Title: Medical Units of 2 NZEF in Middle East and Italy

Author: McKinney, J. B.

Publication details: Historical Publications Branch, 1952, Wellington

Part of: The Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–1945

This text is the subject of: ‘Something of Them Is Here Recorded’: Official History in New Zealand

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The ADSs in Position

After functioning as an ADS in Swordfish area (between Amiriya and Burg el Arab and about 16 miles inland) A Company, 5 Field Ambulance, under Capt J. M. Tyler, moved on 21 October. It drove along the coast road in complete darkness, then turned inland to an allotted area. Here slit trenches were dug, but no tents or bivouacs were erected and the Red Cross signs were again not displayed. Five extra American Field Service ambulance cars, with seven drivers, were attached to the ADS. No movement of troops was permitted during the next few days, and because of this some difficulty was experienced in dealing with the intake of patients. At 7 p.m. on 23 October the company again moved forward and about 9.20 p.m. sited an ADS behind a low escarpment. Here the brown and white 40ft by 40ft tarpaulins with large Red Crosses were erected, and a small German tent was set up to serve as an MI Room.

Ten minutes before zero hour, A Company, 6 Field Ambulance, under Maj R. A. Elliott, moved up in the dark to set up its ADS in a forward position well in front of the artillery and in close support of 6 Brigade infantry battalions.