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WALTER JARMAN ROYAL BRITISH ARMY VETERINARY CORPS WW1

My Great Grandfather is Walter Jarman and he served for most of the first world war in France with the No 1 Convalescent Horse Depot, his known periods of service included April 1915, July October, December 1916, March & Dec 1917, September 1918 and Feb 1919 these based on dates of postcards to his wife and family. Although being well back from the front line, he was involved in some sort of gas attack, which ultimately led to his death from breathing problems in 1942.

Posted by Walter's great granddaughter Susan Wilson

NOTE: Susan's father is working on a write-up for the website and we will be posting it soon. Susan is looking for information on No 1 Convalescent Horse Depot that was located in France during WW1 if you can help her find where No 1 Convalescent Horse Depot was in France she would love to hear from you. Please email me and I will contact her. We could really use your help on this one.

WALTER JARMAN 1878-1942

Following the outbreak of WW1 in 1914, Walter Jarman was called up into the army, and after training served in the Army Vetinary Corps. He was soon over in Europe, where he was posted to the No.1 Convalescent Horse Depot, British Expeditionary Force, France. Picture postcards to his wife & daughters during this period reveal him to have been in France during April 1915, July, October & December 1916, March & December 1917, September 1918 and February 1919. The 1916/1917 cards give his rank as lance-corporal, but in the 1919 card, just prior to his demobilisation, he is shown as a full corporal.

During his military service he was unfortunately involved in one of the relatively few German gas attacks, and his breathing was thereafter affected for the remainder of his life. Following his release from the army, he returned to his wife and daughters in Stanway, Colchester, Essex, and subsequently worked for a Colchester firm of builders - he was both a bricklayer and a carpenter by trade - and was involved in the erection of a number of houses in the area.

During World War 1, in common with many of his fellow serviceman, he had firmly believed that he was participating in a "war to end all wars", and now in peacetime attended, proudly wearing his three medals, the annual Armistice Day wreath - laying ceremonies at the war memorial in the churchyard of St Leonard's church, Lexden, Colchester. The outbreak of World War two in 1939 left him a bitterly disappointed man, but, although his breathing was now giving him real problems, he became involved with the Civil Defence, and served as an Air Raid Warden for the area in which he lived.

In the summer of 1942, however, he was obliged to go into hospital for a nasal operation, but for some reason or other the treatment not only failed completely but also adversely affected his nervous system. He returned home to Stanway, where he existed in a kind of half-world for two or three months, but then had to be readmitted into hospital, where he subsequently died on Saturday 17th October 1942

The above was written by my father (Leslie Walter King)

I am not sure if this one was taken at home in Colchester

This photo was taken at the local blacksmith, Walter Jarman is on the right holding the reins of a horse

I like this one; my great grandfather is standing behind the driver holding on to the little child boy

This picture was taken before a concert I believe, my great grandfather mentions that he is standing next to the cook!

My great grandfather Walter Jarman proudly wearing his medals

EMAIL FROM SUSAN

Dear Greg

I hope that you are well.

Today I visited our National Archives at Kew and at last have discovered the location of Number 1 Convalescent Horse Depot. Between September 1915 & 30/05/1918 it was based at Gournay en Bray, which is NW of Paris and not far from Rouen. I have been reading the Commanding Officer's official War diary which is quite hard going as it is in pencil and mainly relates to receiving official orders, details movements of horses & supplies etc. Unfortunately names of ordinary soldiers are very rare unless they committed a misdemeanor!

It is interesting as very clearly horses were being moved in and out of the depot every day, some were killed, some sold at auction and some appear to have been sold to butchers! I have only read up to May 1916. I then skipped to see if the depot remained at the same place for the duration of the war but found that on 30/05/1918 it was evacuated so that the French army could move in and 1CHD then moved to Bellozanne which seems to be in Jersey!

I am now going to get my French contact to make some enquiries for me.

Finally, I now have another photo of my great grandfather proudly wearing his medals. If you do get a chance to update your site, it would be good to finish off the story.

Kind regards

Susan

My great grandfather Walter Jarman's military card

CONTINUED RESEARCH OF THE ROYAL ARMY VETERINARY CORPS BY SUSAN WILSON

EMAIL DECEMBER 2007

Hi Greg

I visited our National Archives again last week but unfortunately no more info on your Hospital 18. I did order it up but it appeared to be an AVC Hospital in Salonika (perhaps my error!). Can you clarify if the Veterinary hospital that your Grandfather was based was actually a British Hospital?

It is very confusing as the British Remount Depots were actually run by the ASC (Army Service Corps) not by the AVC. (see extract from another site on the web The Long Trail - this site is quite good on British Army history)

The Remounts Service was responsible for the provisioning of horses and mules to all other army units. It was not a large part of the ASC, amounting to only four Remount Squadrons in 1914 that ran 4 Remount Depots in the United Kingdom. A Remount Squadron consisted of approximately 200 soldiers, who obtained and trained 500 horses. A Base Remount depot (with 2,600 animals) and two Advanced Remount Depots (300 each) went to France with the original British Expeditionary Force. As the campaign continued, two further Base Remount Depots opened at the base ports. At the peak in December 1917, these facilities were training a total of 93,847 horses and 36,613 mules.

Animals were obtained by compulsory purchase in the United Kingdom and by purchasing from North and South America, New Zealand, Spain, Portugal, India and China.

As the army expanded, several more ASC Remount Squadrons were established. No ASC Remount personnel went to the Middle East theatres, all of the requirement being fulfilled by similar units of the Indian Army. "

I am doing more research the old fashioned way i.e. by looking at books written after the war. As I have to do a summary for my talk next year, I will be happy for you to use this on the website if of interest.

My French Historian has made a couple of contacts at Gournay and we are waiting for information to come through, it appears that the buildings are no longer in existence any more. I mentioned that the 1CHD moved to Bellozanne, I have now heard from the Jersey Archivist who has no knowledge of this and who suggested that the location was actually Bellozanne Abbey, which is in fact close to Gournay. this makes more sense.

I think all this must be a life time's work, at present I am still working full time so I can only snatch a few hours each week if I am lucky! However hopefully this should all tie in together when I find the right material.

Kind regards

Susan

Note: I would like to thank Susan for the great addition to the website and with her help in expanding the website to cover the other Veterinary Corps of the other Nations. Susan will be posting more as time permits in the future.

Thanks Susan, Greg

OTHER AREAS OF RESEARCH WHICH WE ARE ENGAGED IN:

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U.S. ARMY VETERINARY CORPS HISTORICAL PRESERVATION GROUP

Motto: "Illic est Vires in Numerus" There is Strength in Numbers

"Working Hard to Preserve Our Country's History wherever it is being lost".

U.S. Army Veterinary Corps Historical Preservation Group is a group of individuals that are concerned about the preservation of the History of the Veterinary Corps, Remount Service and Cavalry or wherever our country's history is being lost in conjunction with our beloved "Horse and Mule". There is no cost to join and membership is for life. We believe by uniting together in numbers we will be a more powerful force to be heard. Our membership list is private and only used to contact our members. Email us and become a member.

Greg Krenzelok
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