WW1 Palestine

[eleanore]

Father in law Bertie George Walter Chapman - served in Palestine, we think with the ambulances looking after mules, horses & camels. We believe he was there 1916 onwards. Anyone know which regiments served there? We would like to find service records.

[liverpool annie]

Hi eleanore !

Was Berties proper name "Albert " ?? .... theres quite a few Albert Chapmans in the Medal Index ( 229  in fact !! ) ... but none with George Walter attached .... can you give anymore details that would help someone help you ??

Annie 

[lizdb]

My grandfather served in Palestine in WW1
He enlisted in 1915 with Royal Engineers Signals, but was immediately placed on reserve and exempted due to essetial occupation (post office communications)
In June 1918 he enterred the army joining Bedford A signals depot. and in Nov 1918 right at the end of the war, was transferred to 23rd Army Corps signals at Bury St Edmunds. He then went on training, then embarked from Dover with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force.  Arrived Alexandria in May 1919. In Egypt he joined the 103 Airline Section (Airline referring to overhead telephone lines), then transferring to Signals Company in Syria, then to Signals Company Palestine. Returned 1920 and demobbed.

Dont know if any of that helps at all. - but obviously signals/communications/telegraph etc type people were there!

[Romilly]

My father, (who was in the RNR in WW1) certainly spent some time in Palestine & Trans-Jordan. I don't know why, or exactly when...but I have a book that he made for his mother; which has pressed flowers in it that he says he collected there. (I think its dated 1917, - but I will have to unearth it now...and check!).

Romilly.

[eleanore]

Once again thanks for prompt replies.
Annie - Dad liked to be called Herbert but we eventually found his birth cert in the name of Bertie. He lived in Hammersmith, born in Aylesham Norfolk, & cared for animals all his life. Story goes - in Palestine, he was on his way to collect casualties in the dark and the mules refused to move. He trusted them & found a huge bomb hole on the track which would have been the end of him & them!  We think this was around 1916/17. He looked after the mules, horses & camels, so he wasn't a medic. Have attached another photo, someone might be able to work out his regiment.

[liverpool annie]

This is the cap badge of the Army Service Corps .... if you could match it up with the top photo ..... !

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collection/database/?irn=319215

I found a medal card for

Chapman, Herbert G W
Army Service Corps
T4/159854
Driver
Date
1914-1920

http://www.rootschat.com/links/04qd/

[eleanore]

Fantastic - Rootschat comes up trumps again! My husband has the two medals but they didn't have his regiment number on them. Many thanks

[liverpool annie]

Check around the rim Eleanor ..... they are usually inscribed there ! 

[eleanore]

Ohh you have done it again - my husband is checking it as we chat! Didn't see that in all these years!