Realistically it sounds like your father was a driver in a field ambulance -one of those attached to the 43rd Wessex Division - of which there would have been three and so can you advise the number of the FA he was with......this will help us in theory work out if he was at Belsen.....
sorry have'nt a clue.We always knew dad was in the RASC, like many he did not speak too much about his experiences during WW2, but as kids we knew that Belsen weighed heavily on his mind.His full name was Leslie Charles Smith and he was certainly sergeant and possibly CSM.
Sorry but without his unit it is difficult to say if he did or didn't go to Belsen.......do you know his Army number for example because if you do you can apply for his service records from the MoD at Glasgow and this will show which units he was with and brief details of where he served etc.....
t on the fightinghanks for your interest. 9-12 months wait from mod. Any way of knowing which divisional amb unit went into belsen. as you will surmise i am amateur in this field. have read several histories of 43 wessex but they concentrate on fighting side of ops.
If you apply for his records (assuming you haven't done already), it doesn't usually matter if you don't have his service number-just make sure you put his correct date of birth on the form and ask for the full records. I didn't have my dad's number or know what he did and they found his army records. Lesley
thanks Lesley, i have applied but they say 9-12 months wait. i am hoping forum will come up with ideas much quicker. dont ask where sloping letters came from.
Here are the RASC/RAMC units in the Wessex Division CRAMC & HQRAMC black 40 129 Fld Ambulance black 75 130 Fld Ambulance black 76 213 Fld Ambulance black 77 14 Fld Dressing Sta black 82 15 Fld Dressing Sta black 83 38 Fld Hygene Section black 78 I hope that this helps. A friend of mine owns an Austin K2 ambulance that was used by the Division. You may have seen it in "Foyle's war"
Hi Without the service records it will be almost impossible to determine which Field Ambulance your Dad served with. The Diaries of each of the three Units make no reference to Belsen although I do know that they halted there for a short period. From your post on the 129 Field Ambulance Diary thread (everything I have is displayed on it so I no longer have to send out copies) I noted you stated that your Dad mentioned being close to Arnhem, meaning he would have been on the opposite bank of the Rhine during the evacuation of 1st Airborne. I can tell you which of 43 Div RAMC units was there at this point. Take a look at the following... It's 130 Field Ambulance, RAMC.
fter a lot of searching I have found my Father's paybook and release book.The paybook contains a driving cetificate signed by the CO of 34 field dressing station dated 10/04/1946. The release book is signed by Lt.Conway of 107 Medical Coy. dated 07/06/1946. There is a testimonial in the release book which mentions that just prior to this date My Father was acting CSM of a previous unit and had been earmarked for the same post in 252 Coy. He had enlisted on 14/08/1941 but his paybook contains several deletions and anomalies. Finally his service number was T/282021.I would be pleased to hear your comments, that is if you have the time. Rgds. NRSmith.
Trackfrower, I have obtained some details of my Father's service, inc a paybook which mentions promotion to sergeant 14.02.44 504Coy.30110.No.28. I also have a C.I.C's commendation signed by B.L.Montgomery dated 04/05/45 which is awarded to T/282021 Sgt L.C.Smith, R.A.S.C 15 F.D.S. The 43rd Division. A photo that has come to light shows my Father and a group of men gathered by an engine hoist in front of whom is the rear end of a lorry which has a large no. 83 and a smaller L.5332515 or it could be L.5332315, stencilled on it's tailboard. Behind the group is a large house with a substantial alleyway running through from front to back and above the alleyway in gothic type letters Stadt Hamburg. I should be delighted if you or any other WW2 Talk members could throw any further light on the subject.
The War Diary for 15 FDS (Field Dressing Station) is in WO 177/900. That might shed some light on his movements John
I have just come across this post. I have the full War Diaries for 130 Field Ambulance from January 1943 to June 1946. A collaborator has taken on the task of listing every name (with service number if shown) that appears in these documents, these names including personnel from RAMC, and RASC members of 130FA. This list has reached December 1944 and the name L C Smith has not yet appeared. The information includes transfers in and out of the unit. There are no direct references to Belsen appart from the unit being attached to 52 group from 19 to 23 April 45. If L C Smith was transferred in from January '45 I will add to this post. Kevin
Hi , my dad CSM Frederick George Westwood was an ambulance driver with RASC attached to 130 Field Ambulance. He appears on duty many times in 1944 and 1945 in the war diaries. You can download them from here, about 1,700 pages all told. Like you I am a novice at tracing but there are a lot of helpful people on here.