Fred Dawson was a Private in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), in the 18th Field Ambulance which was attached to the 6th Division of the British Army. His brother Lewis was also in the RAMC and died in 1917. During his service, Fred was shipwrecked by a subamrine near Gallipoli. He was a member of the ambulance brigade, and the ambulance band.

The term Field Ambulance was slightly misleading; it was not an 'ambulance' as we understand it. A Field Ambulance was a mobile unit which would be close behind the front and provided care for men who could hopefully be quickly returned to their unit, or to men who needed inital care before being moved to a CCS. The Field Ambulance was responsible for setting up Advanced Dressing Stations (ADS); those 'stations' between the Regimental Aid Post (RAP) which was found within the trench system, and the Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) which was located some way behind the lines. 

 

A Private within a Field Ambulance would have conducted one of several roles. They could be wagon orderlies, bearers, or cooks, washermen and other supporting roles. 

Although I can find no information relating to the injuries of Fred himself, in 1918 the 6th Division was embroiled in many battles including battles as part of the First Battles of the Somme 1918, and the Battles of the Hindenberg Line. 

Unfortunately little can be found on Fred, however the newspaper reports at the time showed that he died of his injuries in hospital in London on 10th April 1918. This suggests that they were serious injuries, which either needed additional care to what could be provided in France, or were injuries which required a long recovery period, but sadly Fred died of his wounds. 

Fred is buried in Mexborough Cemetery.