Royal Army Medical Corps, Burma

Discussion in 'Burma & India' started by alisonloub, Sep 4, 2011.

  1. alisonloub

    alisonloub Junior Member

    Hi,

    My husbands grandfather was staff sergeant and was posted in Burma, he was called Charles Frederick Gardiner, but was called Fred.

    I am looking really for any pictures or if anyone may know of him, he was a remarkable man and he received his Burma star in 2003, he passed away in 2005.

    Thanks Alison xx
     
  2. Chris Thomas

    Chris Thomas Junior Member

    Hi Alison,
    Unfortunately I can't help with your query directly but I researched my grandfathers wartime history in Burma & India where he served in the RAMC within the 5th Indian Division. I found that a visit to the Burma Star Association group (local to my Grandfathers place of residents) was really helpful as is the Burma Star Assoc website which also has a link to their dedicated magazine the 'Dekho'. If you haven't already tried then I would definately give them a go. Also if you are in possetion of his service records and would like more info on the locations/units etc listed then give me a shout and I'll try to help you out as I have a copy of a very rare book commissioned after the war relating to the Medical Services in the Far East which I have found invaluable! I also have files and files of info that I have collected along the way (about 2 years research). In the mean time best of luck and if you have any questions I will be glad to try and help. I've only just found this forum and I'm stumbling my way around so if you want to contact me directly my work email is christian.thomas@enterprisemouchel.com Kind Regards, Chris.
     
  3. kmvenables

    kmvenables Dr Harry Walker

    Hi Chris - I am new on this site and am interested in this thread - my father was also in the RAMC within the 5th Indian Division, in 5 Indian Mobile Surgical Unit. You mention a rare book on Medical Services in the Far East – do you have more details? Author? Publisher? Publication date etc?

    I have found some information about my father’s units but there are a lot of gaps.

    Best wishes - Kate
     
  4. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Hi Kate
    The book referred to is probably The Army Medical Services Vol V by FAE crew which is part of 'The Official Medical History of the Second World War' series. It is hard to get hold of - I read it a few years ago by ordering it on Inter-Library Loan from my library in Oxfordshire.

    However there are links to another good source here on WWIItalk in the thread called 'where was the 119 Indian General Hospital in 1944' In Post #7 there are links to pdf of the Indian Army equivalent for the FAE Crew book. It is called Operations in the Eastern Theatre' by BL Raina. The pdf is pretty annoying but the only copy of the book I can find is £75 on Abebooks.co.uk

    Finally you may want to get the War Diary for 5 IMSU from Kew which probably has the most detail although whilst some describe what they were up to others only have a record of officer postings in and out are are very brief.
     
    Rothy and bamboo43 like this.
  5. Rothy

    Rothy Well-Known Member

    The National Archives has a copy of the Crew medical volume V on the shelves in the reference library area. It's free to access and does not need to be ordered. I photographed all the pages containing lists of units and orders of battle
     
  6. kmvenables

    kmvenables Dr Harry Walker

    I looked at it in my local library today - what a wonderful resource!
     
  7. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    Hi Kate
    You are lucky to have found one. Many of the copies of books like this which are on the market are ex-Library. Did you find a mention of your father's unit?
     
  8. kmvenables

    kmvenables Dr Harry Walker

    Yes, I am lucky in my local library. The index had several mentions of his unit, with the larger units to which it was attached. I need to digest the information further, but it looks as if I can get a good idea about where his unit was located and the kind of fighting going on around him. I have written elsewhere about the gaps in unit war diaries for 5 (Ind) MSU but knowing which larger units he was working within means that I have more war diaries to look at. Best wishes - Kate
     
    Skoyen89 likes this.

Share This Page