# 4th Field Ambulance, RCAMC



## mikajake (11 Aug 2004)

Not sure if this is possible but, just recently my neighbor's father past away and after talking we find out that his father and my uncle were in the Field Ambulance no. 4 from Thunder Bay, ON. approximately at the same time.   We / I have looked to no avail to find a listing of the soldiers that served in the 
1 Canadian Infantry Division - RCAMC - 4 Canadian Field Ambulance.   I found his grandfathers attestation and his grandfathers attestation from the WW1 but nothing on WW2.   We were just curious as my aunt has past away and his mother seems to have alzhiemers so no luck there as well.   I myself am not in the armed forces but my neighbor is the biggest war buff I have ever met. Looked at the Lakehead U page but, the user doesn't exist anymore.

Sorry about rambling, but any help would be appreciated.

Mikajake


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## Michael Dorosh (11 Aug 2004)

The National Archives will have the unit War Diary; the appendices to the unit war diaries may have a nominal roll.


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## Art Johnson (11 Aug 2004)

4th Field Ambulance sailed from Halifax on the Reina Del Pacico 18 December 1939. They were on the same ship as the 1st Bn 48th Highlanders. Sailing List No. 50,  Serial No. 32.

The Part II Order Number for the 48th Highlanders issued by CANADIAN SECTION G.H.Q., 2nd Echelon is No. 9 dated 17 February 41.

This information may or may not help you in your search but at least it is a start.

Aye Dileas


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## Jerry Pearce (1 Oct 2004)

My father was a member of the 4th Field Ambulance.  He passed away this summer on July 31.  The Brodie Street Library in Thunder Bay has a full index of information in the archives of the Times Journal.  This was a local newspaper in Fort William Ontario.  I will be researching the material in the microfiche files under the LHF file and Militia - 4th Field Ambulance.  My dad's name is Harry Pearce and I have his medals now as the oldest son and they have been mounted in a display case with new ribbons.     Jerry Pearce


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## jfladeroute (1 Oct 2004)

You can also contact the curator of the Thunder Bay Military Museum, LCol Jack Young at 343-5175. He may be able to provide assistance. Another option is to contact 18 Field Ambulance at 343-5754; they have access to much of the 4th's history.


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## Jerry Pearce (3 Oct 2004)

Thank you for the information and help.  I will be contacting the gentlemen that you suggested for help.  I also will be using the library as well.  I am looking for articles about the RCAMC hockey team which was a team made up of the players (soldiers) from the 4th, 5th and 9th FIeld Ambulances and this team won the Canadian Army Hockey championship in England in 1940 or 41.  I have pictures of the team.  I know that Dr. Rathbone who was the Coroner in Thunder Bay was with the unit during the war and I have heard some of the good and funny stories about their time in England and Italy during the war.  I never heard the really bad stories but then that is true of all the guys.


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## jfladeroute (3 Oct 2004)

Jerry Pearce said:
			
		

> Thank you for the information and help.  I will be contacting the gentlemen that you suggested for help.  I also will be using the library as well.  I am looking for articles about the RCAMC hockey team which was a team made up of the players (soldiers) from the 4th, 5th and 9th FIeld Ambulances and this team won the Canadian Army Hockey championship in England in 1940 or 41.  I have pictures of the team.  I know that Dr. Rathbone who was the Coroner in Thunder Bay was with the unit during the war and I have heard some of the good and funny stories about their time in England and Italy during the war.  I never heard the really bad stories but then that is true of all the guys.



Don't forget the Thunder Bay Historical Society as well - they have a good WWII collection. For the team information, try the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame (they may have more information on Doug Rathbone, too - he was the team doctor to the Twins in later years).


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## nantou (15 Oct 2004)

I stumbled on this site today while searching for information on my father who died when I was very young.  I don't know much about him but through my research I found that he served with 4 Canadian Field Ambula;nce during WWII.  I was thrilled to finally find somewhere I might me able to get some infomation. My dad's name was Gerald (Jerry) Coss.  If anyone has any further information it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Nantou


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## hc (4 Nov 2004)

My name is Ryan Nesbitt.  My grandfather Bill Nesbitt served in this regiment from dec 39 to dec 45, joined up in Fort William - where he still lives during the summers (Boca Raton, florida in winters).  He is still alive and well today.  His best friend Paul Dufrene (I think that was his last name) served with him too, but died several years ago.  I will pass some of these names along to him, to see if he recalls anyone.  Good to see I'm not the only one interested in this regiment!


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## old medic (14 Dec 2004)

I just noticed this thread, and that someone referenced my old 4 Fd Amb website I use to maintain 
at www.flash.lakeheadu.ca/~cfms/

The pages have been off the net for a few years now, But I still have everything tucked away on
cd-rom.  If anyone is looking for something specific from the pages, feel free to PM me.

Cheers.


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## canadian jim (16 Jan 2005)

mikajake said:
			
		

> Not sure if this is possible but, just recently my neighbor's father past away and after talking we find out that his father and my uncle were in the Field Ambulance no. 4 from Thunder Bay, ON. approximately at the same time.   We / I have looked to no avail to find a listing of the soldiers that served in the
> 1 Canadian Infantry Division - RCAMC - 4 Canadian Field Ambulance.   I found his grandfathers attestation and his grandfathers attestation from the WW1 but nothing on WW2.   We were just curious as my aunt has past away and his mother seems to have alzhiemers so no luck there as well.   I myself am not in the armed forces but my neighbor is the biggest war buff I have ever met. Looked at the Lakehead U page but, the user doesn't exist anymore.
> 
> Sorry about rambling, but any help would be appreciated.
> ...



On doing research on my father Canadian Jim who served in 4th Field Amb.WW11 he was invited to a reunion dinner in Fort William in 1949. On a old menu from that reunion are some names of those who attended as follows:  Hope that they might be of use. Captain K.Graham and Captain Drombolis, Leit. R.C.Bull and McCartney, Staff Sg. Scott, and privates Thomas Kirk, L.Wheatley, W.R.Meads (bob) W.McRae, and my father Jim Lawrence. They all toasted a brave soilder called Thomas Gernelly age 28 who was killed in action.


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## old medic (19 Jan 2005)

I"m leaving this message for anyone who may come across this thread in the future....

If your looking for information on family members who may have served with 4 Field Ambulance, please PM me. 
I have a number of unit photos taken during the 30's 40's and 50's. my aim is to identify as many past members of the unit
as possible.  

If you would like to try and identify a family member, or have photos of a family member who may have served with this unit,
then I'd be happy to speak with you.

Cheers.


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## old medic (21 Jan 2005)

The Fort William Daily Times-Journal
Friday September 8, 1939

RECRUITS SIGN UP WITH FOURTH FIELD AMBULANCE CORPS

	Recalling the enviable reputation for service to the Canadian forces
overseas in the last war which was earned by the Royal Canadian Army 
Medical Corps, Col. W. J. Heringer, officer commanding the local Fourth 
Field Ambulance, announced today that 56 men have been passed by the
medical board and accepted to the ranks.

	Col. Heringer is recruiting for the Fourth Field Ambulance to bring 
the local unit up to war strength. Seventy nine men have presented themselves
at the Simpson street armoury for service in the unit but of these 23 were
refused and found medically unfit.

	Col. Heringer said today that recruiting for the Fourth Field Ambulance
here is going ahead satisfactorily and that there is room for another 100 men
in the ranks before the unit will be at full strength.

IMPORTANT WORK

	Discussing the work of the R.C.A.M.C.,  Col. Heringer declared that the 
morale and comfort of the armed forces always has depended on the knowledge
that complete and efficient medical service is ready at all times.

	In the last war the R.C.A.M.C. established its reputation with the men in
the forces, he said, and it is the aim of the corps to continue the record.

	Further recruits were presenting themselves for examination today and 
it is expected that many more will be accepted for service in the unit by tomorrow.

	Those accepted and attested for strength on the Fourth Field Ambulance 
at noon today were:

LIST OF RECRUITS

Sgt. G. Coss, R.S.M. A. Drombolis, Cpl. T. Kirk, Capt. A. Flint, Cpl. R. Ross, 
Cpl. E. Ridge, Cpl. W. Nicholis and Privates J. Kowalski, J. Blake, R. Johnson,
L. Jerome, J. Stenback, E. Griffith, W. Durham, E. Franklin, E. Himes, W. Kettridge,
R. Cross, A. Keehn, P. Poho, G. Nesbitt, N. Morgan, M. Pratt, G. Lee, D. Lambert,
P. Skov, C. Miller, E. Bell, W. Gillis, F. Myles, W. Hopkins, J. Bentson, J. Kukura, 
J. Smith, C. Forrester, W. Guzik, F. Furness, T. Daley, H. Connell, H. Jarrett, H. Nichol,
T. Miller, J. Ford, N. McRae, G. Symington, E. Solomon, G. Starchuk, J. Swartman,
R. Riel, A. Ritchiie, J. Lawrence, R. Nixon, A. Himes, A. Johnson, C. Hewitt, M. Backen.


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## ThunderBayBoy (24 Aug 2005)

old medic said:
			
		

> I"m leaving this message for anyone who may come across this thread in the future....
> 
> If your looking for information on family members who may have served with 4 Field Ambulance, please PM me.
> I have a number of unit photos taken during the 30's 40's and 50's. my aim is to identify as many past members of the unit
> ...



Hi folks

i am new to this forum and just happend to stumble upon this.  My Grandfather was St. Stg. Charles (Charlie) Alexander Stewart and he served with the FieldAmbulance out of thunder bay.  i am very very interested in finding out more about him as i never got to meet him. he died when my mother was 6 years old (1957) in a drowning aaccidentin at White Otter Lake with three friends (they died too and iI'mnot sure if they served with him or not)

we plan on looking for historical documents on him as he was  highlydecorated (not sure of the name of them medals he was awarded but they were the highest a non-infantry person could rreceive

I'mgoing to try to check this forum everyday here after to see if anyone replied. 

Old Medic.... i would be very very interested in learning more about the pics you have.  if anyone else has surviving relatives who may no of my grandfather i would love to hear from you.

thanks for your help

TBB


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## TCBF (24 Aug 2005)

Was he in 4 Fd Amb?  My step father - from Thunder Bay (as I am) served in 2 Fd Amb in WW2.

Tom


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## ThunderBayBoy (24 Aug 2005)

not 100% on that i will be talking with my mom about this subject later on this weekend.



TS


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## ThunderBayBoy (7 Jan 2006)

TCBF said:
			
		

> Was he in 4 Fd Amb?  My step father - from Thunder Bay (as I am) served in 2 Fd Amb in WW2.
> 
> Tom



yes,


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## old medic (7 Jan 2006)

ThunderBayBoy said:
			
		

> Hi folks
> 
> i am new to this forum and just happend to stumble upon this.  My Grandfather was St. Stg. Charles (Charlie) Alexander Stewart and he served with the FieldAmbulance out of thunder bay.  i am very very interested in finding out more about him as i never got to meet him.



PM sent to you already. 
From the City of Fort William Archives:

                                             AWARD of 

                                     THE MILITARY MEDAL

                                                  to

                     H.11180 Sergeant Charles Alexander STEWART
                        The Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DURING AN ACTION BETWEEN THE HASTINGS AND PRINCE
EDWARD REGIMENT AND GERMANS ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF ORTONA, AT APPROXIMATELY 0600 HOURS ON 25 DECEMBER
1943, THE REGIMENTAL AID POST WAS INFORMED THAT THREE
CASUALTIES WERE TO BE EVACUATED FROM "A" COMPANY. THE
NUMBER OF REGIMENTAL STRETCHER BEARERS HAVING BEEN
REDUCED TO SEVENTY-FIVE PRECENT OF THEIR STRENGTH, THE 
UNIT WAS UNABLE TO COLLECT THEIR OWN CASUALTIES. SER-
GEANT STEWART, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER IN CHARGE OF
A SECTION OF 4 CANADIAN FIELD AMBULANCE ATTACHED TO
THE HASTINGS AND PRINCE EDWARD REGIMENT, VOLUNTEERED
TO TAKE SOME OF HIS MEN AND RESCUE THESE CASUALTIES.
THEY MADE THEIR WAY FORWARD, LOCATED AND DRESSED THE
WOUNDS OF THE CASUALTIES UNDER COVER OF A SHACK IN AN
AREA WHICH WAS SWEPT BY MACHINE GUN AND RIFLE FIRE. 
ENEMY SHELL FIRE GREW SO INTENSE THAT SERGEANT STEWART
DECIDED THAT EVACUATION ACROSS OPEN GROUND TO THE REAR 
WOULD BE SHEER MADNESS. HE THEREFORE MADE THE CASUAL-
TIES COMFORTABLE AND LED HIS OWN MEN BACK TO THE REGI-
MENTAL AID POST HAVING DECIDED THAT THE CASUALTIES
COULD NOT BE EVACUATED UNTIL DUSK. THROUGHOUT THE DAY
WITH COMPLETE DISREGARD FOR HIS OWN SAFETY SERGEANT 
STEWART DIRECTED THE EVACUATION OF CASUALTIES BOTH FROM
FORWARD COMPANIES TO THE REGIMENTAL AID POST AND FROM
THE REGIMENTAL AID POST TO THE FIELD AMBULANCE CAR POST.
TIME AND AGAIN HE LED PART OF HIS SECTION OUT TO BRING 
IN CASUALTIES FROM ISOLATED POSITIONS.  ON ONE OCCASION
IN MID-AFTERNOON HE ALLOWED HIS MEN TO REST WHILE 
HE HIMSELF WENT OUT TO "B" COMPANY AND BROUGHT IN A 
CASUALTY. WHEN DARKNESS FELL HE LED HIS STRETCHER 
BEARERS BACK TO "A" COMPANY  TO RESCUE THE THREE CASU-
ALTIES FROM THE SHACK. HE WAS SUCCESSFUL AND BROUGHT 
THEM OUT SAFELY UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS.  SERGEANT 
STEWART THROUGHOUT THE DAY'S ACTION SHOWED GREAT COOL-
NESS, COURAGE OF A HIGH ORDER AND INITIATIVE IN THAT
WITHOUT A MOMENTS HESITATION AND TAKING ORDERS FROM
NO ONE HE FULFILLED THE DUAL FUNCTION OF EVACUATING 
CASUALTIES FROM FORWARD POSITIONS TO REGIMENTAL AID
POST AND FROM THE LATTER TO THE CAR POST. THE INI-
TIATIVE, COURAGE AND GALLANTRY DISPLAYED BY THIS NON-
COMMISSIONED OFFICER WERE AN INSPIRING EXAMPLE TO
OTHERS AND IN KEEPING WITH THE HIGHEST TRADITIONS OF
THE CANADIAN ARMY.


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## swellal (8 Jan 2006)

Do any of you have access to WW1 records of the 4th Field Ambulance?  I would like to know if there is any info out there on Pte HF Brett, service number 1217.  I have his Attestation Papers.  I have found some pencil sketches that he made in Ypres in 1915.  They appear to have been commercially reproduced and mounted and I was wondering if he did more war art.

Al


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## Twylla (3 Mar 2006)

My father, Douglas James Bird, was a member of the 4th Field Ambulance RCAMC... he just recently passed away... While a couple of years ago I was surfing the net for ANYTHING on the unit for my Dad, how unfortunate that I just now came across this site.  He would have been THRILLED to see names that he knew!  I have inherited all his memorabilia: copies of the Maple Leaf, Pay Books, many photographs, letters, etc.  In particular I have a scrapbook kept by his mother which contains ALL original newspaper clippings pertaining to ANYTHING about anyone from Fort William Ontario who were in the 4th Field Ambulance during their service overseas in WWII, as well as the home front activities of the Women's Auxiliary.  The scrapbook also contains a copy of the program from the 1949 reunion held at the Royal Edward Hotel. My plan is to catalogue all of this material.  If anyone is looking for information on veterans of the 4th from Ft. William, I would be happy to help out if I can.


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## ThunderBayBoy (6 Dec 2010)

old medic said:
			
		

> PM sent to you already.
> From the City of Fort William Archives:
> 
> AWARD of
> ...



HI folks,

long time since i have been on this site.  Last Sept (2009) a platoon room was name after my Grand Father in the Thunder Bay Armoury.  I was fortunate enough to be there with my Brother and Sister to help my Mom present them with a framed write up of the above and his Medals.

thanks!


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## Rifleman62 (6 Dec 2010)

Attached are some pictures of the unit at the time of the action for which Sgt Stewart  was "recognized" .

You can at least get an idea of how soldiers looked (uniforms, kit, etc) during this time.

Also attached is the original document , written at the time, recommending an  "Immediate"  award of the Military Medal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Medal

Link above has info on the Military Medal

Picture Captions

Major P.K. Tisdale treating a wounded Italian woman at the Advanced Dressing Station of No.4 Canadian Field Ambulance, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (R.C.A.M.C.)., San Vito di Ortona, Italy, 15 January 1944.

Personnel of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps checking the condition of a wounded Canadian soldier being evacuated to a Field Surgical Unit. (L-R): Major P.K. Tisdale, Staff-Sergeant W.H. Brigham and Private L.P. Lemieux

A jeep ambulance of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (R.C.A.M.C.) bringing in two wounded Canadian soldiers on the Moro River front south of San Leonardo di Ortona, Italy, 10 December 1943.


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## RexWerts (12 Feb 2017)

swellal said:
			
		

> Do any of you have access to WW1 records of the 4th Field Ambulance?  I would like to know if there is any info out there on Pte HF Brett, service number 1217.  I have his Attestation Papers.  I have found some pencil sketches that he made in Ypres in 1915.  They appear to have been commercially reproduced and mounted and I was wondering if he did more war art.
> 
> I have two HF Brett prints dated 1916, one of which is definitely labeled "Voormezeele, Main Street, 2016". The other is not labeled. Both appear to be ink or pencil sketches. Have you found any information yet on HF (Howard Frederick) Brett? I found his Attesttion Papers, too.
> 
> I know this post is ten years old!


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## bstewart (8 Jan 2018)

Does anyone know the exact path they followed in Italy??  Am thinking of doing a tour and following in my dad's (Sgt. Charles A. Stewart) footsteps.


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## Blackadder1916 (9 Jan 2018)

bstewart said:
			
		

> Does anyone know the exact path they followed in Italy??  Am thinking of doing a tour and following in my dad's (Sgt. Charles A. Stewart) footsteps.



Well, it's been a quarter century since I had anything close to a detailed look at the route of 4 Fd Amb during the Italian campaign so any of the notes I made have probably disappeared over the years.  Back then, members of 4 Fd Amb (then stationed in Lahr, Germany) wrote a slim volume about the history of the unit  (some info about it at link) as part of the events leading up to the closure of the unit.  The chapter on the unit's service in the Second World War provides some details about some of the locations where the unit set up facilities.

You may be able to glean some information about locations from Official History of the Canadian Medical Services, 1939-1945, Vol 1 Organization and Campaigns or if you get a copy of the unit's war diary.  I haven't found it on-line, so my best suggestion is to see if the reserve field ambulance in Thunder Bay has a copy - when we closed out Lahr any remaining historical items we had were sent to them as the WW2 era 4 Fd Amb was raised in Fort William.


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## bstewart (30 Jan 2018)

Jerry Pearce said:
			
		

> .....  I will be researching the material in the microfiche files under the LHF file and Militia - 4th Field Ambulance.      Jerry Pearce



Did you find anything in the newspaper archives, Jerry?  I didn't realize that your dad and mine were both in the 4th.

I wonder if they discussed a dream of their kids being bagpipers??  LOL!!!


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## bstewart (30 Jan 2018)

Twylla said:
			
		

> My father, Douglas James Bird, was a member of the 4th Field Ambulance RCAMC... he just recently passed away... While a couple of years ago I was surfing the net for ANYTHING on the unit for my Dad, how unfortunate that I just now came across this site.  He would have been THRILLED to see names that he knew!  I have inherited all his memorabilia:,,,, information on veterans of the 4th from Ft. William, I would be happy to help out if I can.



Twylla, do you clippings identify where in Sicily and italy the 4rth Field ambulance went??  actualy towns or cities?


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## Blackadder1916 (30 Jan 2018)

I had a quick scan through the unit history (the book I mentioned in previous post) and made these notes about locations for the unit.  The information was originally gathered from the unit's war diaries during the writing of the history.

This part deals only with Sicily.



> 4 Field Ambulance Sicily and Italy
> 
> Landing of 1st Cdn Division in Sicily 10 July 1943.
> 
> ...


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## Rifleman62 (31 Jan 2018)

Link to The Offical History of the RCamc in the Second World war. Click on the English side " Continue to PDF' to download as a PDF.

http://publications.gc.ca/site/archivee-archived.html?url=http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2009/forces/D61-21-1956E.pdf


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## bstewart (1 Aug 2018)

Many thanks for those suggestions. Have been in contact with the current museum curator here in Thunder Bay to get access to the library!


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## Muriel spence (6 Aug 2018)

I am trying to locate pictures, names and info on the 11th Field Ambulance, Royal Canadian Army Médical corps.
My late father was with them 1939-1942. I have just found his discharge certificate and would so love to know more about his actions during his time in England.  He came home to Canada with a knee injury but never talked about it. Any insight or where to go from here would be helpful. Thank you


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