187 Field Ambulance - War Diary July 1941
1st July 1941 HARLEY STREET CAMP.' 15:00 hours. A Company came in today – they had done 102 miles in the week and thus the whole Unit had had this experience. They had taken a different route, going up the Hvalfjordur and then over the mountain to Pingvellir and then from thence on the same route as the other Companies. The whole Field Ambulance has now been out and undoubtedly it has done them good.
7th July 1941
18:00 hours. A historic day. A large convoy of warships, and transports, seen on the horizon which, on coming near, was seen to be American warships – the first batch of Americans for the occupation of ICELAND. Naturally the wireless gave the news that the American Marines were coming to ICELAND.
8th July 1941
09:00 hours. Read out the Order of the Day to all troops and reminded them that troops of another nation were here looking particularly smart. Met Major of American Marines Medical Corps in the afternoon.
12th July 1941
06:00 hours. Leave boat came in on 11th July 1941 and the first Leave Party, which included Lt Greenhill RASC instead of Lt Heatherington (QM), who was in hospital, went on board. Party consisted of Sergeant Major RAMC, seven Other Ranks RAMC and two Other Ranks RASC.
21st July 1941
00:01 hours. Manoeuvres started. The general idea was that Red Force – 70th Infantry Brigade – belonging to Army of Naval Power and Blue Force, belonging to Army preferring Air Force were both trying to seize ICELAND, which had only a garrison of 70 Police. A Company and HQ Company of 187 Field Ambulance landed with Red Force.
Landing first troops completed by 09:00 hours, second wave including A Company at 15:00 hours and 3rd including HQ Company at 22:00 hours.
Only half of HQ Company was available for this exercise as had to carry on all other work as well.
Directing staff arranged Landing Tables and nothing was said about Hospital Ship, Barges etc or any medical arrangements behind.
Officer Commanding would have liked to land with A Company, as Brigade HQ had landed but only had one other Officer in HQ Company and only two in A Company.
As light section had gone off at 15:40 hours received notice that Mobile Column including a detachment from 187 Field Ambulance had to concentrate by 15:00 hours, but as Orders only received at 15:40 hours and HQ Company had not yet landed, had to send one Officer from HQ to take a light section from A Company. This went off at 17:20 hours and was to move to join the Mobile Column.
A Company had landed at 15:00 hours and had formed an Advanced Dressing Station at HARLEY STREET and was ready by 15:20 hours.
21st July 1941
20:00 hours. Conference at Brigade at 19:00 hours told position and that one Battalion – 11th DLI – worked with attached troops to form a Mobile Column – including car post from Field Ambulance. 1st Tyneside Scottish in reserve. If situation developed presumably Brigade HQ advance to ?
Car Post handed over to DLI at 20:00 hours. At this point it is well to remark that both Troop Carrying Vehicles and Ambulance thought they had not yet landed, but apparently Orders meant landed by 22:00 hours and it was represented that these units had now landed. HQ therefore went to HARLEY STREET Advanced Dressing Station ? Main Dressing Station put up but not enough Lorries etc. had been given to HQ Company.
22nd July 1941
12:00 hours. Patients came in from 11th DLI during the night and a message from the Section with 10th DLI but nothing from Tyneside Scottish although the Battalion moved and the Medical Officer had been contacted and asked especially to let Field Ambulance know if he moved.
Brigade also moved without informing Field Ambulance. Several efforts made to find out where Brigade or Tyneside Scottish were but could not find them. Would have had an Officer at Brigade but owing to shortage there were none to spare.
At 10:30 hours parachute troops descended and captured Main Dressing Station but A Company got away and reported to Brigade. Main Dressing Station captured shortly afterwards.
Medical Officer 10th DLI and Light Section returned at 10:45 hours and stated that their Battalion was surrounded and that just before this happened they had been ordered back and, reaching Brigade at GEITHALS, had been told to go back . Brigade had come back to Town Camp.
10:00 hours. The exercise closed at 11:30 hours on 22nd July. It proved very useful.
Lessons :-
There must be an Officer at Brigade – this would have been done but there was no-one to spare. Support ? Reserve Company, this would have prevented the lack of information given to the Reserve.
Main Dressing Station was a failure. Too much attention has been paid to training Advanced Dressing Station Companies in how to use penthouses and buildings. HQ Company will have to practice on War Establishment more frequently and thoroughly. The exercise was extremely useful.
25th July 1941
15:00 hours. HQ Company have changed over with A Company to enable HQ to train. HQ have already had loading practice and lots of loads have been prepared. There can be no doubt that too much attention has been paid to sending Companies out on Mobile Column Scale and the proper War Establishment Scale has been neglected.
31st July 1941
22:00 hours. HQ Company have been out as Duty Company commencing 17:00 hours and ending 21:00 hours being practised in loading men into vehicles.
Appendices attached to the July 1941 War Diary of 187 Field Ambulance.
There were no appendices filed with the July War Diary.
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