The R.A.M.C. motto is 'In arduis fidelis' , meaning faithful in adversity. With its usual wit the British Army also nicknamed them ' C an't M anage A R ifle' or ' R ob A ll M y C omrades', but when a soldier was wounded and the cry went up, 'Medic' they were usually very glad to see them indeed. I will attempt to give some insight into the work of the R.A.M.C. during the Second World War by quoting a personal recollection.
Private James Wisewell of 223rd Field Ambulance, 185 th Brigade, 3 rd Div.
"The line of evacuation of casualties was as follows. Men wounded as their infantry platoon advanced were picked up by Regimental Stretcher-bearers infantrymen (not RAMC) within the Regiment. They could do little for the casualty except stop bleeding and put on a field dressing, then get him back to the RAP staffed by an MO from the Field Ambulance, where he would receive an assessment of his chances of survival. A more proficient treatment from RAMC orderlies would usually follow, before the casualty was taken by stretcher-carrying jeep or ambulance back to the ADS where there were all RAMC personnel and RASC Ambulance Drivers. Here he would receive fuller treatment, inoculations, transfusions, application of splints, renewal of dressings from MO's and Nursing Orderlies, First class. From here he would be evacuated as soon as he was fit enough to go to the CCS. Here were surgeons with more refined equipment that did all-possible for him until he could go on to the base hospital or back to fight again. At many times these stages could telescope into each other, as on D-Day when the CCS was on the beach and the fighting only a few miles inland so that the ADS could be bypassed. I think most of us felt a special pride in our work and were depressed when men died on our hands".
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What you will see at our event is a representation of a Regimental Aid post, staffed by re-enactors from England, Canada and America. |