Page 34 - RADC 2016

A brief history of Royal Army Dental
Corps personnel awarded the Military
Cross in WW2
At Corps Weekend this year, four newly- commissioned RADC captains were given the task of researching aspects of our Corps history and delivering a presentation on such to an eager crowd. The aim was not only to inform but remember and respect.
Each presentation was dedicated to an individual who earned a Military Cross (MC); the third highest decoration which is given for “an act or acts of exemplary gallantry duty active operations against the enemy on land”.
Captain Bernard Hirsch eld MC decided that on the 11th December 1939 he would enlist with the ADC and with only weeks of military training become a Dental Of cer.
His military career was to see him attached with the 174 Field Ambulance, part of the 51st Highland Infantry Division. They were sent to North Africa and were involved in battles in; El Alamein, Tripoli, the Mareth
Line and Wadi Akrit. Then participating
in Op Huskey to re-take Sicily, Operation Overlord including the D-Day landings and Op Totalise; the continued advance through France into Belgium and the Netherlands where they were involved in the ghting in Vught and Ardennes. A man who did and saw a lot, but it was his time on Operation Plunder that would see him win his MC.
This operation was the co-ordinated crossings of the River Rhine into Germany on the 23rd March 1945. Captain Hirsch eld, knowing his unit was short
of medical of cers, volunteered to take command of one of the two Casualty Evacuation points which were to be set
up across the Rhine. With his section and carrying light medical equipment he crossed the river at H+30 and rapidly established
his CP on the East bank; approximately one and a half miles west of Rees.
During the night when his stocks of
stretchers and blankets were becoming exhausted, he valiantly re-crossed the river in the face of shell and mortar re landing both banks. At the crossing site, he contacted the of cer in charge of
the Casualty Disembarkation Point to ensure that there would be no failure in replenishment of any medical stores. Soon after his return to the CP a bren-carrier was directly hit by a shell 200 yards from his location. Captain Hirsch eld immediately ran out with a stretcher party to the wrecked vehicle where he provided rst aid to the four wounded crew members, subsequently ensuring their safe evacuation; despite the continued shelling and danger from mines.
Bitter enemy resistance continued in Rees until the 25th March. Throughout the night of the 23-24th March and during the two following days Captain Hirsch eld continued his work with the utmost determination. His coolness, complete disregard for his own
32 RADC BULLETIN 2016
GENERAL INTEREST