get the information needed can be half the battle. I'm grateful for your pointers and will have a good look where you've directed me.

 

There are more examples of the Form B103 here, which I think shows it will contain the sort of information you are after:

Interpreting Service & Casualty Form B 103

Tim

 

Thanks again Tim. I enjoy a good bit of research and this is a subject I've put off for far too long. Out of interest, is the casualty list you looked at for me previously something I can access. I had a thought that if it can be searched by date or location, there may have been other casualties in the same incident from his unit. If so, that could perhaps give me some other indications of movement/vehicles etc.

 

The Casualty Lists are available on Findmypast. Your Dad is the only RAMC man listed as being wounded on 28/12/42 on this particular list.

Tim

 

Steve,
Just had a fairly quick scan through the link at the 'example' you put in your post. I see exactly what you mean about how much more detail there is. Your knowledge and interpretation is amazing having read some of it. I'll be applying as you suggest in the next couple of days. Please let me know if you can think of anywhere else I can look which may be useful. I've considered membership to subscription Military War Records/Ancestry websites previously. However when I have gone on the various trials, they don't seem to give any more detail than what I already had. Your advice is greatly appreciated. Many thanks.

 

Many thanks.