187 Field Ambulance - War Diary February 1944

1 February 1944 – Thetford

13:15 hours. Unit leaving Redisham Hall, arrives Thetford.

16:30 hours. C.O. visits Battalion areas and Brigade HQ. The Brigade is accommodated chiefly in hutted Camps which are apparently satisfactory apart from general untidiness and dumps of rubbish and salvage.

2 February 1944 – Thetford

C.O. visits Brigade HQ.

4 February 1944 – Thetford

14:30 hours. Lecture on Water Testing by DADH 49th Division to all Medical Officers of 70th Infantry Brigade and 33 Tank Brigade Groups at C.R.S. Thetford.

5 February 1944 – Thetford

Manpower returns attached to the War Diary – for details see below.

9 February 1944 – Thetford

Visit of ADMS 49th Division and ADMS 7th Armoured Division.

10 February 1944 – Thetford

Conference of Regimental Medical Officers of Brigade Group.

11 February 1944 – Thetford

Study Day at 17 Field Dressing Station. Lectures by O.C. 186th and 200th Field Ambulances on campaigns in Africa, Sicily and Italy with demonstrations of Field Dressing Station by 17 F.D.S., Advanced Dressing Station by 146th Field Ambulance and Section assault scales by 187th Field Ambulance.

12 February 1944 – Thetford

Manpower Returns attached to the War Diary – for details see below.

13 February 1944 – Thetford

Visit of Commander-in-Chief, 21st Army Group, General Sir Bernard Montgomery.

18 February 1944 – Thetford

11:10 hours. Skeleton HQ leaves for Exercise Pontoon (Divisional Exercise).

17:00 hours. Skeleton HQ arrives at Concentration Area.

19 – 20 February 1944 – Thetford

Exercise Pontoon.

Manpower Returns attached to the War Diary – for details see below.

21 February 1944 – Thetford

14:30 hours. Skeleton HQ returns from Exercise Pontoon.

22 February 1944 – Thetford

Conference Divisional HQ with ADMS on Exercises Pontoon and Remedy.

23 February 1944 – Thetford

09:00 hours. Unit Exercise Okater II.

24 February 1944 – Thetford

12:00 hours. End of Exercise Okater II.

25 February 1944 – Thetford

14:00 hours. Final Divisional Stretcher Bearer Competition.

26 February 1944 – Thetford

Manpower Returns attached to the War Diary – for details see below.

27 February 1944 – Thetford

Demonstration on Penicillin at Long Melford.

29 February 1944 – Thetford

Exercise Remedy.

Appendices attached to the February 1944 War Diary.

5th February – Officers’ Return.

This shows one Officer short against the establishment of 13 as Captain McPartland had been posted during that week to No 16 Field Dressing Station. The list of Officers remains the same, with the exception of Captain McPartland.

12th February – Officers’ Return.

This shows a new Officer joining the Unit – Captain A.L.P. Avenall RAMC - who had transferred from 55th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery on 7th February 1944.

19th February – Other Ranks Return.

The form shows 233 men in post against the War Establishment of 241 (two surplus and ten short). Two men – Sgt R Charlton and Pte G Tiplady are shown as requested to be returned to the Unit.

26th February – Home details pro-forma.

This form identifies specifically the men included in the manpower figures as Home Details. They are:-

14233189 Pte A Hamilton – Nursing Orderly III.

14296744 Pte P Phillips – Nursing Orderly III

T/16886 Dvr T. Mair – Driver/Mechanic II.

T/16181 Dvr H Mesher – Driver Internal Combustion.

T/10697952 Dvr W Cowan – Driver Internal Combustion.

26th February – Officers’ Return.

This form shows no changes over the week but a continuing deficiency of one in the number of Stretcher Bearer Officers.

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