National Archives catalogue number WO 177/873.

Abbreviation

185495 Acc AD Corps ADS Adv AG A/L Amb Att Bde BLA Bn Br Cas CCP C-in-C Col Conc DDMS Div DZ Est Evac Fd FDS Gp Hosp MDS MO Offr Op OR RAMC RAP Ref Scott Sect Surg Tpt USAAC

Map Reference Accident Army Dental Corps Advanced Dressing Station Advance Army Group Airlanding Ambulance Attached Brigade British Liberation Army Battalion British Casualty Casualty Collection Point Commander-in-Chief Column Concentrate Deputy Director Medical Services Division Drop Zone Established Evacuation Field Field Dressing Station Group Hospital Main Dressing Station Medical Officer Officer Operation Other Ranks Royal Army Medical Corps Regimental Aid Post Reference Scottish Section Surgical Transport United States Army Air Corps

Month and year : March 1945

Commanding Officer : Lt. Col. N.J.P. Hewlings R.A.M.C.

7th March 1945

Place: Longford

2359 - Unit returned from 7 days "Block" leave.

11th March 1945

Place: Longford

Unit completed re-mobilisation.

20th March 1945

Place: Longford

Unit moved to airfield Transit Camps in preparation for op. VARSITY.

24th March 1945

Place: U.K.

0330 - Left Transit Camp (SHUDY) for BOREHAM airfield.

0730 - Take-off for op "VARSITY".  HQ & No.4 Sect flew in 5 USAAC Dakotas.  Nos. 1, 2 & 3 Sects flew in 1 Dakota each with their respective Bns.  Capt. G.S. SHIELL R.A.M.C. killed on DZ.

Place: BLA

1200 - MDS est. in area HAMMINKELN GERMANY at 185495.  Section M.O's re-joined MDS within 4 hours from the time of "drop", leaving S/Sgt. & bearer party of 12 ORs to carry cas. from RAP to MDS.  2 Operating Theatres open in MDS.  12 Parachutists, 2 glider personnel missing.

25th March 1945

1600 - Evacuation under arrangements made by ADMS 15 (S) Div. commenced.  Total cas. held when evac started: 310.

26th March 1945

Adv of 6 Airborne Div commenced.  Evac. of cas to 195 Airlanding Fd. Amb. at HAMMINKELN.  MDS (225) closed.  Total cas to date: [?].  CCP (No.3 Sect) est. between HAMMINKELN & BRUNEN 231482.  Total number of major Surgical ops during D-D+1: 26.

27th March 1945

CCP (No.3 Sect) est. between BRUNEN & ERLE at 323485.

28th March 1945

CCP (No.3 Sect) remained location.  Second CCP (No.2 Sect) est. ERLE 395499.

29th March 1945

CCP (No.3 Sect) closed.  CCP (No.2 Sect) moved to COESFELD 598702.  MDS est. at GR. REKEN 522598.

30th March 1945

M.D.S. closed.  CCP (No.2 Sect) remained "on wheels" at COESFELD.  Total cas this MDS: 59.

31st March 1945

CCP (No.2 Sect) est. GREVEN 905885.  MDS concentrated ready to adv. between ALTENBERGE & GREVEN 844844.

Month and year : April 1945

Commanding Officer : Lt. Col. N.J.P. Hewlings R.A.M.C.

1st April 1945

Place: BLA

M.D.S: concentrated (closed) area ALTENBERG - GREVEN 844844.  CCP. est. and open GREVEN 905885. (No.2 Sect).  Another CCP est. on DORTMUND-EMS Canal (No.1 Sect.) at SCHMEDEHSN (978892).  Capt. G.J.M. HOLLAND, A.D. Corps evac ([Bike?] acc).  Capt. A. McPHERSON R.A.M.C. det. to HQ 24 F.D.S. as SURGEON.

2nd April 1945

MDS. with Nos 2 & 3 Sections moved up & est. at LENGERICH 071977. open at 2100 hrs.  CCP (No.1 Sect.) est at SCHOLLBRUCH 115006.  Capt. T. HANLEY RAMC att. from [5?] Para Bde.

3rd April 1945

CCP (No.1 Sect.) moved to HASBERGEN 155044.

4th April 1945

CCP (No.1 Sect) moved to W. of OSNABRUCH 180070.

5th April 1945

MDS closed LENGERICH, & concentrated at HOLZHAUSEN 752185.  Total cas. admitted MDS LENGERICH:- 237.

7th April 1945

MDS moved & opened at GORSPEN 888216.  CCP. (No.1 Sect) to GROSSENHEIDORN 133301.  Capt. L. WAILER, RAMC posted as re-inforcement.

8th April 1945

0800 - MDS closed GORSPEN.  Total cas. admitted: 107.  Moved & opened as Adv. Surg. Centre at NEUSTADT 171351.  CCP (No.1 Sect.) at POGGENHAGEN 168327.

9th April 1945

CCP (No.1 Sect.) closed.  MDS conc (closed) at POGGENHAGEN.  ADS (No.2 Sect.) remained open at NEUSTADT on relief of MDS by No.1 FDS.

12th April 1945

ADS Sect. changed.  No.2 relieved by No.3.

13th April 1945

Unit (less No.3 Sect.) concentrated in CELLE.  CCP. est. in unit location by No.2 Sect.

14th April 1945

ADS (NEUSTADT) closed.  No.3 Sect rejoined unit.

16th April 1945

Unit conc. in STADENSEN.  Capt. G.J.M. HOLLAND, A.D. Corps rejoined from hosp.

18th April 1945

Bde. C.C.P. est. in LEHMKE by No.3 Sec (Map Ref 955853).

19th April 1945

Unit (less No.3 Sect.) moved to HANSTEDT 969886.  ADS opened.

22nd April 1945

Capt. L. WAILER, RAMC posted to 224 (Para) Fd Amb.  Capt. N.C. RODGERS, RAMC posted to this unit from 195 A/L Fd Amb.

26th April 1945

CCP at LEHMKE (955853) closed.

27th April 1945

Unit moved to VELGEN 789026.  ADS est. by No.3 Sect.

28th April 1945

C-in-C, 21 Army Group visited Division to present decorations.  Maj. A.G. McPHERSON RAMC re-joined from detachment.  Capt. N.C. RODGERS, RAMC posted to 51 (Highland) Div.

30th April 1945

Unit moved to REINSTORF.  ADS est. by No.1 Sect.  Concentrated prior to crossing ELBE.  Total cas. admitted to unit since beginning of campaign (24 March 1945): 1295.

Month and year : May 1945

Commanding Officer : Lt. Col. N.J.P. Hewlings R.A.M.C.

1st May 1945

Place: BLA

Unit moved with 5 Para Bde Gp. from REINSTORF, crossed the ELBE bridges at LAUENBERG, and concentrated at HORST.

2nd May 1945

Unit moved tactically with 5 Para. Bde. Gp. to BALTIC coast.  No.1 Sect formed mobile C.C.P. moving with HQ. 5 Para Bde (Main).  Remainder of unit moved at rear of col.  ADS opened at GR. STEITEN 451861.

3rd May 1945

Unit moved to LUFTWAFFE Hosp. WISMAR (442945) to re-inforce 224 (Para.) Fd Amb, who were running the Hosp. for British & German wounded.

4th May 1945

Visited by two Russian Medical offrs.

5th May 1945

Cessation of hostilities on 21 AG. front.

8th May 1945

Unconditional surrender of all German Armed Forces.

12th May 1945

Visit of DDMS, 1 (Br) Airborne Corps (Brig. A.A. Eagger, CBE).

13th May 1945

Unit Memorial Service.

18th May 1945

Unit departed for UK.

19th May 1945

Unit arrived in UK by air (less tpt. party).

25th May 1945

Block leave commenced.