Ambulance convoy, verified as 1st MAC

at the same spot 65 years later, being Jamesfield Newburgh

Following the huge loss of vehicles and material at Dunkirk in 1940, the British Army was in no condition to also equip their Polish allies, so help was sought from the U.S.A and Canada. 1MAC were issued with 1½ ton Chevrolet field ambulance panel trucks which accommodated a crew of 2, a capacity of ten wounded or four stretcher cases, and were donated by the American committee for the polish ambulance fund, and the British American Ambulance Corps, a body created to provide U.S. gift aid vehicles permitted by the U.S. constitution only on humanitarian grounds, by the then neutral U.S.A. The term convoy is not a regular description for a military body and remains something of a mystery. Perhaps it was used due to it comprising a mixed body of differing gender and nationality.

ambulance and stretcher bearers, verified as 1st MAC

Polish Poster

2: THE FIRST AID NURSING YEOMANRY, F.A.N.Y.

One of the outstanding pieces of work done by F.A.N.Y. was their service with the Polish forces. It was unique. Nowhere can history point to a uniformed women’s service working under such circumstances, with, and for, the army of a foreign power. Not only did FANY act as the A.T.S. of the army they served, but they worked with the Poles through a vital period of their national effort, and so cherished a gallant nation in its darkest hour.

In 1938, the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry was absorbed into the A.T.S. but retained its identity and distinctive uniform differences of sam browne belt and collar insignia for all ranks.

Many FANY went on to serve with distinction in covert operations with the SOE, Special Operations Executive, with heroines such as Ensign Violette Szabo, (made famous in the film carve her name with pride), Lt Odette Sansom and Assistant Section Officer Noor Inayat-Khan, amongst many others, to whom we owe a great debt. Free FANY'S were volunteers who served without pay.

A veteran Free FANY, Norah Grajnert was interviewed in 2008. When war broke out, Norah was 19 and already a good driver. She decided to volunteer to drive a mobile canteen serving refreshments to rescue workers in Bristol during the Blitz. But then she wanted to do more, so she decided to ‘do her bit’ by joining the FANY. At her interview, the FANY’s Commandant realised that Norah spoke excellent French, as did many of the thousands of Polish soldiers who’d been evacuated from France after escaping from Poland. They were encamped at special bases in Scotland, and Norah was asked to join the large FANY unit which had been specially formed for the Poles’ welfare. She was billited in Easter Moncrief and recalls the small rooms they were assigned. Norah described the uniform as regulation issue ATS uniform, but with plain brass buttons, which distinguished the Free FANY from the regular FANY. Also they wore the POLAND shoulder titles and polish eagle on the breast pocket as a tribute to the unit to which they were attached. Indeed Norah recalls they were often mistaken for Poles and sited a humouros occasion with a soldier on a train who saw her POLAND titles and struck up a long conversation in Serbo Croat with her. Well they made each other understood until his friend joined them and the two spoke English. Turned out they were both American soldiers and mistook Norah for Polish!

taken outside Linlithgow town hall Jan 1943 (click image for larger version)

town hall 2008

The personnel served in a voluntary capacity, providing their own uniform, claiming no disability allowance or pension, and paying for their own training. It was not until 1942 that the war office reluctantly approved the request of the Polish authorities to pay a modest remuneration. Thenceforth each received eleven shillings and ninepence (about 60p) per week, plus rations and accommodation in military premises. After her release from the A.T.S, Auxiliary Territorial Service, Staff commander Hope Gamwell was sent from F.A.N.Y. H.Q. to command the corps unit attached to the polish forces.

FANY drivers with Dr. Jan Kaminski of the Polish general hospital	Polish soldiers at a mobile canteen
	Ambulance maintenance was undertaken by F.A.N.Y.

When France was overrun, FANY abandoned their canteen in france and fled with the Poles to set up a camp in south west Scotland.The British American Ambulance Corps provided them with ten ambulances and subsequently the Poles were moved to the east coast of Scotland. Ambulance and staff car drivers were sought and the drivers were billited in Easter Moncrief to support the Head Quarters staff in the ajacent Earl of Moncrief’s House, Bridge of Earn, Perth.

Easter Moncrief 2008

Moncrief house 2008

The vehicle insignia of 1st Corps

The 1ST Mac ambulance convoy was stationed in Newburgh, North Fife,10 miles away. In due course F.A.N.Y admintration was transferred from London to Balthayock, Perth then eventually to Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh,when it was decided to form the 1st armoured div, and there was a general realignment of polish forces south of the River Forth. The Polish H.Q. moved to Kinnaird House Falkirk, No4 Liasion mission to Edinburgh and the 1st Motor ambulance to Linlithgow in 1942.

That dream became reality and the 1st Armoured Division, “the black devils”, was formed and contributed to the annihilation of the German army in Normandy, on the road to Berlin.

3: THE BRITISH AMERICAN AMBULANCE CORPS

The ambulances were essentially civilian specification trucks commercially available in the Unites States, adapted for military use and paid for by public donations to defend European democracy and liberty, a cause championed by Mrs Franklin D. Roosevelt. Production of this model was brief, lasting only between 1940 - 43 and they cost $943.

technical spec

In 1942 for example, only 722 were built, with few surviving due to its versatile post war commercial use. Funds were raised through the sale of postage stamps, matches, etc.

B.A.A.C. stamps

Pictured here is Mrs Franklin D Roosevelt, the U.S president’s wife being presented with the first sheet of stamps, priced at one dollar, from William Ruxton the president of the British American ambulance corps. The stamps depict St George lancing a mythical Germanic dragon. The renowned patriotic artist, Mr Arthur Syke is also present. Syke tragically died in 1951 from a heart attack caused by the stress of being sited for anti-American activities by the McCarthy committees.

Ruxton Message

B.A.A.C Poster and Roosevelt, Ruxton and Syke The inspiring personal message from Ruxton provides clarity of purpose for the corps and acts as a rallying cry for all democratically minded peoples.

V for victory stamp for war funds

advertising plate for the BAAC

4: POLISH HOSPITALS IN SCOTLAND

Two major hospitals were established at Dupplin castle, Perth and Taymouth Castle, Kenmore.

TAYMOUTH castle, featuring unknown ambulance type

Dupplin Castle

ambulance parade of the 10th armoured cavalry brigade.

10th on the move

Polish gift from Canada

10th in close up

Dr Antoni Kominek & Austin K2 ambulance of the 1st Amd Div

5:THE PADEREWSKI HOSPITAL the Polish school of medicine (Polish medical FACULTY) at the University of Edinburgh.

This school operated in Edinburgh from 1941 to 1949, originally to provide doctors for I Polish Army Corps.

At first it enabled medical students from the Polish Universities, which had all been closed by the German administration, to complete their courses and qualify. Instruction and examination were mostly in Polish. As well as the university's facilities, the Paderewski Hospital was set up on the Western General Hospital site. It was not feasible to move the school as a unit to Poland after the liberation. The school was both a faculty of the University of Edinburgh and a University authorised by the Polish government in exile (in London), and the Dean also had the powers of a Polish Rector Magnificus. Of 337 students enrolled, 227 graduated, 38 transferred to British Universities and 71 discontinued their studies. The school awarded both British degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery and a Polish Dyplom Lekarza on the same bilingual Latin-Polish certificate.

Nineteen progressed to Doctor of Medicine (MD)

Polish ambulance arriving with casualties at the paderewski hospital received by civilian nurses and troops from the 1st armoured division

6: WHY WERE THERE POLISH SOLDIERS IN BRITAIN?

In the late 1930’s, German expansionist aspirations saw them take control of German speaking lands to which they felt they had historical right, such as the Sudetenland of northern Czechoslovakia, the Rhineland in northern France and the annexation of Austria into the greater German Reich. When Britain and her allies dictated to Germany that any threat to the Silesia region of Poland and to polish sovereignty would lead to war, it was ignored by Hitler, Poland was invaded and overrun in September 1939, thus sparking the Second World War.

On 1st of September 1939, the German army attacked from West, North (Prussia) and South (Czechoslovakia), on 17th of September Russia entered the war attacking from East. Polish forces were completely overrun. To save part of the forces they crossed Romanian and Hungarian borders, where they were interned. The Polish Navy left to the UK in August 1939. Soon interned soldiers and well as officers went to France where Polish units were recreated; after France collapsed they went to Britain. At the same time soldiers tried to get to Britain through other routes: via Spain, Turkey etc. Poles that were captured by Russians were relocated to Siberia to “work camps”, while all officers were murdered by soviet security forces in Katyn, and blamed on the Germans.

Part of the soldiers from Russia joined the Polish Army in the West, leaving Russia through the Middle East. Remaining parts fought under Russian control. People of Polish descent also volunteered into Canadian and American armies. From certain areas Poles were forced to join German army, usually “motivated” by option of being sent to concentration camp, in many cases they surrender at first opportunity and after verification joined Polish Army.

After the war ended in 1945, many chose to live in Britain, Canada and the USA rather than be repatriated to the then Soviet controlled government in Poland. The Yalta agreement between the UK, Russia and the USA achieved agreement on how post war europe was to be shaped. Poland was taken by Stalin and was assigned as Russian controlled area, while over half of the territory was connected to Russia. Many Poles saw this as a betrayal by the allies and Polish soldiers had two options, return to Poland, where many of them were arrested,executed as traitors who fought for London government on exile, or to stay on the West. Some of them settled in the UK, others in Holland or even emigrated to Australia and Canada.

Poles waitied a generation to get their independence, and it was not until 1989 where first free elections were completed. Finally the Russian army left Poland in early 90’s.

7:1ST MAC LEGACY

When the unit finally left Linlithgow, They erected a shrine at Laetare on the 15th August 1944, as a testament to its service in Scotland and this still stands in its original position today.

A poignant time indeed for the Poles,….as the 1st Armoured Division it had supported with ambulance needs when training in Lanark, was engaged in bitter fighting on Mt Ormel in the centre of the Falaise gap in Normandy, which by the 21st August, resulted in the rout of the German Army and a conclusive victory for the allies with an end to the battle of Normandy which had raged for almost three months

Laetare in the 1950’s	close up of named soldier sculptors
	Close up of inscriptions

A dedication service was held to present the shrine. The following has been edited from the West Lothian Courier dated Sept 8th1944: “Rev Fr.McGovern expressed to the men and women of the medical ambulance unit, the delight and heartfelt gratitude of the congregation for the generous token presented to the parish in memory of their stay in the district and he proceeded to say these members of the polish army had done so at a time when the people of Poland were going through the most gruelling experience.

Today they were encompassed on all sides by enemies. The poor, helpless voices of women and children were ringing out from Warsaw (The Warsaw uprising started on 1st August) to the people of Christendom to come to their assistance. Their country had been torn to pieces by ravenous wolves. Poland came to this war to defend the rights of men and freedom. Right from the start Poland was faced with an almost insuperable enemy. To-day that enemy was being overthrown, the dawn was at hand. It might happen (and it did) that the mighty armies from the east might attempt to break and crush the tremendous unity of Poland but he was Convinced that Poland would rise again.”

8:THE MYSTERY FOLLOWING D-DAY

FANY accounts refer to the formation in London, of a no1 Motor Ambulance Convoy in July 1944, specifically siting twenty three F.A.N.Y. drivers and an equal amount of Red Cross drivers to be sent to France in support of the Normandy invasion. Was this 1MAC being re-formed for embarkation with the Polish soldiers left behind to be re-assigned or just a co-incidential unit title? We know the Poles left linlithgow in August 44 but the records are unclear and further reserach will be necissary. The account of 1st MAC'S Normandy service follows and it has no reference to Polish troops: On the 3rd September 1944 the 1st Motor Ambulance Convoy moved to embarkation positions on the South coast and within days they were on an LST (Landing Ship Transport) bound for French port. That port was Arromanches, part of Gold beach British sector and they rolled off onto 3/4 mile of pre-fabricated Mulberry Harbour!

Once the convoy were formed up on shore, they were escorted to an Apple orchard and attached to an R.A.S.C. Ambulance Company and H.Q. Duties in the first few weeks in Normandy included ferrying wounded from trains to Hospital ships docked in Arromanches, air evacuation and general hospital duties. Subsequently in November the unit was orderd north to Amiens, then three days prior to christmas pushed further ahead to a posting in the boarding school section of the Convent Beryaymont in central Brussels, amidst the threat of the recent German counter attack that became known as the Battle of the Bulge, which had started on the 16th December. After the failed German offensive in the Ardennes, 1MAC were given extra ambulances, undertook necessary vehicle maintenence duties and continued work ferrying casualties. FANY were now in familiar land, having already served with distinction in Belgium during the 1914 - 1918 Great War. It was now January 1945. On to Germany? Was this the 1st MAC from Linlithgow, devoid of its Polish soldiers? The answer may lie in the archives of the Sikorski Institute in London and what this needs is a volunteer reseracher to find out!

64 years later…..

9:2008 1 MAC RE-BORN!

truck un-restored, as found

In 2008 a group of local enthusiasts have re-created the sight of Linlithgow’s wartime polish soldiers and F.A.N.Y. drivers, by sourcing and procuring one of the last surviving very rare 1942 1½ ton Chevrolet trucks from the U.S.A. and restoring it to ambulance specification with authentically WW2 uniformed male and female personnel. Research has indicated this may be the only truck of its type in the UK. The vehicle was bought from Mr Ron Brazell a collector of rare vintage trucks and shipped round the world from California to Linlithgow.

Ron was so taken with the project, that he donated the sum of $943, the exact cost of the vehicle in W.W.2. ! As Ron put it:

“It seems to me that so many of the problems we all face today, are not much different from the issues that mankind had to deal with in the past. It seems that we either just don't want to, or can't remember those struggles. Life is so easy today compared to the lives of our not-so-distant predecessors that we tend to forget the hardships and difficulties they faced. So I'm all in support of keeping alive these memories of the past. In that light I'd like to donate $943 to your group and your efforts”.

A generous gesture indeed, recounting that same wartime spirit. The 1st MAC “living history” group make new members very welcome and the group’s aspiration for this hobby is to recreate the ww2 visual identity to the rich historical heritage of Linlithgow and to serve local charitable causes. The group welcome any reminisces or information to enhance the historical portrayal and if you wish to join and participate, help will be given with uniform advice and sourcing.

It is a rewarding hobby, balancing fun and historical interest, with respect for the memory of all those who fought for the freedom we have today.

The defiance shown by Britain,
The women volunteers drivers,
The men exiled from Poland,
The material provided by the U.S.A.
Was the synergy that was part of Linlithgow’s wartime story.

That story is now being re-told to a new generation so that we never forget the past and the sacrifices made by both soldier and civilian.

[Back to top]

THE IMAGES CONTAINED IN THIS SITE HAVE BEEN DONATED FROM VARIOUS WEB SOURCES AND WE APOLIGISE IF ANY ARE UNKNOWINGLY COPYRIGHTED - THEY WILL BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY ON REQUEST BY THE COPYRIGHT OWNER WITH NO INTENTION TO PROFIT FROM THESE AND USED ENTIRELY FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES

Acknowledgemets: Joseph Katautskas Smith, Robert Ostrycharz, Dr. Wojciech Piotrowicz, Gilles Lapers, .Martyn Cox