RAMC UNIT ABBREVIATIONS

Discussion in 'RAMC' started by Bluebell Minor, Apr 27, 2015.

  1. Bluebell Minor

    Bluebell Minor Junior Member

    Help please

    I have just started to research the locations of RAMC units in Schleswig Holstein/8 Corps District in the immediate post war period using the WO 176 Series War Diaries as a source

    Unit titles can be written in full or as abbreviations (most of which I recognise) There are however a couple I am unsure of

    They are

    a. FDS RAMC Forward Dressing Station? or Field Dressing Station?

    b. MSU RAMC

    Can anyone interpret, briefly describe the role, size of the units please?
     
  2. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    I think ?
    Field Dressing Station
    Mobile Surgical Unit or Mobile Signals Unit
     
  3. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

  4. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    And from the 21 Army Group section

    FIELD DRESSING STATION
    War Establishment II/301/1. August 1944
    Heavy Section
    Major, Officer Commanding
    2 X Major, Captain or Lieutenant
    Subaltern, non medical
    Quartermaster

    staff Serjeant
    serjeant clerk
    serjeant dispenser
    serjeant hospital cook
    2 X serjeant nursing orderly
    serjeant nursing orderly for duty as storeman for stewards store.

    cook
    hospital cook
    lance corporal nursing orderly
    12 X nursing orderly
    2 X ambulance nursing orderly
    nursing orderly as barber
    3 X nursing orderly as batman
    2 X corporal general duties
    lance corporal general duties
    corporal passive air defence and anti gas duties
    private passive air defence and anti gas duties
    lance corporal linen storeman
    corporal pack storeman
    stewards storeman
    sanitary dutyman
    water dutyman

    attached
    carpenter and joiner RE
    15 X driver IC RASC
    electrician RASC
    motorcyclist RASC
    transport serjeant RASC
    transport corporal RASC
    corporal vehicle mechanic RASC
    2 X cook ACC

    Total 78


    Vehicles
    2 X bicycle
    2 X motorcycle
    1 X car 2seater 4 X 2
    1 X car 4seater 4 X 2
    1 X 15cwt water
    7 X 3ton 4 X 2 GS
    2 X ambulance 4 stretcher.

    Note:
    The Medical Officers are listed as Surgeons in the War Establishment Table.
    When the unit forms part of a Mountain Division the ambulances will be 2 stretcher 4 X 4 light ambulances instead of 4 stretcher 4 X 2 heavy ambulance.

    Motorcycle 1
    transport serjeant
    Motorcycle 2
    motorcyclist

    Car 2seater 4 X 2
    driver IC
    Car 4seater 4 X 2
    driver IC

    15cwt water
    water dutyman, driver IC

    3ton 4 X 2 GS 1
    driver IC
    Carries mechanical stores, quartermaster stores and personnel
    3ton 4 X 2 GS 2
    driver IC
    Carries mechanical stores, quartermaster stores and personnel
    3ton 4 X 2 GS 3
    driver IC
    Carries mechanical stores, quartermaster stores and personnel
    3ton 4 X 2 GS 4
    driver IC
    Carries mechanical stores, quartermaster stores and personnel
    3ton 4 X 2 GS 5
    driver IC
    Carries baggage and personnel
    3ton 4 X 2 GS 6
    driver IC
    Carries cooks and rations
    3ton 4 X 2 GS 7
    driver IC
    Carries artificers, personnel and tools.

    Ambulance 4 stretcher.
    nursing orderly, driver IC
    Ambulance 4 stretcher.
    nursing orderly, driver IC


    Light Section
    Major, Captain or Lieutenant
    serjeant nursing orderly
    cook
    corporal nursing orderly
    5 X nursing orderly
    general dutyman
    4 X stretcher bearer
    driver IC
    cook ACC

    Total 16

    1 X 3ton 4 X 2 GS

    Note that Field dressing Stations were also allocated on the scale of one per corps.


    FIELD SURGICAL UNIT
    War Establishment III/168/1. July 1942.
    Major, Specialist in Surgery
    Captain or Lieutenant, Graded Anaesthetist
    Lance corporal nursing orderly
    2 X operation room assistant
    2 X nursing orderly
    batman
    3 X driver RASC

    1 X Car 4 seater for officers kit, batmen and replenishment of surgical supplies.
    1 X 3ton 4 X 2 GS for theatre, technical equipment and supplies, fitted with half a penthouse.
    1 X 3ton 4 X 2 GS for beds, mattresses etc.

    Officers carry a pistol
    Drivers RASC carry rifle or sub machine gun
    Medical personnel are unarmed.

    Mike
     
    4jonboy likes this.
  5. Bluebell Minor

    Bluebell Minor Junior Member

    Thank you very much for these detailed responses, very helpful. My researches confirm that in 8 Corps in Summer 1945 there was indeed one FDS per Division.plus an additional Corps.asset.

    I have also found a brief reference on the internet that MSU could stand for Medical Support Unit which had Special Forces implications (in Summer 1945 there were International SF units operating under British Army command still active in Schleswig Holstein)
     
  6. Trux

    Trux 21 AG

    Interesting. It is generally assumed that all military activity ceased on VE Day. My father was sent to Norway from Belgium with his Air Sea Rescue launch. They were to patrol the fjords and pick up stray Germans. They were ordered to carry pistols or Sten guns at all times when ashore. There was a considerable army presence also.

    Mike
     

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