WW2 Combat Medics

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

The only 'combat medic' I've ever known I've met is one Ted O'Halloran of the Queen's Own Rifles. I met him in my time with Metro Ambulance here in Toronto, early to mid eighties, when Ted was on light duties prior to retirement. At the same time, as Peter will attest, Ted was still a bugler with the QOR.

Anyway, Ted landed with the Regiment on D-Day and was with them all the way through, until April '45 when he was wounded. That ended his war. There's no telling how many lives he saved, but he's a quiet man and would never boast about it either. I suspect they're all like that, having seen the worst of war close-up.

I've also read tales of Vietnam-era combat medics - they had the highest casualty rates of all troops in contact. Loaded down with a seemingly absurd quantity of medical supplies, they were also well-armed, as their red crosses were just targets for the Viet Cong and NVA.