FULL PROVISION

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 154, 28 December 1942, Page 4

FULL PROVISION

AMBULANCE IN

DESERT

(Official War Correspondent. N.Z.E.F.)

NOFILIA, Dec. 19 (delayed)

One of the most outstanding features of the great desert journey accomplished by the New Zealand forces from El Agheila has been the organisation of medical supplies to provide skilled treatment and every care for the wounded during the period while the troops are in complete isolation, sometimes hundreds of miles from ciyi* lisation. Fortunately the casualties have been light, but preparations were made to cope with the most serious eventualities. Seriously wounded men received high-grade surgery in .what was really a field hospital. Severe cases, including brain wounds, were operated on within a short time of being wounded, and received the benefit of modern specific drugs. Blood transfusion played a big part in the successful treatment of these cases and was an important factor in saving many lives. The blood transfusion unit carried a full stock of plasma and serum and large supplies of blood preserved in special refrigeration. > After the clearance of the enemy from lines of communication the wounded, now operated on and comfortable, were carried back by ambulance to the next link in the chain of evacuation, the New Zealand casualty clearing station. For seriously injured cases or certain types of wounds which would not stand a long desert trip by ambulance air ambulances were provided to carry the men pack quickly to the New Zealand hospitals in Egypt.

Using bulldozers, our engineers provided a special track to the main road over incredibly rough country to facilitate this evacuation. The medical units which moved with the troops comprised field ambulances and complete surgical teams (including a brain surgeon), fully equipped with hospital beds and additional equipment for brain, chest, and abdominal surgery. There was no lack of ambulance cars accompanying these units to provide the greater mobility required in the event of heavy casualties. By the use of available empty supply trucks for the carriage of light cases had the necessity arisen, the medical organisation provided would have enabled many hundreds.of patients to be treated and held or carried with the forces pending the clearing of any tactical situation.' Other units were in reserve, ready to be called up at short notice. All the medical units were equipped with wireless. Medical comforts and Red Cross supplies were provided in large quantities by the New Zealand Red Cross, and were of inestimable value... .