Re-equipment of Divisional Units

Reorganisation and re-equipment were major needs of the medical units of the Division after the Libyan campaign. Much medical equipment was drawn during January and, with the exception of a few items, all three field ambulances and the Field Hygiene Section were complete to I. 1248 scale by the end of the month. At this date some RMOs were still incompletely equipped. G. 1098 equipment (stretchers, etc.,) were obtained from Ordnance, but the Division was low on the priority list for transport and no new vehicles had been received by the end of January. Each field ambulance, however, had a sufficient number of motor ambulance cars to evacuate sick from units of its brigade group. The vehicles were serviced and overhauled by NZ Divisional Petrol Company. The deficiency of vehicles was slowly made up in Syria, but in June units were still short, especially of light trucks and cars.