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30 Corps tunic and battle dress

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    30 Corps tunic and battle dress

    Gentlemen
    Im showing here a great set of uniforms from a New Zealand collector
    Here is the description
    The man.
    Brigadier Patrick Augustine Ardagh, CBE, DSO, MC, Mid (twice)
    WW1,
    3/2589 Captain Ardagh attested in 1917 as a doctor in the NZMC attached to the 1st Battalion Auckland Infantry Regiment. He was wounded 3 times, (10/4/1918, 7/5/1918, 23/7/1918). At one stage he operated for 36 hours in an open casualty clearing station. He treaded all commers, those of his battalion, other battalions and Germans. The position was so exposed that the area was shelled while he worked with bodies of the wounded being blown up and spread across the CCS. For this action Ardagh was nominated for the Victoria Cross but because they were not actually shooting at him, he did not get it but was given the DSO instead. He was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty and was mentioned in despatches for similar activities during the war.
    WW2,
    31821 Lieutenant-Colonel Ardagh left for Egypt in late 1940 with the 3rd Echelon
    CO surgical division of 2 General Hospital Aug 1940- Oct 1941.
    CO 1 causality clearing station Nov 1941 to May 1942.
    ADMS 2NZ Division May 1942 to Feb 1943.
    DDMS 30 Corps Feb 1943- Apr 1944
    Early 1942 he was attached to 1 Armoured Division for operational experience.
    June 1942 when the NZ GOC Freyberg was wounded Ardagh attended to him.
    In February 1943 Montgomery made a request to the CIC of MEF that ADMS Colonel Ardagh be appointed DDMS for the 8th Army. Ardagh wanted to stay with the NZ Division so accepted the position of DDMS for 30th Corps instead serving in Tunisia, Sicily and Italy.
    During his time in the desert Ardagh made a number of important life saving advances in the way casalities were treated.
    In early 1944 he was award a MID for services during operations in Sicily.
    In England he was Deputy Director of Medical Services for 30th Corps where he was planning the medical services for the D Day landings.
    Died 6th April 1944 of natural causes (CVA)

    The Service Dress Jacket.
    Made from a drab barathea fabric in the standard officer’s pattern. The jacket was made in Christchurch New Zealand. The brass buttons are New Zealand Medical Corps. On the collar are a pair of long SD scarlet Gorget patches with a maroon medical stripe. On the shoulder straps are brass rank of a Brigadier with the national title in white on black at the base. On the upper sleeves are printed boar badges of the 30th Army Corps in matching pairs. The jacket has holes in the shoulder strap for the lower rank of colonel and holes at the base of the shoulder strap for brass curved NZMC shoulder titles. All this is correct for this man and NZ regulations at the time.

    The Battle Dress Blouse.
    Made from a drab serge fabric in the pattern of a New Zealand 1937 pattern Battle Dress Blouse. This example was made by Millers of Christchurch and is dated 1942. The blouse has been converted by the addition of padding to the inside of the shoulders, an additional button to the waist band and the collar and lapel have been lined and made to lie open and flat. On the points of the collar are the small size Gorget patch of a medical staff officer. On the upper sleeves are matching 30th Corps badges. The only down side to this blouse is that one of the Gorget patches is missing and a fill in has been used. The blouse comes with a matching pair of BD trousers in the early style with buttons and tabs to the cuffs.
    Attached Files

    #2
    Chay, those are a superb set. A brave and well donged medical officer who also had a unique service history during WW2 as a Kiwi. Thanks for sharing.

    Comment


      #3
      Thanks for showing Chay
      Exceptional and if by any chance you want
      to release them, I'd be keen.

      Comment


        #4
        Wow, what a nice pair of jackets with a unique history from this NZ medical officer. I'm always amazed when reading the personal stories of these soldiers - not the famous names but the everyday people who did their jobs, did them well in incredibly difficult situations, and then faded from the history books.

        Thank you for showing these great items from a brave doctor and keeping his story alive.

        Matthew

        Comment

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