187 Field Ambulance - War Diary November 1941

2nd November 1941 Harley Street Camp.

Leave Party – Major Briscoe, Captain ? and Captain Hanlan, Army Dental Corps, and 22 NCOs and men went on ship; this is a great improvement and the leave allotments are now going very well.

3rd November 1941

At 01:00 hours a message was received from 11th DLI that an aeroplane of unknown nationality had crashed near [GRINDAVIKhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grindav%C3%ADk], and that they were sending out 80 men and asking for medical help. Arranged that Major Browne RAMC and 4 stretcher squads, B Company and Staff Sergeant Cooper with one lorry and two ambulances, and one Despatch Rider, should leave with ? at 05:15 hours. Having learnt from last experience, sent plenty of blankets tea etc, also cooks with 24 hours rations and cooking utensils.

In addition each man carried 24 hours rations in his haversack.

The party reached the crashed aeroplane about 09:30 hours and found the aeroplane – an [American Martin seaplanehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_L._Martin_Company#Military_seaplanes] – had hit one of the hills almost due North of GRINDAVIK. All the occupants, to the number of thirteen, were dead. The ambulances and lorry were able to get up a track to within a mile and a half of the plane, this being very different from last time when parties had to march 7 miles over lava beds.

The removal of bodies towards ambulances had already started when orders received from American Command to stop and for the British to leave the matter in the hands of the Americans. The party was very well ? organised by Major Browne and had undoubtedly learnt from past experience.

4th November 1941

10:00 hours. Major Browne RAMC left to take over the job of D.A.D.M.S., thus making us very short again. However, Captain Gordon, RAMC from 30th General Hospital arrived in the evening.

6th November 1941

17:00 hours. Returned from another Field Day with 160 Field Ambulance - scheme made out by Major Browne. Object to practice evacuation from Main Dressing Station and also to practice stretcher bearers in carrying wounded. General idea – landing of about 500 – 1,000 German troops by seaplane in PINGVELLIR and a rapid advance towards GEITHALS. Met by Brigade on a line of hills about four miles from GEITHALS on the road to PINGVELLIR and driven back in disorder. Brigade following up hard and unable to clear its wounded. The ADMS ordered up another Field Ambulance to do this. 187 Field Ambulance established an Advanced Dressing Station under B Company and cleared 20 stretcher cases and 31 walking wounded. Main Dressing Station formed by 160 Field Ambulance in their own Camp about 4 – 5 miles behind. 160 Field Ambulance then transferred them to No 50 General Hospital, REYKJAVIK by ? .

8th November 1941

11:00 hours. Wire received from War Office that Major Briscoe RAMC was to return to England to report to No 1 Depot RAMC. This Officer is on leave. He will be a tremendous loss as he is the best type of Officer, conscientious and hardworking, and, above all, good-humoured. It is ? hoped that he is being given command of a unit.

Major Browne has been at ADMS office for a few days now and is acting for Major Brittain as D.A.D.M.S. In spite of the shortage of Officers, they always seem to be taken from this unit. However, Captain Gordon, RAMC from 30th General Hospital has been loaned to the unit. This is a great help.

15th November 1941

09:15 hours. Practice putting up company in new organisation. Companies are very split up and equipment  ? ? Lorries – 3 ton – cannot take load as they are smaller type. Don’t think it is so useful as I thought before  ? two Companies are in writing.

Education – have started Education in the unit under the Army Scheme. Can only say that we will give it fair play. Corporal King – one of the Instructors – got a “distinguished” in the course and we also have Corporal Charlton.

Semaphore – twelve NCOs and men have been trained in [Semaphorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semaphore] . They did very well and we are now training four per Company by using those already trained as Instructors.

17th November 1941

10:00 hours. News received from ADMS that Captain Smith will not be promoted in place of Major Briscoe – this is a great pity, younger men are required in Field Units. Lt Lintott RAMC reported from England. He appears to be a very good type of young Officer and has had experience of Field Ambulance work, having been with 181 Field Ambulance. The position of Officers is such that I have not posted him to any Company at present.

18th November 1941

11:00 hours – Orders received from ADMS that OC, 1 Officer and 2 Other Ranks go out on Signal Message Exercise – preliminary orders received.

19th November 1941

10:00 hours – those above left for REYKJAVIK under orders of 70th Infantry Brigade, crossing SALMON BRIDGE at 10:25 hours.

20th November 1941

Returned from Exercise at 16:00 hours, weather very wet. Though primarily for Signals this exercise proved useful – a great many messages received and sent and while co-operation with Brigade was not perfect yet taking into consideration the fact that the exercise was primarily a Signal one I think it must be considered good.

21st November 1941

09:30 hours – on 26th November Captain Cates and OC went to Sand Model Exercise under Brigade. The Scheme was based on Mountain Warfare using sledge transport for A Echelon and mules for B Echelon.

General idea – Marines had secured Landing Ground and reorganised near HELGAFELL, and 49th Mountain Division landed. 70th Infantry Brigade going up to take the rough mountain with 147 Brigade on the left. Objective – take position in [HVALFJORDURhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hvalfjordur].

26th November 1941

Very useful exercise, in which Ambulance was given full prominence. It would appear to visitors that range and speed of weapons and firepower has allowed troops to take a very large and scattered area which will make evacuation of wounded very difficult.

29th November 1941

10:00 hours – Passive Air Defence Exercise on night 28th/29th. Blackout was good and no difficulty experienced in putting up Main Dressing Station. For some reason Power Station did not black out REYKJAVIK and no casualties or night driving took place. However, exercise proved useful.

30th November 1941

10:00 hours – In the evening of 29th , a TEWT on Sand Model at 160 Field Ambulance. OC, Captain Mashiter, Lt Lintott attended and a useful evening was spent. Some difficulty in following  ? and I think for the purposes of clarity it would be better to have written statements of position at each stage.

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