1939-45 Star; France & Germany Star; Defence Medal; War Medal 1939-45 with M.I.D. Oakleaf; 1937 Coronation Medal - unnamed as awarded with the original box of issue (Defence Medal) addressed to Dr F.R. Waldron, 3 Conduit House, Hyde Valley, Greenwich, SE 10 written in pencil. The original address - 27 Wickham Rd, Brockley, London, SE4 has been crossed out.
Francis Raymond Waldron was born in Tuam, Galway, Ireland in 1905 Having been appointed as the Medical Officer for Health (MOH) of the Greenwich Metro Borough Council in 1934 he was commissioned a Lt in the RAMC on 16.1.1943 and was Mentioned in Dispatches for services rendered in NW Europe including D Day in April 1946.
In his early career he was rarely stuck in one place and specialised in lung disease and TB. He worked at Barrowmore Hall near Chester in the 30s. It was a treatment centre for ex service men suffering from TB. He was awarded the 1937 Coronation Medal as the MOH for Greenwich.
He ended up in London at the beginning of the war where he was still medical officer in Greenwich. He came to the attention of the army and was commended for his work during air raids. He was then released from Greenwich to the Armed Forces with the RAMC. He arrived in France on D Day plus 13. In April, 1945 he was among the first medical group to enter Belsen. It affected him greatly over the course of his life.
Major Waldron penned a letter which was published in the BMJ on 30 June 1945. He mentions that the first individual to enter Bergen-Belsen was the Divisional A.D.M.S., Col. D. Bluett, who went in about midday on April 15. Lt Col Douglas Bluett was with HQ 11th Armoured Div. The letter read as follows:
Sir - My attention has been drawn to an article in your issue of June 9 (p. 814). In the interest of accurate recording it is felt that Dr. Collis should be aware of the following facts:
(1) The typhus area including Belsen Camp was uncovered by the 11th Armoured Division during April 15 and not April 17 as his account suggests.
(2) The first individual to enter the camp was the Divisional A.D.M.S., Col. D. Bluett, who went in about midday on April 15.
(3) The first medical unit began work in the camp at approximately 4 p.m. on April 15. This was the Divisional Field Hygiene Section (Waldron's section)
(4) Incidentally this unit was the only medical unit working there until April 18. It spent the first two days completely within the wired enclosure, and during the first 24 hours the S.S. men were still in control of the camp.
(5) It was due to the foresight of Col. Bluett that supplies of A.L.63 and disinfectant were available for this initial effort. Up to the afternoon of April 18, when another Field Hygiene Section came up, some 15,000 inhabitants of the camps had been deloused.
(6) The fact that the 11th Armoured Division provided some troops, water-carts, the greater part of its hygiene section, and its whole laundry and bath unit, while active operations were being carried out, is deserving of mention in any account of Belsen.-I am, etc.,
F. R. WALDRON, 76 (Br.) Field Hygiene Section, B.L.A. Major, R.A.M.C.
He passed away on the Isle of Wight on 30 January 1973.
Medals are in good condition unless indicated otherwise. Sold with some research and ephemera including 2 x RAMC felt shoulder titles; 2 x ribbon bars; a corresponding group of miniature medals; dog tags and a boxed King's Badge. Sold with a glass framed Warrant for his daughter Lt. Rosemary Anne Waldron dated 14 October 1958.
