130th (St John) Field Ambulance Group Photographs

130th (St John) Field Ambulance Group Photographs

If anyone can identify any of the men in these photographs of the 130th (St John) Field Ambulance or has any other photographs of the Unit that they would be willing to share with me, I would be delighted to hear from them.

The image above is by kind permission of Philip Groves – Grandson of 48119 Pte George Groves (arrowed).

Rear row: L/Cpl Blackall, S/Sgt Williams, Sgt E T Owen, L/Cpl Sweeting

Front row: Sgt Sumpton, Pte Ll Jones, Pte C W Jarman & Ginger the Mascot.

The photograph above is by kind permission of Eleanor, Granddaughter of 48192 Sgt Ernest Sweeting M.M. and her relatives, who looking on the back of the photograph discovered all the men named. It is wonderful to have such a large group photograph with all the men identified and shows in importance of always looking at the reverse of such photographs as often the information written on the back is often as valuable as the image itself.

The photograph above is by kind permission of Len Gibbs, Grandson of 48086 Sgt. Frank J King D.C.M. and was probably taken in late 1917 or early 1918. 48086 Sgt. Frank J King D.C.M. is seated in the centre and we believe that the man to his right (seated far left) could well be 48176 LCpl Gwilym Ivor Rees Croix de Guerre. Also identified in this photograph are 48627 Pte. William John Probert M.M. (standing far left, middle row) with 48085 Pte. Thos Bennett next to him and 48079 Pte. Thomas George Baker (standing back row far right). If anyone can identify any of the other men in this photograph, we would be delighted to hear from them.

With kind permission of Helen Cleaves – Granddaughter of 48542 Pte James Cleaves.

The photograph above depicts the five men of the 130th (St John) Field Ambulance who were awarded the Military Medal in August/September 1917 for acts of gallantry during the 3rd Battle of Ypres (Pilckem Ridge). It had to have been taken before January 1918 as Sgt Maj Stroud was evacuated to a CCS in January 1918 and did not rejoin the Unit. In the front row (left to right) are, 48192 Sgt Ernest Sweeting M.M., Lt Col J.E.H. Davies, 48071 Sgt Maj W. Stroud and the rear row (left to right) are 48196 L/Cpl William George Thomas M.M., 48186 L/Cpl David J Samuel M.M., 48221 Pte Oliver Young M.M. and 48626 Pte J Probert M.M..

We have identified the Officers in the photograph above as front row (left to right) Capt. Andrew W (“Pa”) Anderson, Lieut. (later major) John Burke and Capt. Albert Jones (later D.S.O. M.C.) and rear row (left to right) Lt. Robert A.G (R.A.G.) Elliott and Lt. Douglas C. M. Page.

images/130th-Group-of-three-for-we.jpg”

title=”Three men of the Unit taken in Early-Mid 1915″

Does anyone know the names of these men – note the crest of the St John Ambulance Association being worn on the left forearm.

With kind permission of Helen Cleaves – Granddaughter of 48542 Pte James Cleaves. Photograph of 48207 Pte Frederick H Watkin and 48559 L/Cpl Trevor Nicholas M.M.

With kind permission of Helen Cleaves – Granddaughter of 48542 Pte James Cleaves.

Can anyone identify any of the men in this photograph?

The following four photographs are all with the very kind permission of Eleanor, Granddaughter of 48192 Sgt Ernest Sweeting M.M.

48192 Cpl E Sweeting – standing centre – can anyone identify the other men. Photograph probably taken in late 1915 before the Unit embarked for France.

The Sweeting brothers. 48192 Cpl E Sweeting (later Sgt)- seated on left, 48246 LCpl Harold Sweeting who served with the 129th Fld Amb and was invalided due to sickness and discharged in September 1916 and standing is 48622 Pte Christopher Sweeting who was commissioned into the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in September 1918.

48579 Sgt/Maj G T Davies & 48192 Sgt Ernest Sweeting in 1918

This photograph is reproduced by kind permission of Mrs Marjorie Coleman, daughter of 48098 Pte William Coleman M.M who is pictured seated on the far left, with Sergeants stripes and proudly wearing this medal. As this photograph shows, many of the men who served in the 130th (St John) Field Ambulance went back to serve in the St John Ambulance after the war.

This photograph is produced here by kind permission of the Ogmore Valley Local History & Heritage Society.

We believe that this photograph is of the 12 men of the 130th (St John) Field Ambulance who exchanged places with 14 men from the St John Hospital in Etaples in early 1918. The unidentified men are 71215 Pte David David (Bridgend), 48547 Pte William T Gray (Swansea Valley), 48134 Pte Arthur James (Pontypool), 48582 Pte John Jones (Cadoxton), 48166 Pte John Parker (Aberdare) and 48589 Pte Isaac Roberts (Mountain Ash – who was killed in an air raid on the St John Hospital in June 1918). If anyone can identify any of these men, please do be in contact.

130th Sgt/Maj and Sergents

48128 Sgt F B Sumption; Sgt Maj W Stroud, 48128 Sgt F B Sumption & Sgt Maj W Stroud”

This photograph is produced here by kind permission Mary, daughter of 48128 Sgt Francis B Sumption. Sitting are 48071 Sgt Major William Stroud (left) and 48128 Sgt Francis B Sumption (right) and standing are 48118 QmSgt Archibald J Griffiths (left) and 48592 Sgt Thomas C Price (right). Both 48128 Sgt Francis B Sumption (A Section) and 48592 Sgt Thomas C Price along with 48227 Sgt Louis C Cohen were the dispensers of the Unit.

We are most grateful to have been allowed access to the letters of 48128 Sgt Francis B Sumption which cover the period from January 1915 until early 1917. They contain almost a page for a day of detailed description of the activities of the Unit and are a most fantastic addition to our knowledge.