Trying to trace James Wright - RAMC WW1

[toysandboats]

Thanks again Pat for the information.
At the time of the 1914 birth (3rd May) he was not in the RAMC, he was definitely working for the Prudential Assurance Company - I have a newspaper cutting announcing the birth and giving the father's details.

I also have a small book of poetry written by his sister in law in 1915 and one of the poems says "Daddy's gone to nurse the soldiers, What he calls the R.A.M.C." Later this poem talks about "Baby Jim & me" (me is my mother) so I think it reasonable to assume that he joined in 1914 or early 1915.  This also reinforces one of the golden rules - if only I'd asked my mother about it when she was alive!

I only live 6 miles from the Record Office so it is very easy to get there and finally, another new forum for me to explore, The GW one - that looks like another treasure trove.

Thank you very much Pat

David

[PK2]

It's good to hear that you only live a few miles distant from the RO just check before you leave that they do have the AVR's and take all the addresses you have.

That is a lovely poem about your ancestor for your archive. Also, you could check again to see if they have any local newspapers that may mention him perhaps coming home being discharged etc at the end of the War. I think that there was a branch of the RAMC stationed at the Army HQ near Aldershot? so sorry I cannot recall the area but I think it is in Hampshire/Surrey. If for example he was the soldier mentioned briefly in the index you may find the hospital. I think it is totally wrong that these men were not equally recognised for their home service as they did such sterling care of soldiers horribly wounded. My F in L was nursed in somewhere in the south of England, with multiple gunshot wounds, but he lived to tell the tale thankfully!

Kind regards,
Pat
p.s.
Have you checked to see if your ancestor had a second name I found at least 4 on the medal rolls in the RAMC but no 'just James' there could be more as I only got up to page 25 at the NA:
Description Medal card of Wright, James Ruben
Corps Regiment No Rank
Royal Army Medical Corps 119165 Private
 Date 1914-1920
Catalogue reference WO 372/22 

Description Medal card of Wright, James Wilson
Corps Regiment No Rank
Royal Army Medical Corps 113556 Private
 Date 1914-1920
Catalogue reference WO 372/22 

Description Medal card of Wright, James Alexander
Corps Regiment No Rank
Royal Army Medical Corps 140000 Private
 Date 1914-1920
Catalogue reference WO 372/22 

Description Medal card of Wright, James H
Corps Regiment No Rank
Royal Army Medical Corps 49535 Private
 Date 1914-1920
Catalogue reference WO 372/22 
I do wish you luck with your searches just when you draw another blank there is often suddenly a chink of light and I hope you get it. Just keep chipping away at it David.

[mmm45]

Hi
Just caught the bit about him possibly been a Conscientious Objector.
If this is so after the 1916 Conscription Act when all able bodied men had to register areas had Tribunals that dealt with men who asked not to serve for whatever reasons.
In my research ive come across lots of reports in local papers of the time naming the lads and the outcome of such.

It maybe worth checking(if possible)

Ady

[toysandboats]

Hi Pat,

sadly my grandfather is just James Wright and that makes him much harder to pinpoint.

Ady, I will look through the newspapers though that will be a long slow process

Thanks to you both for offering ideas

David

[toysandboats]

Any other clues in the photo, ie rank or other insignia?

I obviously hadn't looked closely enough at the picture (I thought I knew it well!)

There is what looks like a clover leaf on his left arm - does anyone know the significance of this please?

David

[mmm45]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16th_(Irish)_Division

Could be 16th (Irish) Divisional Patch?
http://www.1914-1918.net/16div.htm
Ady

[toysandboats]

Thanks Ady, that's an interesting suggestion.

Looking at the 16th (Irish) Division in your link shows that there were 6 Field Ambulance units and 1 Sanitary unit attached to the Division.
To my knowledge he had no Irish connection - born in Hampshire, father and mother from Staffordshire but father did take the family around Dorset, places in Hampshire and then back to Staffordshire, following his "trades" of brickmaking / mining.

It would seem that the 16th Irish ran out of people so he was probably just "assigned" in true Army fashion.

Thanks David