During the Great War men who refused to carry arms, because of their religion or whatever, became often stretcher bearers / medics. Was this in WW2 also the case? Levien.
Levien I think you will find that many Concientous Objectors, served as medics within the Royal Army medical Corps, and displayed great bravery. I remember reading in the war diary of one of the Airborne Battalions (1st Parachute) that a medic from 16 Parachute Field Ambulance attached to HQ Company, who was a CO was witnessed, by over 300 of the battalion, to, among other things, cover one of the wounded with his own body during a bombardment, and that his actions were worthy of a VC, however as he was a CO he could not be awarded a VC but did get an MID (the only other award that could then be awarded posthumously) and was killed in action. Ernest Norman HEWITT 7522532 L/Cpl RAMC KIA 17/3/1943 MID awarded 23/09/1943 I am sure there are plenty of others Regards Andy
Levien I think you will find that many Concientous Objectors, served as medics within the Royal Army medical Corps, and displayed great bravery. I remember reading in the war diary of one of the Airborne Battalions (1st Parachute) that a medic from 16 Parachute Field Ambulance attached to HQ Company, who was a CO was witnessed, by over 300 of the battalion, to, among other things, cover one of the wounded with his own body during a bombardment, and that his actions were worthy of a VC, however as he was a CO he could not be awarded a VC but did get an MID (the only other award that could then be awarded posthumously) and was killed in action. Ernest Norman HEWITT 7522532 L/Cpl RAMC KIA 17/3/1943 MID awarded 23/09/1943 I am sure there are plenty of others Regards Andy Andy, I don't doubt their bravery for a moment. Indeed there are many stories to confirm that. What I actually meant was, if there was a system for the concientous objectors (%&#@ my poor English) to be members of the RAMC or other non combatant parts of the army. But thanks anyway for your reaction. Levien.
Levien I know that a good number of 6th Airborne's 224th Parachute Field Ambulance were Conscientious Objectors. Steve W.
Levien I know that a good number of 6th Airborne's 224th Parachute Field Ambulance were Conscientious Objectors. Steve W. Thank you Steve. And now a step further: What happened in Britain with total objectors? Levien.
Levien, You may find these links interesting, but there are more available if you search. World War Two - Conscription Conscientious objector - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Regards Tom
There's a new book coming out later this year about British Army medics from Dunkirk to Afghanistan - The thread was started by another member. Not sure when it came about but Medics today carry arms for self defence and the defence of their patients....I suspect that has been going on for quite a few years but not sure if that was the case during WW2. I believe strecher bearers today are prodominately musicans.... Atleast that is what I was led to believe. Andy
I believe strecher bearers today are prodominately musicans.... Atleast that is what I was led to believe. Andy Do you mean that members of, say, Regimental Bands are also medics? Levien.
Not medics but stretcher bearers...They were/are tasked to collect the dead and wounded off the battlefield. It was quite interesting in Iraq due to the enemies religious beliefs (The Muslim faith) and Iraqi dead were when possible and practicle, buried within 24hrs although I never found out who was tasked with doing that job.
Do you mean that members of, say, Regimental Bands are also medics? Levien. Yes, I chatted to a SLI Veteran recently. Who was a strecher bearer in 2 SLI & was in Bn band. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/italy/15725-2nd-bn-somserset-light-infantry.html
Not medics but stretcher bearers...They were/are tasked to collect the dead and wounded off the battlefield. I see. So stretcher bearers do no apply "first aid". Levien.
In an infantry battalion in peace time the battalion band also double as the battalion stretcher bearers. These men are commanded by an officer of the RAMC attached to the battalion (the RMO - Regimental Medical Officer) and they apply first aid on the battlefield and evacuate casualties to a point where they can be handed over to a Field Ambulance of the RAMC for proper treatment. These men were not conscientious objectors, as they could be transferred out of the SB section into a platoon if required. Conscientious objectors did join the RAMC during the war; I know a WW2 veteran who was one, and served at Dunkirk with the RAMC. Men like this also joined units like the Friends Ambulance Unit, particularly if their objection was religious based. Friends' Ambulance Unit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
From George Forty, British Army Handbook 1939-1945. page 120 RAMC units were present at all levels, every infantry battalion ,for example, having a Medical Officer (MO) , a medical orderly , a 15 cwt truck in which to carry their equipment , plus an NCO and some twenty infantrymen , who were trained as stretcher bearers (normally a task undertaken by the Regimental Band if one existed). Their task was to collect casualties and bring them back to the Regimental Aid Post (RAP) where the MO and his orderly would deal with them. All soldiers carried a First Field Dressing for immediate use ; all were trained in simple first aid, including the use of morphine.
I'm finding this thread very interesting. In "Forgotten Voices of D-Day" (Roderick Bailey - Ebury Press) there is a quote from Sgt Sidney Nuttall 3 Airlanding AT Battery RA "I had a job of going round bringing wounded in and I met some very, very brave people: concientious objectors. They had volunteered as parachutists. They would not carry arms but they had volunteered for the Airborne Div and they'd dropped in to help the wounded. Now I take my hat off to them. People talk about concientious objectors and these were definitely genuine ones, they could not kill, but they were there" The very next extract in the book extract by Pte Victor Newcombe, Medical Orderly 224 Parachute Field Ambulance suggests that there were about 150 COs serving in 224 FA, about two thirds in his view. Jim
While undertaking my Basic at Keogh Barracks the RAMC training centre we often had regimental bands undergoing First Aid and other related training at the depot, Often the bands would go on the square and play there instruments during a break in there training.
Hi I seem to remember Richard Todd on TV in 1994 saying Pegasus bridge had been crossed by the Friends Ambulunce unit and they had set up a dressing station on the naughty side, before we took the bridge,he considered them very brave men indeed, I do believe they supplied their own uniforms and ambulances.If you look closely at the famous picture of 4 or 5 k2s coming ashore on the mulberry pontoons they apear to be civilian registered (you have to look close) likely FAU. Brave Brave men I have been in touch with the quaker library in london and it would appear that wickepedia is missleading, 2 sections went in to Normandy 3rd sept 1944 to deal with civilian issues, but the FAU also went in on or around D day to help with the wounded on both sides. Therefore I believe Richard Todd was correct in his recolections. I am trying to locate a FAU book to clarify these facts, if anyone on the forum is interested, LOFTY
I don't know if Wikipedia is fully trustworthy, but this article about FAU says that they were concerned with civilian matters and only landed on September 6th 1944. Friends' Ambulance Unit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Levien.