RAMC training

[Terence Norsworthy]

Hi , can I ask if anyone has any knowledge of training that stretcher bearers would have undertaken before enrolling in Kitchener’s army.

[kenf48]

2 hours ago, Terence Norsworthy said:

Hi , can I ask if anyone has any knowledge of training that stretcher bearers would have undertaken before enrolling in Kitchener’s army.

Stretcher bearers were a Battalion asset of regimental soldiers, often bandsmen, located in the Headquarters Company.  There were originally 16 subsequently doubled to 32.  RAMC  orderlies were attached to the MO within the battalion structure.  

Stretcher bearers were not RAMC until at a medical facility and even then soldiers on restricted duties were often used.

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/the-evacuation-chain-for-wounded-and-sick-soldiers/field-ambulances-in-the-first-world-war/

Perhaps you could clarify your query 

[Terence Norsworthy]

Hi Ken thanks for your quick reply and the link.much appreciated. I was just trying to establish the training regime that bearers would go through before they were dispatched to France. My grandfather was a bearer attached to 25 th (2nd Wessex) Field Ambulance .

I am trying to write a fictional story about his time spent as a bearer. It would begin from initial training onwards and any information from knowledgeable people like yourself would be of enormous help. 

Cheers Terry 

[kenf48]

You can download the war diary for 25 Field Ambulance from TNA free if you register

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7352474

The 2nd Wessex FA was a first line Territorial Force unit based at Plymouth. The men would attend regular ‘stretcher drills’ locally at the Drill Hall and attend annual camps.  At the outbreak of war these men were considered at least 84% as efficient as regular soldiers hence all three Wessex Field Ambulances were deployed with their impressive equipment to the regular 8th Division. The 2nd were, apparently the most efficient of the three.  Pre war all three Wessex Field Ambulances would train together at annual camps. These events, as well as the drill nights were often reported in the local newspapers.

if we are looking at recruitment to the RAMC at the outbreak of the war many of these men had vocational qualifications from St John’s Ambulance or the Red Cross.

This clip shows the stretcher drills

https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/76186/

and of course there was a manual 

https://thebignote.com/2017/11/15/stretcher-drill-illustrated/

probably a copy in the Wellcome Trust or perhaps @seaJane has a copy in her bibliography 

This book has a chapter on training

https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12657/25723/9780192557414_WEB.PDF?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

and finally the Museum of Military Medicine may assist your research.

Although RAMC stretcher bearers were not employed picking up wounded in the field, that was the job of the battalion bearers,where vehicles were not available they often had long carries from one facility to another along the evacuation chain.

[seaJane]

1 hour ago, kenf48 said:

probably a copy in the Wellcome Trust or perhaps @seaJane has a copy in her bibliography

If I haven't already included the details I will add them in! Thank you for the flag!

sJ

[TEW]

Terry,

I assume your Grandfather in is Reginal V Norsworthy? As seen in another post.

You say;

Quote

My grandfather was a bearer attached to 25 th (2nd Wessex) Field Ambulance

The term 'Attached' in military circles means something quite precise and different to what I believe is the case here. RVN was a bearer in a bearer section of a field ambulane of the RAMC. He's not attached to anything.

The Wellcome Collection have an online version of the RAMC Training Manual for 1911, I have no idea if it's the most up to date version for the  war period. It can be downlaoed as a pdf if you want.

There's also an 1878 Manual of exercises for stretcher-bearers and bearer companies. May be worth a look.

I'd suspect everyone followed the same training regime.

If your fictional account is to include bearer work in France/Belgium then The Wellcome Collection also have a memoir of a RAMC Sgt. bearer which details the work he undertook during the war, not all of it stretcher bearing.

Maybe worth having a look at the Wellcome Collection, this link is a search for online items that contain the word 'bearer between 1913 and 1920.

TEW

[seaJane]

16 minutes ago, TEW said:

I have no idea if it's the most up to date version for the  war period

Without checking, I'm fairly sure it is, as I have it in my bibliography (pinned to the top of this sub-forum. But I will check again. There are other memoirs by stretcher bearers listed (find by using ctrl-F), with links to online versions where available.

seaJane

[Terence Norsworthy]

Hi Tew, yes I was referring to my grandfather, who was initially a bearer in the Terratorial force, before going to France with 2nd Wessex to support the BEF. Thank you so much for all the training information it really is appreciated and will be a great help. 

Cheers Terry 

[seaJane]

11 hours ago, TEW said:

I have no idea if it's the most up to date version for the  war period.

It must be - I don't even have it on the bibliography, so must add it. Edit: on adding it to the bibliography, I notice that after "1911" on the title page of the item digitised at the Wellcome it also says (Reprinted 1915) so yes, it was being used, and without changes, because it would be duty bound to mention any that there were.

I can also contribute is this:

Dupuy GM. The stretcher bearer: a companion to the R.A.M.C. training book, illustrating the stretcher-bearer drill and the handling and carrying of wounded. London: Henry Frowde; Oxford University Press; Hodder & Stoughton, 1915.

This has been on the bibliography for a while but also turns out to have an online copy in the Wellcome Library, https://wellcomecollection.org/works/suwxu72s/items.

I can see that I shall have to check the Wellcome catalogue for my (rather many) other items as yet without online access!

sJ

 

 

 

Edited 7 February by seaJane

[seaJane]

On 05/02/2024 at 23:13, kenf48 said:

and of course there was a manual 

https://thebignote.com/2017/11/15/stretcher-drill-illustrated/

I looked at this but it is dated 1904 and I think was superseded by the book by Dupuy mentioned above, so with apologies I think it falls outwith the remit. Thanks for pointing it out, though!

sJ

[Terence Norsworthy]

Hi ,sea jane. Wow thank you so much.The dupuy manual is incredible. Amazing images and so detailed, a fantastic piece of history. It is also very descriptive and will be a great help. Thank you once again. 

Cheers Terry 

[seaJane]

On 08/02/2024 at 05:18, Terence Norsworthy said:

Thank you once again

My pleasure