Memorial to Squadron Leader George Desmond Graham, RAF Mountain Rescue

A memorial to Squadron Leader George Desmond Graham at Carlisle Cathedral. Who formed the RAF mountain rescue team in 1943.



Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service - Wikipedia

RAF policy from the very early days of 1918 was for the station medical officer to attend all aircraft crashes as, initially at least, the low air speeds meant that many crashes were survivable and first aid would be given before the crews were moved either into station sick quarters or a hospital. A single RAF medical officer, Flight Lieutenant George Desmond Graham (also known as "Doc" Graham), is credited with pressurising the Air Ministry into forming the RAF Mountain Rescue Service (MRS). Graham was one of several RAF medical doctors who organized teams at RAF Llandwrog in North Wales in 1943, at RAF Millom (southern Lake District), and at Harpur Hill (Peak District), where Flt Lt (later Air Commodore) David Crichton performed a similar role. Graham's team rescued dozens of allied airmen from Snowdonia before Graham was posted to Burma, where he took part in an early para-rescue operation (strikingly similar to one generally credited as the beginning of United States Air Force Pararescue), saving the life of a Royal Canadian Air Force navigator, Flying Officer W Prosser

 

Intresting post!

I am just into reading a book about one mans journey into the RAF mountain rescue called The Path to Whensoever by Jim Craig, at the begining it starts with a brief part of "Doc Grahams" struggle to get the brass to buy into the Mountain Rescue Service.