Light horse field ambulance explained

A light horse field ambulance was an Australian World War I military unit whose purpose was to provide medical transport and aid to the wounded and sick soldiers of an Australian Light Horse brigade. Light horse field ambulance units served in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) as part of the Australian Army Medical Corps.[1]

Typically a Lieutenant Colonel commanded each ambulance. All officers of the ambulance were medical doctors or surgeons. Dental units were often attached to the ambulance as well.

An ambulance consisted of two sections, the Mobile and the Immobile. The Mobile Section travel with its brigade into combat, where it would establish a Dressing Station. It use stretchers or carts to retrieve the wounded and transport them to the Dressing Station. The Immobile Section established and operated a Receiving Station, which received the wounded the Dressing Station sent on. The ambulance's surgeons would operate on the wounded at the Receiving Station. From the Receiving Station, the sick and wounded would go first to the Casualty Clearing Station and ultimately to a Base Hospital.

Transport

The light horse field ambulances operated during the Gallipoli campaign and in the Middle East theatre: Egypt, the Sinai peninsula, Palestine and Syria. The methods used to transport the wounded had to operate effectively in the sandy, dusty environment.

Stretcher: As in infantry field ambulances, stretchers were used for transport over short distances, rough terrain or when enemy fire prevented the safe employment of bearer animals.
Cycle stretcher: These were unpopular and ineffective; after the Gaza battles the forces abandoned the use of cycle stretchers.
Sand cart: The mainstay of the transport section was the sand cart. It featured wide steel rims and was designed be able to carry three stretchers over soft sand. Six horses or mules provided the motive power. The sand cart was poorly suited to operating on the hard, rough ground of Palestine and Syria, and breakdowns were frequent.
Sand sledge: Used to transport one stretcher case over sand; two horses pulled the sledge.
Light ambulance wagon: Drawn by a four horse team, the light ambulance wagon was designed by Surgeon Colonel W.D.C. Williams. Wagons of this type were taken to Egypt by some of the field ambulance units during the early days of World War I.
Camel cacolet: The camel cacolet was used to carry wounded over long distances on rough terrain impassable to wheeled transport. There were two types of cacolet: the sitting and the lying down type. One camel would carry two patients, one on either side of the camel's hump.

Units during World War I

Three Australian light horse field ambulance units remained in active service throughout WWI.[2] Additional units were established and disbanded at several points during the war. By the end of WWI, the AIF had five light horse field ambulances in active service.

Australian Imperial Force (AIF) light horse field ambulance units serving in WWI!Unit!Established!Theatres of conflict!Notes
1st Light Horse Field Ambulance18 August 1914; New South Wales, Australia[3] Egypt; Gallipoli; Sinai Peninsula; PalestineUnit served throughout WWI.
2nd Light Horse Field AmbulanceSeptember 1914; Queensland, Australia[4] Egypt; Gallipoli; Sinai Peninsula; PalestineUnit served throughout WWI.
3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance 02 October 1914; Queensland, Australia[5] Egypt; Gallipoli; Sinai Peninsula; PalestineUnit served throughout WWI.
4th Light Horse Field Ambulance (1)May-June 1915; Queensland, AustraliaEgyptDisbanded March 1916
4th Light Horse Field Ambulance (2)18 February 1917; Moascar, Egypt[6] Egypt; PalestineUnit served from 1917 until end of WWI.
Camel Field AmbulanceFebruary 1917[7] Sinai Peninsula; PalestineRenamed 5th Light Horse Field Ambulance; June 1918
5th Light Horse Field AmbulanceJune 1918[8] PalestineUnit served from 1918 until end of WWI.

WWI Military awards and decorations

Military decorations were awarded to a number of WWI personnel serving in the Australian light horse field ambulance units. Although the light horse field ambulance units were part of the AIF, decorations were awarded under the British system of honours as Australia's system of honours would not be established until 1975.[9]

Honour/Award! rowspan="2" style="border-color:inherit;"
Rank, Name (Service number)UnitDate announced
Australian GazetteLondon Gazette
Major William Angus Fraser3rd LHFA4 October 1917[10] [11] 4 June 1917
Lieutenant-Colonel John Robert McNeil Beith2nd LHFA25 March 1920[12] [13] 12 December 1919
Lieutenant-Colonel Mylles Wysmarus Cave1st LHFA25 March 1920[14] 12 December 1919
Major Clive Vallack Single4th LHFA06 October 1919[15] [16] 3 June 1919
Lieutenant-Colonel Gerald Eugene Macdonald Stuart3rd LHFA06 October 1919[17] 3 June 1919
Military Cross (MC)Captain Colin Anderson4th LHFA23 May 1919[18] [19] 1 January 1919
Private George Laurie Peel (913)3rd LHFA24 February 1916[20] [21] 29 November 1915
Private Finlay O'Neill McRae (1775)1st LHFA24 February 1916[22] 29 November 1915
Private Arthur John Vines (902)3rd LHFA24 February 1916[23] [24] 29 November 1915
Sergeant William Henry Storey (64)1st LHFA19 April 1917[25] [26] 14 November 1916
Sergeant John Ware Robinson (838)3rd LHFA21 August 1917[27] [28] 26 April 1917
Sergeant Robert Henry Lewis (825)3rd LHFA20 December 1917[29] [30] 16 August 1917
Staff Sergeant Charles Warden (3)4th LHFA23 May 1918[31] [32] 22 October 1917
Staff Sergeant James Edward Sleeman (567)2nd LHFA4 February 1919[33] [34] 3 September 1918
Military Medal (MM)Private Francis George Ridge (2712)4th LHFA14 December 1916[35] [36] 21 September 1916
Driver Hector Thomson (482)2nd LHFA19 April 1917[37] [38] 21 October 1916
Driver Thomas Mahoney (527)2nd LHFA19 April 1917[39] 21 October 1916
Driver Charles Alexander James Crawford (529)2nd LHFA19 April 1917[40] 21 October 1916
Driver Cecil George Audley Done (4261)2nd LHFA19 April 1917[41] 21 October 1916
Private William John Gordon Davis (9388)2nd LHFA19 April 1917[42] 21 October 1916
Corporal Thomas Vincent Brennan (565)2nd LHFA19 April 1917[43] [44] 01 December 1916
Private William Robertson (26)1st LHFA19 April 1917[45] [46] 14 December 1916
Private Arthur John Bennett (955)1st LHFA07 August 1918[47] [48] 19 March 1918
Driver Septimus Flint (6051)1st LHFA07 August 1918[49] 19 March 1918
Driver Eric Holloway (15506)1st LHFA07 August 1918[50] 19 March 1918
Lance Sergeant Ernest Kitson Thorpe (3865)4th LHFA17 October 1919[51] [52] 3 July 1919
Private William Phillips Whittlesea (2830)3rd LHFA17 October 1919[53] [54] 3 July 1919
Meritorious Service Medal (MSM)Trooper Harold Shove Thirkell (16659)1st LHFA27 November 1918[55] [56] 16 July 1918
Sergeant Christopher Standring (519)4th LHFA06 October 1919[57] [58] 03 June 1919

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 30 June 2022 . Australian Army Medical Corps in World War I . 13 October 2024 . Department of Veteran's Affairs (DVA) Anzac Portal . Department of Veteran's Affairs (DVA) . Brisbane, Australia.
  2. Web site: Order of Battle . 2024-10-12 . aif.adfa.edu.au.
  3. Web site: 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance . 2024-10-12 . vwma.org.au . English.
  4. Web site: 2nd Light Horse Brigade Field Ambulance . 2024-10-12 . vwma.org.au . English.
  5. Web site: 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance . 2024-10-12 . vwma.org.au . English.
  6. Web site: 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance . 2024-10-12 . vwma.org.au . English.
  7. News: CAMEL FIELD AMBULANCE . . 12,704 . Victoria, Australia . 17 February 1917 . 13 October 2024 . 10 . National Library of Australia.
  8. Web site: 5th Light Horse Field Ambulance . 2024-10-12 . vwma.org.au . English.
  9. Web site: Honours timeline . 13 October 2024 . Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet . Australian Government.
  10. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 169 . Australia, Australia . 4 October 1917 . 13 October 2024 . 2626 . National Library of Australia.
  11. Web site: William Angus Fraser . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  12. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 30 . Australia, Australia . 25 March 1920 . 13 October 2024 . 391 . National Library of Australia.
  13. Web site: John Robert McNeil Beith . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  14. Web site: Mylles Wysmarus Cave . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  15. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 113 . Australia, Australia . 6 October 1919 . 13 October 2024 . 1462 . National Library of Australia.
  16. Web site: Clive Vallack Single . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  17. Web site: Gerald Eugene Macdonald Stuart . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  18. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 61 . Australia, Australia . 23 May 1919 . 13 October 2024 . 890 . National Library of Australia.
  19. Web site: Colin Anderson . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  20. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 28 . Australia, Australia . 24 February 1916 . 13 October 2024 . 457 . National Library of Australia.
  21. Web site: George Laurie Peel . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  22. Web site: Finlay O'Neill McRae . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  23. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 28 . Australia, Australia . 24 February 1916 . 13 October 2024 . 458 . National Library of Australia.
  24. Web site: Arthur John Vines . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  25. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 62 . Australia, Australia . 19 April 1917 . 13 October 2024 . 923 . National Library of Australia.
  26. Web site: William Henry Storey . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  27. News: Government Gazette Notices . . 133 . Australia, Australia . 21 August 1917 . 13 October 2024 . 1786 . National Library of Australia.
  28. Web site: John Ware Robinson . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  29. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 219 . Australia, Australia . 20 December 1917 . 13 October 2024 . 3375 . National Library of Australia.
  30. Web site: Robert Henry Lewis . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  31. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 76 . Australia, Australia . 23 May 1918 . 13 October 2024 . 1123 . National Library of Australia.
  32. Web site: Charles Warden . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  33. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 15 . Australia, Australia . 4 February 1919 . 13 October 2024 . 125 . National Library of Australia.
  34. Web site: James Edward Sleeman . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  35. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 184 . Australia, Australia . 14 December 1916 . 13 October 2024 . 3381 . National Library of Australia.
  36. Web site: Francis George Ridge . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  37. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 62 . Australia, Australia . 19 April 1917 . 13 October 2024 . 918 . National Library of Australia.
  38. Web site: Hector Thomson . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  39. Web site: Thomas Mahoney . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  40. Web site: Charles Alexander James Crawford . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  41. Web site: Cecil George Audley Done . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  42. Web site: William John Gordon Davis . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  43. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 62 . Australia, Australia . 19 April 1917 . 13 October 2024 . 924 . National Library of Australia.
  44. Web site: Thomas Vincent Brennan . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  45. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 62 . Australia, Australia . 19 April 1917 . 13 October 2024 . 925 . National Library of Australia.
  46. Web site: William Robertson . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  47. News: Government Gazette Notices . . 120 . Australia, Australia . 7 August 1918 . 13 October 2024 . 1657 . National Library of Australia.
  48. Web site: Arthur John Bennett . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  49. Web site: Septimus Flint . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  50. Web site: Eric Holloway . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  51. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 119 . Australia, Australia . 17 October 1919 . 13 October 2024 . 1529 . National Library of Australia.
  52. Web site: Ernest Kitson Thorpe . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  53. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 119 . Australia, Australia . 17 October 1919 . 13 October 2024 . 1531 . National Library of Australia.
  54. Web site: William Phillips Whittlesea . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  55. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 185 . Australia, Australia . 27 November 1918 . 13 October 2024 . 2264 . National Library of Australia.
  56. Web site: Harold Shove Thirkell . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.
  57. News: Government Gazette Proclamations and Legislation . . 113 . Australia, Australia . 6 October 1919 . 13 October 2024 . 1463 . National Library of Australia.
  58. Web site: Christopher Standring . 2024-10-13 . www.awm.gov.au . en.

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