2010 Paulatim Magazine - RAAMC Association

Water for some R & R. As I had sustained burns to my head and
shrapnel injuries to my rear I to was evacuated. Arrangements would
be made for those who had suffered injuries in the attack on the
Galahad to be treated and evacuated out of theatre of operations.
It was at this point that I realised that I had sustained some injuries and
a flood of relief came over me with the knowledge that I was going
home. After a hot meal and shower on board the ship an
announcement came over the tannoy informing the following personnel
to report to the deck for transfer to a helicopter. My name was on the
list. This was it I was going home!
PAULATIM
30 minutes later I found my self back on dry land. With my SMG in my
hand and weighted down with ammo and medical equipment. The final
push to free the Falklands was on and I wasn’t going home just yet.
Evacuation of battlefield casualties.
own beret and using a rusty nail secured it to the cross. We then
lowered him in to the grave and the padre said a few words before we
each saluted the 2IC for one last time.
The final tab (march) to Stanley.
For the next five days I found my self either working in the make shift
dressing station at Fitzroy, collecting wounded from the various
battlefields or providing close medical support to the Ghurkhas and
Scots Guards as the mountains around Port Stanley were assaulted.
During the assaults as we passed many of the wounded both our own
and the Argentineans we would throw them a couple of dressings and
tell them we would be back later until then they had to rely on self aid.
The problems of casualty evacuation to the Regimental Aid Posts and
beyond were immense. Due to the soft terrain vehicles could not be
used so evacuation was reliant on stretcher bearers. In some cases the
wounded soldiers had to walk considerable distances before receiving
any treatment. Most engagements took place at night on remote hill
sides in adverse weather conditions. Many soldiers, including ones who
had lost limbs lay for many hours relying on self aid. We did not know
it then but these conditions proved crucial to the survival rate of the
wounded due to the extreme cold experienced. Where possible
helicopters were used to evacuate casualties from the battlefield.
All the wooden crosses in the cemetery had the beret of the solider who
had died placed on them to help identify who they were and the units
they served in. We could not do this for MAJ Nutbeam as his beret had
been lost on the Galahad so I removed the RAMC Cap badge from my
The Sir Galahad before being towed away and sunk as a War Grave.
Almost two weeks after the cease fire the a Service of Remembrance
was held on the deck of the Sir Tristrum while the Sir Galahad, which
was still burning, was towed out to sea and sunk as a war grave.
Scouse and Kenny were never going home.
Two months later I returned to the UK from the Falklands. The journey
down to the Falkland Islands which seemed like an eternity ago took
three weeks, the journey back took two days It would be another two
months before I was allowed any leave as on my return my section was
still the Spearhead section and we were put on standby for another
operational deployment. In October 1982 I was posted out of 16 Field
Ambulance to the Junior Regiment Royal Signals Medical Reception
Station.
This was not the end of my Falklands experience however. In February
1983, I became yet another casualty of the Falklands War after
suffering a severe bout of Battle Shock now known as Post Traumatic
Stress disorder PTSD. 250 British Servicemen were killed in the Falklands
War and since then almost the same number have died as a result of
PTSD related circumstances. Nor was this the last of my operational
tours, but that is another story.
By: Captain Andy Brayshaw RAAMC
PA U L AT I M – M A GAZINE O F T HE R OYA L A U S T R A L I A N A R M Y M E DICAL C O R P S – 2 0 1 0 6 7