DROPPED BY PARACHUTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25276, 13 July 1943, Page 5

DROPPED BY PARACHUTES

ARMY MEDICAL UNITS RUGBY, July 9. The adaptation of the medical organisation to the speed of modern battle conditions, with great attendant economy in man-power, was described by Lieutenantgeneral Alexander Hood, Director-general of Army Medical Advisers. Two features are particularly significant: First, the reorganisation of the medical lay-out in the forward areas consequent on the vast improvement in mobility lias brought the surgeon to the front line; secondly, the army medical services have a specially trained unit known as the parachute field ambulance, which may actually fly to battle in company with airborne troops and drop itself and medical equipment by parachute. Members of the unit wear the maroon beret of the air-borne troops and are proud of it. Medical services were first air-borne in the battle at Beja last November, when one section of the parachute field ambulance dropped with a parachute battalion, took in all its wounded, and in a short time performed 160 operations.

General Hood added that all transport planes were now being fitted to take stretchers at short notice, and 15,000 cases had been transported by air during the North African campaign.