BLOOMFIELD, Carl
NAME BLOOMFIELD Carl
RANK Private 3825
I Canadian Corps - 1st Canadian Infantry Division UNIT 1st Canadian Field Dressing Station Royal Canadian Army Medical Corp
“faithful in adversity”
Residence: Hamilton - Ontario Birth: November 18, 1917 - Goderich - Township of Goderich - County of Huron - Ontario Died: January 14, 1945 27 years 2 months Cemetery: Ravenna War Cemetery - Piangipane - Ravenna - Italy
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Wife: Mrs. Margaret Bloomfield - Taplow - Buckinghamshire - England. / Toronto - Ontario Parents: Mr. William and Harriet Anne Bloomfield - Goderich - Ontario Brothers:: Russell with HMCS Corwallis - Deep Brook, Nova Scotia Alfred with 4th Canadian Armoured Division Harry with the Headquarters Squadron of the Canadian Army Overseas Bruce with the Canadian Engineers, Morely also serving overseas Leonard with HMCS Chatham - Prince Rupert - British Columbia. Sisters: Viola of Toronto Mrs. Mildred Hoggarth of Tillsonburg Mrs. Louvaine Mitchell of Goderich Mrs.Irene Kerr of Goderich June and Gloria of Goderich
Carl was born on November 18, 1917, lived with his family on Huron Road and was one of 14 children. He enjoyed swimming, bowling, softball as the shortstop and hockey on left wing. He was a member of Victoria Street United Church. He got his primary schooling in Goderich and then attended Goderich Collegiate Institute for two years and left school when he was 17 years old. From 1934-38 he worked for Curry's bakery in Goderich on a truck route earning $15 per week. The he moved to Hamilton and worked a truck route as a bisquit salesman for $19 per week from 1938-40. Carl was a Private in the militia with the Middlesex and Huron Regiment "C" Company from 1938-40. In Canada On March 15th of 1940 he went to London and enlisted into the Canadian Army. Private Bloomfield was 5' 4" and weighed 150 pounds. He had blue eyes and brown hair. Upon his enlistment he was posted to the Royal Canadian Regiment Reinforcement Unit with the rank of Private. On April 1st he was posted to the Exhibition grounds in Toronto for rifle training. Overseas
On July 14th he was attached to Camp Bordon and was now slated to be attached to the Canadian Active Service Force. The same day he departed for overseas from No. 1 Canadian Canadian Infantry Training Centre - Military District No. 2. On July 14th he was Struck off Service of the Canadian Army in Canada and a day later was Taken on Strength with the Canadian Army in the United Kingdom. On August 2nd he was granted 5 days landing leave and on August 3rd he was Taken on Strength with the Canadian Infantry Holding Unit. On February 10, 1941 Private Bloomfield was confined to barracks for 3 days for failing to appear at a place of parade while at Camp Witley - Surrey. Then on July 6th he was command to a Fire Fighting Course at Colchester - Essex and on July 30th he qualified as a 1st Class firefighter. From December 1-11 he is attached to No. Road Construction Company. He is then attached to No. 5 General Hospital on December 13, 1941. Since he did not have a medical background he would be taught by the Nursing Sisters of No. 5 General Hospital. No 5 General Hospital just happened to be located in the same locale that his future wife lived and where he would be married in 1943. He was on command to another firefighting course on from February 16-25, 1942 while attached to No. 5 General Hospital.. Private Bloomfield had requested permission to marry and this request was granted on March 13, 1943. On March 25th he received $1.50 per day of pay. On March 28th he was married in Buckinghamshire - England. He was Struck off Service from No. 5 General Hospital to Incr.79 and then was back with No. 5 General Hospital on May 31st. About this time No. 5 General Hospital went into training and was withdrawn from service in England. During the month of June on the 8th, No. 5 General Hospital was on its way to the Mediterranean Theatre to replace a 600 bed British hospital that was leaving the theatre.
Mediterranean Theatre
Private Bloomfield was Struck off Service of the Canadian Army in the United Kingdom on June 28. A day later he was Taken on Service with the Canadian Army in the Mediterranean Theatre. He disembarked in Sicily on July 19th. The first stop for No. 5 General Hospital was Syracuse and on the way they passed the 1st Canadian Division. Private Bloomfield was granted 7 days leave effective on July 31, 1944 and was AWOL resulting in him losing 10 days of pay. On September 27th he is AWOL and loses 10 days of pay and is confined to barracks for 14 days. Then on October 4th he loses a day of pay and then confined to barracks for 14 days. On October 25th he forfeits 28 days of pay and is sent to No. 2 Field Punishment Camp. On November 16th he was posted to the 8th Battalion of the Canadian Army Medical Corps. Approximately a month later in the middle of December he was Taken on Strength with the 4th Battalion of the Canadian Army Medical Corps. On December 20, 1944 he was posted to No. 1 Field Dressing Station.
In the Field On January 14, 1945 Private Bloomfield lost his life while performing his duties. Private Bloomfield was wounded while trying to evacuate wounded soldiers. The ambulance he was in sustained a direct hit. He had suffered fatal shell fragment wounds to the right thigh, chest, abdomen and skull and he died at #5 Canadian Light Field Ambulance.
The Royal Canadian Army Medical Corp was the life saver of the services. The Field Ambulance units
were responsible for the evacuation and the treatment of casualties forward of the Casualty Clearing
Stations. From the battlefield, the wounded were moved by stretcher bearers to a unit’s Regimental Aid Post, where the wounded were then prepared for evacuation by ambulance. These Aid Posts were set up to deal with the wounded as quickly as possible, so here, only the very basic treatment was available. The Regimental Aid Posts were sometimes bypassed so the wounded could go directly to the Casualty Clearing Post where the wounded might possibly receive blood, morphine, penicillin or sulpha. The Casualty Clearing Stations along with the Aid Posts were usually within range of enemy guns. The wounded were then moved to the Advanced Field Dressing Stations, were intermediate treatment was given to the wounded. Here basic surgery was performed with very short - term convalescence before they were moved to a General Hospital. Moving the wounded to the General Hospitals in the Italian Campaign was accomplished by air. All treatment of the wounded in the forward areas was conducted by male personnel. No. 1 Canadian General Hospital moved to Italy in December 1943 and moved to different locations in support of the 1st Canadian Corp. Later it was joined by #3, 5, 14, 15, and 28 General Hospitals. The need to treat the wounded as close to the front as possible meant that working conditions were seldom optimal and in addition to coping with enemy fire and air raids, the medical facilities also had to deal with dust and flies along with wet and cold conditions. The medical personnel dealt with rifle wounds, machine gun wounds, mortar and artillery wounds the many patients suffered from. A A letter that was dated September 28th, 1945 was received by Carl's wife Margaret which congratulated her on the honour and distinction which came to her husband, through his being mentioned in Despatches in recognition of gallant and distinguished service. Then, on January 23, 1948 a letter was written to his wife stating that His Majesty King George VI appreciated the services that Carl did for his country. Two additional letters dated February 27th was addressed to his wife as well as his parents and they included a photo pf his grave and marker at the new Ravenna War Cemetery.
Both his wife Margaret and his mother Harriet received the Memorial Cross. Private Bloomfield was awarded the 1939-43 Star, the Italy Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal. The family also learned that he had been mentioned in despatches and as a result the King had honoured him with a certificate for his gallant and distinguished service.
Carl is honoured and remembered on the Goderich - Ontario Cenotaph. He is honoured and remembered on the Victoria Street United Church Memorial Plaque and on the Memorial Plaque of Goderich Collegiate. He is remembered on the Canadian Military Medical Services Memorial at Camp Borden. He is honoured and remembered on the Virtual Canadian War Memorial.
