Private, RAMC

The Medic [Cameraderie updated]



Private, RAMC - attatched to the Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infatry Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division, in France 1944


Less often remembered in favour of the more 'exciting' soldiers of the Second World War (i.e. the infantry, armoured corps etc), the Royal Army Medical Corps played a vital role in all campaigns. Here, a medical Private drags a wounded comrade from the Durham L I to safety while under fire - above and to the left of the figure are bullets striking the parados.

The medic would have provided immediate first aid, to stabalise the wound and attempt to stop or reduce the catastrophic bleeding that a gunshot wound could cause. This medic is reasonably lucky - he could do this from the relvative safety of the slit trench, but often this would have had to be done while exposed directly to enemy fire. He is now dragging the injured DLI soldier to the rear - to a casualty station, then depending on the severity of the wound, the casualty would be sent to a field hospital or (if possible) returned to England.

The BEF's medical services were actually quite good, with a reasonably efficient system and good hospitals and medical staff. Indeed, plastic surgery was pioneered by British Army medics as they attempted to rebuild patients' shattered faces to give them some sort of life after thier injuries.

This particular medic goes unarmed, carrying instead medical supplies and extra water. In an effort to distinguish that he is a non-combatant, he wears an armband with the red cross on it, but this was not always enough, and many medics became casualties, by deliberate enemy means (i.e. being targeted and shot) or by chance (mortar shell etc).

There are countless stories of medics going into extreme danger to assist and rescue wounded comrades, and it understandable why of the three men who were awarded VCs twice, two of them were serving with the RAMC. As true now as it was then, the medic remained one of the most valued members of any platoon.

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Finished version of Cameraderie. Shame about several of the blokes further along in the trench being too low.. When I drew the machine gun, I shouldn't have placed it so low, it should have been looking over the parapet, not through a gap. The chap next to it is a bit low too. Perhaps there's a step there that we cannot quite see.. Definitely that and not that I'm useless. I'm still not very good at applying shading, but we're moving on, I'm getting better.. See British Sniper in scraps and marvel at the change.

Having just checked, the Fusilier is wearing the wrong shoulder patches; 4th Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers were attached to the 50th Infantry division during 1939-1940 but were apparently sent to greener, less Northern pastures (division-wise) by 1944, so woops there, but at least his tin hat markings are right. Be honest though, would any of you have noticed?



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Still drawn as ever with a cheap crappy HB pencil on photocopy paper, excitingly redone in glorious 6B mainly..