Though Capt Spafford had been previously with 24th Fd Amb, he was on the strength of the Irish Regiment of Canada at the time of his death. Back then doctors were not only posted to medical units; they could be posted to arms units as the Regimental Medical Officer, though still badged as RCAMC. The medical orderlies of the battalion, however, were not RCAMC personnel and were badged as (and selected from) the regiment to which they belonged. A medical officer could be (and often was during action) posted from a supporting field ambulance to one of the units in the formation if a replacement was required for a doctor. That’s probably how Capt Spafford ended up in the IRC.
There is a very good site about the IRC. http://metsystems.no-ip.org/irish/
This is an extract from an info sheet available at that site. There is one for each member of the regiment killed during WW2. I included the sheets for Capt Spafford and Sgt Stephenson as pdf attachments.
Spafford, William Bruce, Captain
Date of Enlistment: 01 August 1942
Place of Enlistment: Toronto, Ontario
Regiment or Unit: RCAMC #2 District Depot
Date Taken on Strength to Irish Regiment of Canada: 15 September 1944 as Medical
Officer.
Theatres and Dates of Service: Canada 01-Aug-42 to 16-Jul-43
U.K. 17-Jul-43 to 19-Feb-44
Italy 20-Feb-44 to 04-Jan-45
Other service facts: University of Toronto COTC 1935-1940, Recognized as Lieut after
completing internship effective 29-Jan-43. Promoted to Captain upon arrival in U.K.
from Canada 23-July-43. Embarked to Italy with RCAMC attached to 24th Canadian
Field Ambulance, from 22-Jun-44 to 14-Sep-44.
Date of Death: 04 January 1944
Circumstances: KIA, while recceing a suitable location for the Forward Aid Station, he
along with the Medical Sergeant, were killed instantly when the building they were in
was hit by a shell.
Action: San Alberto
Location of Burial: Ravenna War Cemetery, Italy
Grave reference: Plot VI. Row E. Grave 28.
The entry in the regiment’s battle diary for 4 Jan 45 reads:
SAN ALBERTO
4 Jan 45
At 0615 hrs, the Battalion received word that an enemy counter attack was coming in area 4747 Sheet 89. At 0645 hrs the Battalion was orderd to counterattack the enemy who had penetrated to area MR 482468. B Company commanded by Capt. HLJ Hendrie with a troop of 8 NBH tanks under command moved at 0710 hrs and at 0745 hrs came in contact with a large number of the enemy (MR area 482468) in the process of consolidating. The counter attack force supported by withering fire from the tanks, moved in and mopped up with great vigour, killing approximately 20 and capturing 65 POWs from 3 Battalion 36 Regiment 16 SS Division. B Company then consolidated are 482468 and the situation quickly restored.
At 1200 Major LHC Payne, A/Comd held an Orders Group at TAC HQ and gave his instructions for a further advance. At 1400 hrs A Company relieved Westminster Regiment at MR 491484. B Company moved to MR 493481 where they were consolidated without difficulty. D Company ordered to Cartese (MR 485490) came under heavy MG fire and fired on by SP guns at 485490. They were unable to get onto the objective but firmed up at 484484. C Company remained at 487487 in Battalion reserve. Tanks, Anti-Tank guns and Wasps in position with B and D Companies making them strongpoints. The enemy withdrew from MR 485490 under heavy fire from the Regiment’s guns leaving both houses in flames. D Company captured three 8 cm mortars at MR 384486 and marked Artillery maps which were sent back to 5 CAD.
The Brigadier IS Johnson, DSO, ED visited TAC HQ in the morning and congratulated Major LHC Payne on the excellent job done by the counter attack force. Lt.-Col. RC Clark, DSO visited TAC HQ in the afternoon and expressed his satisfaction with the manner in which the Battalion was working.
Capt. WH Mictchell relieved Capt. Tony Falzetta of C Company and Lt. Lex Robb relieved Lt. CR Haines.
During evening, word was received that the MO, Capt. WB Spafford and Sgt. Stephenson MM (Medical Sgt) were killed recceing a forward RAF. The Battalion felt a sense of personal loss, as they were, both very popular figures and were continually in the forward areas dressing the wounded. Lt. Keith Hare of A Company was killed in the afternoon as he directed the construction of his Platoon’s positions. A very cool and efficient officer, he would be missed by A Company and all who knew him.
Weather: Fair and warm.
Casualties
Capt. WB Spafford RCAMC KIA 450104
Stephenson WC Sgt B79353 (MM) KIA 450104
Hare KW Lt. KIA 450104
Tomchishin EJ Pte B143468 KIA 450104
Corken N WO2 (CSM) B130585 shrapnel both buttocks, legs, comp frac right femur 450104, died from wounds 450117
Fisher KG Pte B79257 Dr Mech C (mv) shrapnel chest, right shoulder, right arm 450104
Greig JA L/Cpl A61133 shrapnel right heel (minor) 450104
Timms ER Pte C36094 spine struck by falling beam 450104
Holland CH Pte C120190 shrapnel left thigh (minor) 450104
Graham A/Sgt C65504 mortar right calf 450104
McFarlane JR A/Cpl B1467l01 forehead and left eye (minor) 450104
Bradfield WG Pte B79539 C coy; gsw t&t right leg 450104
Cole CS Pte B59151 sharpnel leg 450104
And this later entry mentions Capt Spafford’s replacement.
It would be interesting to see if there is any previous diary entry that explained how/why Capt Spafford came to the IRC from 24th Fd Amb.
14 Jan 45
The rain continued in the morning. Mud was once more becoming a problem. Major General BM Hoffmeister, CBE, DSO visited TAC HQ in the morning and discussed the position with the CO. There was still no word of their being relieved. Capt. JC Duffy the new MO was promoted to Major and transferred to 2nd L Field Ambulance. Capt. NRJ McMillen was to be the new MO. He was a familiar figure to the Battalion as he had often worked with them at the CCP.
Weather: Rain.
The diary entry from 13 Sept 44 at CORIANO (the day before Spafford was posted to the IRC) also listed many casualties which included:
Capt. Statten T (RCAMC) wounded 440913
Of note, Capt Statten was later awarded the MC for the action in which he was wounded.
http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/cao-aco/details-eng.asp?firstname=Taylor&lastname=Statten&rec=id3638
