The Evolution Of Casualty Evacuation In The British Army In The 20th Century (Part 3) – 1945 To Present

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Forward Medical Evacuation

“…A review of casualty evacuation in the British Army described the emergence of helicopters as a platform for medical evacuation during the Korean War [2] . Whilst helicopters were frequently used for medical evacuation in subsequent counter-insurgency operations such as Malaya, Borneo and Oman [3], it was assumed that the majority of casualties in conventional warfighting operations would be moved by ground ambulance and helicopters would not be dedicated for medical evacuation .…”

Stability operations and the implications for military health services support

“…Stability operations have also been referred to as "Phase IV" or "post-conflict" operations, although reoccurrences of conflict are often possible (9). The medical support plans and experiences described previously (1)(2)(3)(4)(5) were based on the 'old assumptions' of industrialised, inter-state conflict. This implied a warfighting phase of high intensity and short duration.…”

“…The operational environment is likely to lead to lower troop densities than are described for warfighting operations and these forces are likely to be operating on an area or matrix basis rather than in a linear operational laydown. This means that the medical laydown and medical evacuation plan will be based around a 'hub and spoke' concept rather than a linear evacuation chain (3).…”

“…In 2002/3 a series of papers that reviewed the history of casualty evacuation in the twentieth century (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). These papers concentrated on intervention and warfighting operations and did not cover medical planning and casualty evacuation for counter-insurgency operations during the so called 'Savage Wars for Peace' fought in countries such as Malaya, Aden, Borneo, Cyprus, Oman and Northern Ireland (6).…”

Untitled

“…Following the Second World War, the British Army focussed solely on the potential challenges of a defensive battle against the Warsaw Pact in Europe. The size and allocation of field ambulances to front-line divisions reduced in order to balance medical effort on clearing casualties from the rear area 2. Field ambulances became untenable, and a new construct for medical support to the division was created based upon divisional Close Support Medical Regiments and General Support Medical Regiments 3.…”