Army Service Corps Sweetheart - Ambulance?
 

Hi,
Would anyone recognise this sweetheart brooch and why would ASC be on what seems to be an ambulance?

Thanks

Attachment 206924

Attachment 206925

Army Service Corps Motor Transport Sweetheart or OCA badge. No link to an ambulance that I can see. They do turn up and in my opinion are a nice badge of this type.

Simon.

Thanks for the reply Simon, looked like an ambulance to me but the MT makes sense now :)

My father's older brother was an ambulance driver in ASC motor transport. He died in France in 1918.
Eddie

"MT" is more likely to stand for Mechanical Transport ?

Tim

Thanks for all the replies :)

Hello guys,

As per usual I am a bit late coming to the discussion, so I'm very sorry.

Within the unit titles of the Army Service Corps (ASC) were Field Ambulance Companies (FA's).
141 FA were one particular Company in question, which were a part of the 1st Division in France between 1914-1919 (I believe there were 3 or 4 Ambulance Companies within each of the British Army Divisions)

36 Coy ASC (which was the predecessor to my own unit 36 Sqn RCT) had ASC drivers attached to all FA units.

The following is a section of history about Pte George Masters VC;

36 Company ASC (attached 141 Field Ambulance Coy ASC)


b. 30/03/1877 Southport, Lancashire. d. 04/04/1963 Southport, Lancashire.

Richard George Masters (1877-1963)

Masters was already 37 when the Great War broke out. In his home town of Southport, he was a well-known personality, with the reputation of a man who took great pride in his appearance. He worked as a chauffeur in the employment of Mr Pennington of Birkdale. He was also an expert cyclist and together with W. Birtwistle he won championships for cycling sprints. In the winter months Masters kept himself fit by running in cross-country championships, some of which he won. He also used to take regular 5 mile walks with his Cairn terriers.

Masters was married and his family lived at 102 Norwood Road, Southport.

Very soon after the outbreak of the Great War he became a driver with the Army Service Corps which was attached to 141st Field Ambulance.

Citation Reads;
On 7th March 1917, after a bombing raid on the Somme, he volunteered to go forward to an advance dressing station, which was located in a quarry. He made a total of four trips under very heavy fire in order to rescue the wounded trapped in the quarry.

For this action he was awarded the French Croix de Guerre presented by Brigadier General Edwards at a ceremony which took place in the Town Hall, Southport. A public subscription was set up and a sum of £500 was invested in War Bonds and his wife and daughter presented with jewellery.

On 9th April 1918 near Bethune, France.

Supplement 30765 to the London Gazette 8th May 1918 page 5556

CITATION READS;

For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. Owing to an enemy attack, communications were cut off and the wounded could not be evacuated. The road was reported impassable but Private Masters volunteered to try to get through and after the greatest difficulty succeeded, although he had to clear the road of all sorts of debris. He made journey after journey throughout the afternoon over a road which was being shelled and swept by machine-gun fire and once he was bombed by an aeroplane. The greater number of wounded were evacuated by Pte MASTERS, as his was the only car which got through.



He was gazetted for the VC on 8th May 1918. After being demobbed as Private Masters, he returned to being a private chauffeur. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the RASC and became Life President of the Southport Branch. He attended the VC Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on 26th June 1920, and would also attend the VC Centenary Celebrations at Hyde Park on 26th June 1956. Masters died aged 86 at 35 Palmerston Road, Southport on 4th April 1963, after a few months’ illness. His funeral was at St Cuthbert’s, Southport, where he was buried on 8th April.

His family presented his VC to the Royal Corps of Transport in June 1963 and it can be seen at the Royal Logistic Corps Museum, Camberley, Surrey. In the early 1970s the RAF Establishment at Farnborough acquired a former inshore minesweeper for research purposes and it was named after Masters at a ceremony at Gun Wharf, Portsmouth. The naming ceremony was carried out by his sister. The boat was used for thirty years before being retired.



LOCATION OF MEDAL: ROYAL LOGISTIC CORPS MUSEUM, CAMBERLEY, SURREY. (The museum is now in the process of moving to Worthy Down, Wiltshire)

(It is stated on Wikipedia that "the greater number of 200 men" were saved)

It should be remembered that Pte Masters actually won the (French) Croix de Guerre, prior to the VC award. As he was constantly doing what others failed to do, it could be seen that 200+ lives saved over the duration of his time on the front line, over this period would have been possible, as the better part of the wounded were evacuated from the aid station by this driver.

Point to note;

Ambulance pin badges are highly sort after items

Ken (The Fatboy)

Ken thank you for all the information that was certainly a very interesting read and an amazing story.

Good to confirm that the ASC did drive ambulances as that is image what most matched my research of this vehicle.

Appreciate the input :)