Royal Army Medical Corps Living History
The Royal Army Medical Corps was officially recognised by Queen Victoria in 1898, giving it the "Royal" as part of its title, and it cut its teeth on dry unforgiving battlefields of Africa during the two Boer Wars. Before then it was known as the Army Hospital Corps, and then the Army Medical service, during such conflicts as the Crimea and the later Afghan and Zulu Wars of the late 19th century.
When the drums of battle beat once more after "the shot that was heard around the world" in 1914 it was a well trained and well equipped corps of the New Army scheme under lord Kitchener, and served alongside the other Empire and Dominion medical services. Those of Australia, Canada, India and South Africa, dealt with over 2.5 million casualties and 6 million cases of sickness.
The Territorial Force, normally a home service only force, volunteered for overseas service and provided 246 complete units for the war (Field Ambulances and Casualty Clearing Stations). At the outbreak of the war the Corps had a combined strength of 20,000, which by 1916 had expanded to 13,000 officers and 154,000 soldiers. It was shipped over to France with the British Expeditionary Force to stem the tide of the German advances towards European domination. During this "war to end all wars" it served in France, Belgium, Macedonia, Italy, Palestine, South Russia and Mesopotamia, and their duties of care were additional to its care of the medical needs of the Army, it also served the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air force until the establishment of the RAF Medical Service in October 1918.
The RAMC was also instrumental in the introduction of important protective materiel such as steel helmets - the British 'tin bowler' being by far the most effective during the war - gas masks and other protective clothing. The corps lost thousands in the fighting of 14-18 and the number of bravery awards won by its servicemen and women were astounding; uniquely, its honour roll includes two VC's with bar. In total, there were 6534 military awards including 31 Victoria Crosses, 499 Distinguished Service Orders (25 with bar), 1,484 Military Crosses (184 with bar), 3 Albert Medals, 395 Distinguished Conduct Medals (19 with bar) and 3,002 Military Medals (199 with bar).
The First World War
The Second World War
