Around the Medics

Bob Thompson

As the only one posted to Vietnam at the time with a Boiler Inspector's Ticket It fell to me to keep an eye on the hospital autoclavs and also keep an eye on their instruments. I sometime wrote off a perfectly good set of instruments so they would have an extra set.

A lot of the surgeons who came up on the 6 week stint bought their own. To my knowledge they all did. The extra instruments were used as back up. The instruments at 8 Fd. Amb. were issue and not used much except when a dustoff was being used and the soldier might not make it. Digger James was there in my day and I got to know him very well.

To give a taste of what casuality evacuation entailed I am attaching a series of photos from 1968, I think, given to me at the time by one of the Orderlies

Stabilizing a soldier at 8 Fd Amb, Nui Dat before his transfer to 1 Aust Fd Hosp, Vung Tau

A Dustoff arriving at 1 Aust Fd Hosp, Vung Tau

Reception at 1 Aust Fd Hosp, Vung Tau
From left .. Doctors Major Boyle and Major Gregg, and, Orderly Sgt Turnbull

Casevac from Vung Tau.
Start of the journey Home via Wallaby Airlines

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