John Parker Steel (1891 - )
Served with the Friend's Ambulance Unit
John Parker Steel was born in Newcastle upon Tyne on 20/12/1891. His father was John William Steel, his mother Mary Steel and his elder sister Mary Eleanor Steel. He lived at 39 Cleveland Terrace, Darlington, and gave his occupation as a Railway Clerk.
He was a Quaker and joined the Friends Ambulance Unit on 1/12/15, listing his skills as driving, and speaking French.
He completed his initial training at the Friends Ambulance Unit training camp at Jordans in Buckinghamshire.
He arrived in France on 3/3/16 and worked as a driver.
Places that he was based at around Dunkirk include:
– Zuydcoote, a naval hospital based in a former sanitorium
– Kursaal, based in the Hotel du Kursaal in Malo-les-Bains
He worked as a driver for Red Cross Headquarters and also as a member of Section Sanitaire Anglaise 19 (a motor ambulance convoy).
He left the Friends Ambulance Unit on 25/1/19.
He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal under his membership of the British red Cross Society and the Order of St John of Jerusalem.
References
– 1911 Census RG14, Piece 29505
– Friends Ambulance Unit record card from http://fau.quaker.org.uk/
– The National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls; Class: WO 329; Piece Number: 2315
Civil Parish: Darlington
Birth date: 1891
Armed force/civilian: Civilian
Gender: Male
Contributed by Jane Wilson
