225 Parachute Field Ambulance RAMC

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by bootneck42, Jan 3, 2022.

  1. bootneck42

    bootneck42 Junior Member

    Does anyone specialise on 225 PFA attached to 7th LI Parachute Battalion.
    I am especially searching for anyone who may have war diaries for The Ardennes Dec 44 to Feb 45
    Many thanks in advance
    Geoff
     
  2. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hi Geoff,

    I don't have those WD entries but noticed they are available at the Pegasus Archive for a fee. I forget the circumstances now but some nice person made a collage of all the medics in the April 44 7 Para Battalion photo based on the RAMC cap badge. I think we were looking for George Skelly at the time?

    7 Para m edics-225 PFA .jpg

    Regards ...
     
  3. bootneck42

    bootneck42 Junior Member

    Thanks for the information Chuck, this collage is fabulous.
    I have the majority of names from April 44 Bn photo, so will look for Skelly on the list and let you know if he’s on there
    Geoff
     
  4. BGUNN

    BGUNN Active Member

    Hi,

    Great work with the picture of RAMC within the picture.

    I am also looking for a picture of Douglas Protheroe, not sure if he was attached to the 7th but was in A company 225th PFA

    Any help in finding a picture or pointing me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

    thanks
     
  5. bootneck42

    bootneck42 Junior Member

    Chuck,
    97002557 George Skelly
    April 44 Bn photo he is place at No 305 on the photo 5th row down 10th in from the right as you look at the Panorama
    My kindest always
    Geoff
     

    Attached Files:

    Cee likes this.
  6. BGUNN

    BGUNN Active Member

    Hi Geoff,

    Would you also have the name of the medic with the glasses? He looks very similar to a Medic pictured in Normandy.

    thanks
     

    Attached Files:

  7. bootneck42

    bootneck42 Junior Member

    I will take a look this evening and come back to you with my findings.
    Happy to help
    Kindest
    Geoff
     
  8. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Hello!
    Ernie Mold in this collage?
     
  9. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hi,

    Very good Geoff, that is Pte. Geoge Skelly who was awarded a Military Medal for his actions on D-Day.

    Private George Skelly

    BGUNN - sorry I am unfamiliar with Douglas Protheroe but will ask around. The chap with glasses does look similar to man on your photo. The Airborne soldier being treated is said to be Lieutenant Shinner who claims to have been taken to La Bribourdière at Putot En Auge. The following information comes from a research report on the subject by Ludovic Louis.

    "Lieutenant Shinner said the other men in the pictures were conscientious objectors. Considering the only conscientious objectors were in CN254, ... the only possibilities are:

    97003222 Pte F.J. GRIGGS POW N°80842, Stalag IV-B, Mülhberg
    5054032 Pte A.F. THOMPSON POW N°80884, Stalag IV-B, Mülhberg
    97003345 Pte N.W. WATTS POW N°80886 Stalag IV-B, Mülhberg"


    Lieutenant Shinner treated by medics.jpg Lieutenant Shinner.jpg

    Alex - Ernie Mold could be there, not sure which though?

    Regards ...

    Edited to add Ludo's research information.
     
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2022
    Alex1975uk likes this.
  10. bootneck42

    bootneck42 Junior Member

    The name on the list for the Medic is
    7608072 F. Thompson (nickname - Askey)
    All the best
    Geoff
     
    Cee likes this.
  11. BGUNN

    BGUNN Active Member

    Thank you Cee, yes that is the picture. I didn’t realise there was more than one taken.

    Thank you also for asking around regarding Douglas Protheroe, I have been looking for a photo for a while now.

    Geoff, thank you for the information (name) it could well be the same chap.

    Bruce
     
  12. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    I asked Michael Pine-Coffin if he had come across a Douglas Protheroe with a connection to 7 Para. His response:

    "Never come across his name before as being with 7th Para Bn. Think we have all the men for Normandy and Germany but not the Ardennes. I can not find him on the casualty lists, which might have been why he was not with the battalion in Germany if he had been wounded in the Ardennes, but this does not seem to be the case. So probably with 225 Fd Amb.

    The RAMC medics stayed with the battalion as attached soldiers. No 2 section 225 Fd Amb were attached as a whole section for D Day. Half were in stick 156 and as you know were dropped near Grangues.

    Mold and Jamieson were the only two to get back and then stayed with 7 Para Bn for the rest of the war. They are not on the March 1944 photo, as they were 225 Fd Amb. The rest of the medics in this stick will also be on the 225 photo.

    The rest were all POW. Slater one of the stick, is listed in an account as treating one of the wounded RAF men at Grangues, so possible that one of the medics from this stick are in the photo with Lt Shinner.


    The 7 Para Bn man with the glasses is not a medic, he is the REME Sgt, the name is correct."

    Sgt. F. Thompson .jpg


    I'll attach a nominal roll found in a folder. It may not be complete and I don't know where I picked it up?
     

    Attached Files:

  13. bootneck42

    bootneck42 Junior Member

    Chuck,
    I can’t open the 225 PFA Nominal Roll, do you have it in a different format?
    Geoff
     
  14. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Geoff,

    Is your old email address still good? Could send other file types there. Otherwise I will just paste as text to email or wherever.

    Regards ...
     
  15. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hi Geoff,

    Your old email is dead. The forum doesn't support .doc or.docx files? Nominal roll is far from complete but will paste below.

    225th Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps
    6th Airborne Division

    Commander: Lieutenant-Colonel Bruce Harvey
    2i/c: Captain Maitland

    No.1 Section: OC Capt. T. Wilson (attached to 12th Parachute Battalion)

    No.2 Section: OC Captain J. Wagstaff (attached to 7th Parachute Battalion)
    Clerk Robert Acheson Dickson
    S/Sgt. F.T. Marsden (POW) and his Stick being missing
    Pte. Ernest Mold (Evd)
    Pte. George Jamieson (evd)
    L/Cpl. C.J. Bage (P/W)
    L/Cpl. A. Binns (P/W)
    Pte. A. Slater (P/W)
    Pte. A. Tebbet
    Pte. J.B. Trail
    Pte. F. Troutt (P/W)
    Pte E.C. Clark (P/W-97003880)

    No.3 Section: OC Capt. Tibbs (attached to 13th Parachute Battalion)
    S/Sgt. Hodgeson,
    L/Cpl. Hird,
    L/Cpl. Rowlands,
    Cpl. Morris
    Pte. Turner
    Pte. Higginson
    Pte. Cooper
    Pte. Durston
    Pte. Abbott,
    Pte. Clarke, F.
    Pte. Clarke
    14315723 Pte. N. Smithson, Missing 24.3.45
    Pte. Clemence (KIA)
    Pte. Slaskey,
    Pte. Bowles,
    Pte. Robinson – Evader WO 208
    Pte. Leggett
    Pte. Geoffrey Woolard Brown 97003870 in Tibb’s stick

    No.4 Section (Reserve)
    L/Cpl. Trevor Williams

    Attached
    DADMS Maj. R.R. Maitland, jumped with 225th PFA, acted as guide to the Divisional H.Q. who landed by glider (KIA 6.6.44)
    Capt. West, RAMC (195th Airlanding Fd Amb as Liaison Officer jumped with 225 PFA)
    Major/Captain D.H. Clark, landed on the beaches WIA on D-Day

    Pte. Anderson
    Pte. Davis
    Pte Fynn
    Pte. Gelson
    Pte. Robert Hendrie
    14368788 Pte. L.S. Hocking Missing 24.3.45
    Pte. Bernard Lionel Horne () 225 PFA describes being in Short Stirling so must have been at Keevil
    14750267 Pte. H.W. Howe Missing 24.3.45
    Pte. Howard
    Pte. Cedric McCarthy (1923-2016)
    Cpl. Morris
    5949143 Pte. A.E.T. Price Missing 24.3.45
    Cpl. Shellbrook (?)
    Pte Skeley
    Capt. Urquhart
    Officer John Cadman Watts 195 PFA
    Sgt. Harry O. Carter
    Cpl. James Mangan

    Captain Gordon Spencer Shiell 716th/225 PFA was in charge of the RAP in Normandy (111789 - KIA 24.3.45)

    Captain Nicholson (QM)
    Major Daintree Johnson (Surgeon Specialist – injured so did not jump into Normandy)
    Captain David Tibbs (MO)
    Captain David Clark (MO)
    Captain Leslie Hill (RASC Transport Officer)
    Major Peter Essex-Lopresti (Surgeon Specialist)
    Captain Bill Briscoe (Catholic Padre)
    Captain Holland (Dental Officer)
    Major Dennis Thompson (2i/c – went to command 224 Fd Amb prior to D-Day)
    Lieutenant-Colonel. Bruce Harvey (CO of 225 Fd Amb)
    Captain Maitland (2i/c D-Day)
    Captain John Wagstaff (MO)
    Captain Tommy Wilson (MO)
    Major Pat Hewlings
    Cpl. Hatswell



    take care ...
     
  16. BGUNN

    BGUNN Active Member

    Hello Cee,

    Would you know (or where I may be best to search) for Stick lists for Normandy for 225PFA. In particular Lt-Col Bruce Harvey’s plane.

    I believe Douglas Protheroe was in this plane, and by obtaining the stick info I could confirm this.

    from your list of men in the various sections unfortunately HQ is incomplete.

    thanks
    Bruce
     
  17. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hi Bruce,

    On D-Day the main body of 225 PFA flew from RAF Keevil in 5 Stirlings, Chalks 208-212, belonging to 299 Squadron. That is as close as I can get at the moment. An unnamed RAF photographer captured them before take-off. Here and here for example. 299 Squadron ORB here.

    5 Para Bde Airfieds.jpg

    Previous thread on Douglas Protheroe for others' info:

    225th Parachute Field Ambulance- Douglas Protheroe

    Regards ...
     
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  18. BGUNN

    BGUNN Active Member

    Thank you sir,

    Your help is much appreciated, you have some great info that has really helped.

    Piecing it all together has given me a good insight.

    I had seen the two pictures before but hadn’t realised they were both linked to 225, so that is great.

    thank you
    Bruce
     
    Cee likes this.
  19. BGUNN

    BGUNN Active Member

    Hi

    Below is a famous picture that was posted by CEE (Thank you) of men of 225PFA taken on 5th June at Keevil Airfield. 5 Sticks of HQ 225PFA departed Keevil that night. The same airfield was also the departure point of 12th Battalion.

    I have a couple of questions that I am hoping to get answers for;

    1) What are the white tabs (circled in blue)? Did PFA have separate tabs or could these be men of 1st section, 225PFA, assigned to 12th Yorkshire?

    2) Have any men in this photo been identified?

    Thanks
     

    Attached Files:

  20. Cee

    Cee Senior Member Patron

    Hi B,

    At the IWM photo CH 13302 is part of the short series CH 13298 - CH 13304 taken at RAF Keevil on June 5th before take off. It doesn't tell you much:

    "Original wartime caption: R.A.F. men, paratroopers, and Parachutist Field Ambulance personnel have a last minute cigarette before the take-off."


    The zoom function no longer works for me. I'm not aware of identifications, but someone may know more. A spotty hi-rez copy is available on Flickr. There are identifications for CH 13301. For some reason a lot of erroneous claims have been made for a few of these pics.

    Not sure of the purpose of the white epaulet tabs or loops. Perhaps used for quick unit/section ID on DZ? I doubt there are any 12 Para men to be seen in CH 13302.

    Regards ...
     
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