THE MEDICAL CORPS

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 128, 1 June 1934, Page 9

THE MEDICAL CORPS

MILITARY TRAINING YEArI

2ND FIELD AMBULANCE

The and-Keld Ambulance, New Zealand Medical Corps, marked'the close of.tho military training year on Wednesday by holding its annual competitions and visitors' night, there being about 120 visitors present.

Two companies competed for the Kemp Cup. The contest was divided into two parts—hospital bed-making and the loading of a • two-ton lorry with sufficient medical emergency equipincif to enable the. unit to establish a temporary .dressing station or hospital in the. event of national emergency. The Equipment in this case consisted of the'medical'and surgical panniers, Thomas', and . wooden splints, stretchers, medical companions, haversacks, and complementary equipment. The test for.tho Squad Competition Cup, presented by old N.Z.M.C. Volunteers, provided tho visitors with animalistic scene showing the methods adopted by the ambulance staff under firing conditions. It was a-ssumed that the ambulance, was attached to the Southland troops, who were advancing against Northland. At 8 p.m. an enemy aeroplane was sighted, and was fired at by the Southland forces and brought down in flames. The advance was continued until they encountered heavy machine-gun fire, suffering many casualties. Stretcher-bearer squads then advanced to. Collect the'wounded, and whilo rendering first aid, a second enemy aeroplane dropped gas bombs. This necessitated the application of anti-gas respirators on both patients and bearers, and these were worn until tho signal "Gas clear" was given. The model aeroplane from which the bombs tvere dropped lent a touch of realism to the affair. Points were awarded for the manner in which each stretcher squad attended to its patients.

After supper, the officer commanding the unit, Lieut-Colonel F. W. Kemp, M.C., N.Z.M.C, complimented the men on their turnout and expressed tho hope that there would be a great numerical increase of members in the forthcoming year. The Assistant-Director of Medical Services, Central Command, Licut.Colonel F. T. Bowerbank, 0.8. E., in presenting the trophies won during the year, said that the work of the ambulauce- was extremely useful, both in military and in civilian life. He appealed to tho visitor? to endeavour to induce tho young men of the community and their friends to join up with the 'unit and receive the benefit of its varied and instructive training.

The results of the competitions and trophies won during the year arc as follows: —"Bowerbank" Shield, for the highest aggregate in tho written and oral first-aid examination for privates and lanec-eorporals: Private I/. G. Poyutcr; "Kemp" Cup, "A" Company (C.'S.M. J. G. Oliver); Squad Cup, No. I squad (Ptes. Parkinson, Baddiley Gracie, Bonckenburg). Silver medals were also awarded as follows:—General allround efficiency, Sgt. S. I. Rockcll; best attendance for year, Lance-Corporal R-. 11. Buck. Certificates for appointments were awarded to C'.Q.M.S. H. F. Fox, Corporal W. R-. Jones, Lance-Corporal R. H. Buck, and Lance-Corporal S. C. C. Watson.