Summary

Alternative Name(s): Unit Diary

Summary of the war diaries of the 13th Australian Field Ambulance from February 1916 to June 1917; the 'diary' begins with the amalgamation of the 'C' Sections of the 3rd and 7th Field Ambulances to form the 13th Australian Field Ambulance in late February 1916. The new unit was placed under the command of Lieutenant Colonel John Basil St Vincent Welch (DSO).
The summary describes the initial training of the 13th Australian Field Ambulance in Egypt before the unit's departure on the 'Orina' to France in June 1916. It also describes the 'highlights' of the unit's time in France in late 1916 and early 1917.
Greater detail about this time period can be found in the more extensive monthly unit diaries held by the Australian War Memorial. According to these records, Welch was replaced on November 1, 1917 by Lieutenant Colonel Henry Kenneth Fry (DSO) as commanding officer of the 13th Australian Field Ambulance.

Part of the collection of World War I memorabilia donated by Sergeant John Lord (#6252), although it is believed that not all of the material relates to his own war service.

John Lord was 19 years old when he enlisted with the Australian Imperial Forces in June 1915. Originally part of the 1st Australian Stationary Hospital, 11th Reinforcement; Lord was transferred to the 13th Australian Field Ambulance upon its formation in February 1916. He subsequently moved to the headquarters of the Assistant Director of Medical Services, 4th Division, in December 1918 where he seems to have spent the remainder of the war. Although listed as 'effective abroad,' Lord returned to Australia on 30 October 1919, and was discharged from service on 12 March 1920. He died in 1951.

Physical Description

Six unbound pages; evidence in top left corner that the papers were originally pinned together.

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