As a beginner starting out in tracing my father's progress from North Africa to Austria (with the 11th Field Ambulance), I just wanted to say what a fantastic source of information the war diaries are. I spent 3 days in Kew going through literally hundreds of pages, photographing some and jotting down notes about others. I now have a list of all the places they passed through and next month my wife and I are going to Italy to try follow the route he took through the country and up into Austria (and taking in some of the touristy bits on the way!). As expected it is usually only the officers who are mentioned by name in the diaries but I did find my father's name on two occasions - once when he was in a field hospital as a patient! (he once told me that he had had malaria and was very ill for a while) and once when it was recorded that his "whereabouts are unknown". I do wonder what the latter may mean! I'm sure the experts on here are well aware of the usefulness of these diaries but I thought it might be of some encouragement to those who like myself are just starting out on their research to share my exprience. (As an aside, why isn't there an RAMC section in this part of the forum?).
Remind me in a week or two and I'll be happy to oblige. (A few setup issues with the new software means I'm leaving adding forums for a while, otherwise I'd do it straight away.) ~A
RAMC Researcher. Would you mind listing the places that 1 Fd Amb went through during their time in Italy? Regards Frank
Von Poop: thank you. No panic at all! (Sorry didn't mean to put anybody under pressure, just wondering if I was missing a section somewhere). Frank - I am Jeff who will be joining you in June at Cassino! I am still in the middle of putting together in MS WORD a potted summary of the movements of the 11th Fd Amb (I presume you mean the 11th not the 1st). Currently I only have hand written notes but I do need to the finish typing up the summary!
Jeff. I am a muppet! See you in June. Regards Frank Was in Cassino last week. In Anzio at the moment.
I am also just starting out. Having just received my fathers service record I am trying to fit his movements (with the 11th Field Ambulance) from North Africa through Sicily to Italy. Would it be appropriate to post a copy of his service record in the hope that someone may be able to interpret his movement and possible casulaty. I have a picture of him marked "Marino? Staff R.A.M.C. 3 general Hospital V.E. day 9th May 1945" there are 5 signatures on the back of the photgraph....." Harry Wright s/sgt: Arthur E Machin Sgt, (Fiddles): M Gratson: F.C.Danke: * Holden: I would be interested to know this location and details of his travel from Africa to Italy. Chris Bowden