Each Nations Medic (Corpsman) situation

Thank you Owen for the info, that is a shame to hear about Tom, I'm sure he had some fantastic stories to tell.

 

Owen

Just spotted this thread and am pleased that you put things to right !

I was indeed one of the lucky one's and escaped being wounded although I did have a spell in hospital whilst at Cassino.

Best regards

Ron

 

Mr. Goldstein, did you participate in the battle at Monte Cassino?

 

JWilson

You ask:
Mr. Goldstein, did you participate in the battle at Monte Cassino?

Very much so, I'm afraid and it was a miserable time !

I wrote about it here: BBC - WW2 People's War - Monte Cassino, March to May 1944
and here: BBC - WW2 People's War - Return to Cassino

If you are not very well read up on the various stages of the battle battle then GOOGLE 78 Div Cassino, or alternatively GOOGLE Ron Goldstein Cassino BBC WW2talk

I doubt that you will find a single ww2 veteran that has a good word to say about Cassino !

Ron

 

Ron, my apologies for getting things confused about you being in the hospital at Cassino and appreciate Owen getting it straight. as to all of this. I am certainly glad you survived Monte Cassino! Reading about it is gruesome enough for me.

 

Monte Cassino was another location of death, destruction, and misery, ironically at a Catholic Monastery. Not to mention the mud, and terrain, not pleasant. Thank you Mr. Goldstein, you are the first veteran of Monte Cassino I have met, it's a true honor sir.

 

Sorry for that!

 

A bit of thread necromancy on my part, but I'm always intrigued by the different approach to medical provision at small unit level by various nations

British practice was a single RAMC Medical Officer for a standard type Infantry unit (Inf, Motor, MG Bns) augmented by a Medical Serjeant and stretcher-bearers. These latter were all infantrymen and received their training from the MO. Airborne and Commando units had RAMC Nursing Orderlies down to Company level. I've not seen it stated but I think this was because there was a well established medical evacuation system for Inf and Armd formations, which could move casualties from Regimental Aid Posts (under the supervision of a unit MO) to Field Ambulances and from there to a Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) or Field Surgical Unit (FSU) as required. Something like an Abn Div would be fully reliant on its Field Ambulances unless or until they were in contact with friendly ground forces. Commonwealth nations used the same general approach as the British, though the Canadian Army did consider making its unit stretcher-bearers RCAMC personnel.

German practice has already been touched on. Essentially consisted of a Battalion Doctor with Medical NCOs on the basis of one for Battalion HQ and one per Company. There were then Company stretcher-bearers, roughly speaking one per Platoon. Also each Company would have a number of men trained as assistant stretcher-bearers.

Red Army approach was a Medical NCO and 3 or 4 stretcher-bearers per Rifle type Company, then a Medical Post at Battalion level, with a Senior (WO level) NCO, Medical NCO and several stretcher-bearers. Also a driver for a horse-drawn or motor vehicle.

I'm only recently catching up on US Army medical elements. The Battalion Medical Section for an Inf Regt as of early 1944 was 2 Medical Officers and 32 EM. Of the latter 12 litter bearers, 4 Medical Techs and 14 Surgical Techs (12 of these being attached out to the 9 Rifle Platoons and the 3 Platoons of the Weapons Company). For a USMC Battalion the USN medical personnel gradually increased from 2 officers and 20 men in 1942 to 2 and 32 in 1943 and finally 2 and 40 by 1944.

Gary

 

Nice to see this thread get revived, great further info Gary!