Question:Did RFC have it's own medics?

[GWRCo]

Hi gang!

.....something that's puzzled me for a while now, is did the RFC have it's own medical personnel on the stations (bit like todays raf medical centres, etc), or were RAMC personnel attached to the RFC??

Any help with this puzzle would be greatly appreciated, and it would settle my brain from constantly being fried!!!!

tim

[Starlight]

Hi Tim,

My grandfather served with the RFC in Belgium and from 1916 to 1918 he often mentioned in his diaries about going to the hospital or seeing the doctor (on the aerodrome) and on one occasion when his aerodrome was bombed, a medical orderly was killed.

In looking at the "Western Front Association" website

it mentions that "In additional to its - the RMAC - care of the medical needs of the Army, it also served the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Airforce until the establishment of the RAF Medical Service in October 1918."

Not much of a start, but something.

Regards

Steve

[CROONAERT]

"In additional to its - the RMAC - care of the medical needs of the Army, it also served the Royal Flying Corps

As the RFC actually was part of the Army, and not really a separate service until after the formation of the RAF, I'd have thought that this would definately have been the case.

Dave

[per ardua per mare per terram]

I have researched an RFC crash in England where the aerodrome doctor gave evidence to the coroner, he was in the RAMC. It's a bit like asking if the RE or ASC had their own medical service; the RFC were an army corps, moreover one that only really expanded after 1916 and until they became a different service they didn't need their own support organisations. Similarly the RNAS used RN medical services.

[GWRCo]

.........Chaps,

many thanx for the replies-greatly appreciated as always! Back in the raf on my unit (TCW), we had our own suppliers, mt section, etc. So it was a question that has now been answered!

Thanx once again!! .....and a very merry chrimbo to all!

tim