The Wartime Memories Project

- 21st Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps during the Great War -


Great War>Allied Army
skip to content


This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site you agree to accept cookies.


If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.



    Site Home

    Great War Home

    Search

    Add Stories & Photos

    Library

    Help & FAQs

 Features

    Allied Army

    Day by Day

    RFC & RAF

    Prisoners of War

    War at Sea

    Training for War

    The Battles

    Those Who Served

    Hospitals

    Civilian Service

    Women at War

    The War Effort

    Central Powers Army

    Central Powers Navy

    Imperial Air Service

    Library

    World War Two

 Submissions

    Add Stories & Photos

    Time Capsule

 Information

    Help & FAQs



    Glossary

    Our Facebook Page

    Volunteering

    News

    Events

    Contact us

    Great War Books

    About


Advertisements

World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

21st Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps



   21st Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps joined 7th Division in late September 1914, as regular army units concentrated in the New Forest, Hampshire. The Division landed at Zeebrugge in the first week of October 1914, to assist in the defence of Antwerp, they arrived too late prevent the fall of the city and took up defensive positions at important bridges and junctions to aid in the retreat of the Belgian army. The 7th Division then became the first British Troops to entrench in front of Ypres, suffering extremely heavy losses in the The First Battle of Ypres. By February 1915 the Division had been reinforced to fighting strength and they were in action at The Battle of Neuve Chapelle, The Battle of Aubers, The Battle of Festubert, The second action of Givenchy and The Battle of Loos. In 1916 They were in action during the Battles of the Somme, including the capture Mametz, The Battle of Bazentin, the attacks on High Wood, The Battle of Delville Wood, The Battle of Guillemont and the Operations on the Ancre. In 1917 They fought during The German retreat to the Hindenburg Line and the flanking operations round Bullecourt during The Arras Offensive, before moving to Flanders for the Third Battle of Ypres, seeing action in The Battle of Polygon Wood, The Battle of Broodseinde, The Battle of Poelcapelle and The Second Battle of Passchendaele. In late 1917 the 7th Division was selected to move to Italy. They took up position in the line along the River Piave,in late January 1918. The Division played a central role in crossing the Piave, in October and the Battle of Vittoria Veneto.

4th Oct 1914 Orders Received

5th Oct 1914 On the Move

6th Oct 1914 On the Move

7th Oct 1914 On the Move

8th Oct 1914 On the Move

9th Oct 1914 Anxiety

10th Oct 1914 Withdrawal

11th Oct 1914 Hostile Forces

11th Oct 1914 Orders

12th Oct 1914 On the March

13th Oct 1914 Enemy Closes

14th Oct 1914 On the March  location map

15th Oct 1914 Hostile Column  location map

16th Oct 1914 Line Advanced  location map

17th Oct 1914 Enemy Active  location map

18th Oct 1914 Planning  location map

19th Oct 1914 Hard Fighting  location map

20th Oct 1914 Defensive Line

21st Oct 1914 Hard Fighting

22nd Oct 1914 Bombardment

23rd Oct 1914 Under Fire

24th Oct 1914 Enemy Break Through

25th Oct 1914 Enemy Break Through

26th Oct 1914 Forced Back

27th Oct 1914 Orders Received

28th Oct 1914 Artillery Active

29th Oct 1914 Hard Fighting

30th Oct 1914 Hard Fighting

31st Oct 1914 Hard Fighting  location map

28th Jan 1915 Football  location map

21st Sep 1915 Orders  location map

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.





Want to know more about 21st Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps?


There are:5261 items tagged 21st Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


Those known to have served with

21st Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Armstrong Hugh. Pte
  • Beattie MiD.. William. Pte. (d.2nd October 1918)
  • Hallam Harold. Pte.
  • Stephenson William. Pte. (d.1st Sep 1916)

All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of 21st Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps from other sources.


  • The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

  • 1st of September 2023 marks 24 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time.

Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the Great War? Our Library contains many many diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text.



Looking for help with Family History Research?   

Please see Family History FAQ's

Please note: We are unable to provide individual research.

Can you help?

The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors.

If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web.

If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.


Announcements

  • 28th March 2024

        Please note we currently have a massive backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than 263784 your submission is still in the queue, please do not resubmit.

      Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to the Great War. If you have any unwanted photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted.





      We are now on Facebook. Like this page to receive our updates, add a comment or ask a question.

      If you have a general question please post it on our Facebook page.


      World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great battalion regiment artillery
      Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.






251086

Pte. William Beattie MiD. Army Service Corps (d.2nd October 1918)

William Beattie died on 2nd of October 1918, age 30 while serving with the Army Service Corps, attached to the 21st Field Ambulance, RAMC on the Italian Front in the Veneto region. He is buried in Montecchio Precalcino Communal Cemetery, Vicenza.

Having served in France since 1915, William was amongst the thousands of British troops transferred to the Italian front during 1917. They were controlling the line stretching from the marshes near Venice into the alpine regions of the Dolomites. Army records indicate that William was mentioned in dispatches for his bravery whilst recovering wounded soldiers from the battlefield.

From Hexham Herald 12th October 1918, "Beattie. Died from pneumonia at casualty clearing station in Italy on 2nd October 1918 aged 29 years. Private William Beattie M T Army Service Corps, beloved and eldest son of A and M E Beattie, Walwick Farm. Unfeigned regret has been occasioned in Humshaugh district by the news received this week of the death, in Italy, from an attack of pneumonia, of Private William Beattie of Walwick

From Hexham Courant, 19th October 1918 "Mr and Mrs Beattie, Walwick Farm, Humshaugh, received official information that their eldest son, Private William Beattie, Motor Transport, Army Service Corps, 21st Field Ambulance, has died at a clearing station in Italy. Private Beattie joined the colours in July 1915 and left Hexham for France as driver of Dr Stewart’s Ambulance Car 'The North Tyne'. In December 1917, he was transferred to Italy, where he died from pneumonia on 2nd October. Prior to enlisting, Private Beattie, like many other patriotic boys, came over from Canada. He must have emigrated before 1915. He was 29 years of age. Mrs Beattie has received the following from Col. W J Wright ADMS, Italy, dated 6th October. "Dear Mrs Beattie, with deepest regret I heard of your son's death yesterday. As his late commanding officer, please accept my deepest sympathy in your very sad bereavement. During the times I commanded the 21st Field Ambulance, I always found your son most obliging and cheerful, no work was too hard or too dangerous for him. He always took his orders with a smiling face and in every possible way was ready to help the sick and wounded. Although I have left my own unit, I know well how much he will be missed, both by officers and men, with whom he was most popular. He always set a fine example to all ranks and was a splendid example of a true Britisher.""

William Beattie received a posthumous Mention in Despatches for distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty. He is buried in Northern Italy in the Montecchio Precalcino Communal Cemetery Extension. Although his death is recorded as pneumonia it is quite likely that he had succumbed to Spanish Flu.

Mentioned in despatches

Shaun Beattie




247156

Pte Hugh Armstrong 21st Lowland Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps

Hugh Armstrong served in WWI with the 21st Lowland Field Ambulance. After the war, he moved his wife, Isabella (McNab) and family to Ottawa, Canada where he served as a gardener to the Governor General of Canada and the Prime Minister of Canada (Mackenzie King). He was instrumental in the development of the Prime Minister's private estate in the Gatineau Hills which was gifted to Canada and is now a popular tourist site for its gardens, trails, and the historic house and cottage. He is cited many times in the diary of Prime Minister Mackenzie King for his gift of poetry and gentle counsel and friendship to the PM.

David Armstrong




220826

Pte. William Stephenson 21st Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps (d.1st Sep 1916)

Transcript of a Newspaper Article about a letter received by my Great Grandma following the death of my Great Grandad.

How Private Stephenson Died.

Mrs Stephenson of Pelton Fell widow of the late Pte W Stephenson R.A.M.C whose death was recently announced has recently received the following letter from two chums of her husband.

It is with deep sorrow that I write this letter for I know what a shock it will be to you and the children. Our dear old chum ‘Stevie’ has made the great sacrifice while endeavouring to rescue a wounded man who had been struck down a short time before. It is very hard for us to express our sympathy in fitting terms, and I trust you will be able to understand our sorrow for his loss and our sympathy with you in your bereavement.

He along with three other men went out to collect, almost as soon as the boys reached the advanced dressing station and it was on the return journey that the tragic event occurred, a shell bursting close behind the party. The wounded man was killed and two of the squad were wounded, one seriously, while Jim Riggins was thrown in the air receiving a severe twist in the leg. Jim as well as I were great chums of ‘Stevie’ and I, who had been with him since the beginning, can say that a nobler and braver man never went forth to the ‘field’. He was always a ready and willing volunteer, scorning danger when anyone lay wounded and helpless, his one aim being to get them into a place of safety.

It has proved a great blow to all the boys in the field ambulance for he was easily the most popular man we had, always cheerful and ready to do one a good turn. By his happy disposition and demeanour he endeared himself to the lads so that one and all wish me to tender their sincerest sympathy for the loss of your dear husband. Jim Riggins returned to the dressing station with the sad news and a squad was immediately despatched to bring ‘Stevie’ in, and after a time they proved successful. He is buried on the outskirts of the village of Montauban, and all the bearers who were not at work tended the funeral, paying a last tribute to their comrade who had passed into the ‘Great Beyond’.

Yours sincerely, Archie Gilbertson and James Riggins

Through research I've found that William is buried in Bernafay Wood British Cemetery, Montauban.

Susan Jackson






Recomended Reading.

Available at discounted prices.









Links


    Suggest a link
















    The free section of The Wartime Memories Project is run by volunteers.

    This website is paid for out of our own pockets, library subscriptions and from donations made by visitors. The popularity of the site means that it is far exceeding available resources and we currently have a huge backlog of submissions.

    If you are enjoying the site, please consider making a donation, however small to help with the costs of keeping the site running.


    Hosted by:

    The Wartime Memories Project Website

    is archived for preservation by the British Library





    Copyright MCMXCIX - MMXXIV
    - All Rights Reserved -

    We do not permit the use of any content from this website for the training of LLMs or for use in Generative AI, it also may not be scraped for the purpose of creating other websites.