89th Field Ambulance - war diary / unit movements in 1915

[rossf9]

Hi - I'm researching someone who was in the 1st Res Highland Field Ambulance / 89th Field Ambulance from 1/10/14 to 24/12/15.

I understand they were part of the 29th division in Gallipoli in 1915.

His service record tells me he landed in Egypt on 16/3/15 and was evacuated from Mudros on 24/12/15. But I'd like to understand what his unit was doing through 1915.

I've found the war diary here: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7353560 but this only seems to start from March 1916.

Are there any other sources that can help me retrace his steps during 1915?

Thanks!

[michaeldr]

A good place to start for a general look at the medical side of the Gallipoli campaign is the history found here https://archive.org/details/medicalservicesg04macp/page/1/mode/1up?view=theater
The 89th F.A. Bearer Division landed at V Beach, with their B Section Tent Division at first sent to W Beach [see p.25]

[rossf9]

15 minutes ago, michaeldr said:

A good place to start for a general look at the medical side of the Gallipoli campaign is the history found here https://archive.org/details/medicalservicesg04macp/page/1/mode/1up?view=theater
The 89th F.A. Bearer Division landed at V Beach, with their B Section Tent Division at first sent to W Beach [see p.25]

Awesome, thanks! Is there any way to find out which section a soldier was in?

[alantwo]

@rossf9

Some background information.

89th Field Ambulance Transport embarked HT Mercian 15-16/3/15 at Avonmouth, no destination given. Captain Agassiz, 53 Men, 16 Horses and 67 Mules (WO 25/3535_Img 1732).

The 89th Field Ambulance embarked HT Dongola and sailed for the MEF from Avonmouth on 18/3/15. Lieutenant JA Morris with 23 Men (WO 25/3535_Img 1757).

On the same day with 160 Men the following 89th Field Ambulance Officers embarked HT Marquette at Avonmouth, again for the MEF:

Lieutenant Colonel T Fraser, Captains JA Stephen, DF Fiddes, A Kellas, Lieutenant and Quartermaster J Dickie, Lieutenants J Thompson, C White and J Davidson (WO/3535_Img 1763). Lieutenant Morris and 23 Men were to have embarked with this group but they are crossed out, hence sailing with HT Dongola.

Regards

Alan

Edited 28 January by alantwo
Clarification between unit and transport

[michaeldr]

Chaplain the Reverend Oswin Creighton worked alongside them at Helles and mentions them in his book 'With the Twenty-Ninth Division in Gallipoli.' Elements of the 89th F.A. are given as being stationed at 'W' Beach, with a Dressing Station near Pink Farm on the West Krithia Road, and from mid-June an Advanced Dressing Station at Aberdeen Gully (off Gully Ravine). They then went for a rest to one of the islands before going with the 29th Division to Suvla in August.

Page 7 of the pdf here https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/RCDIG1001708/bundled/RCDIG1001708.pdf has them returning from the island to 'W' Beach at Helles (3rd August) and to their previous positions at Pink Farm and Aberdeen Gully [incidentally, Aberdeen Gully was named after the 1st Highland F.A.]
Page 33 – shows they embarked at 'W' Beach for transfer to Suvla, arriving 'A' Beach, Suvla, 0800 on 17th August

Your question: -  Is there any way to find out which section a soldier was in? 
I can't answer that, however, if you put your query (with full details of his name, number, etc) into a new post on the Soldiers & their Units section, then it may well be that one of the more knowledgeable Pals there can help you out with interpreting documents, etc