Page 18 - QARANC Vol 15 No 2 2017

16 QARANC THE GAZETTE
amalgamated with the REME Apprentices in Arborfield before the Army ultimately closed the junior entry. However, the story did not end there; in 1998 the Army Foundation College opened for business in Harrogate and whilst we do not see the same numbers as we had in Keogh Barracks, the RAMC Junior Soldier has made a comeback.
As an organisation in its own right, it was recorded that during the RAMC Apprentice College’s 30 years of existence it provided the Army Medical Services with a large proportion of its technicians, SNCOs and Officers. A ‘Pass-Out’ parade programme from 1983 remarked that ‘...the College has produced some 65% of the Administrative Officers [a forerunner of the Medical Support Officer] of the RAMC and many Warrant Officers & Sergeants’.
To mark the demise of the RAMC Apprentice, the last remaining apprentices, who have served continuously in the Regular Army since leaving the College, formed up outside the ‘College’, now Regimental Headquarters 4th Armoured Medical Regiment, on 3 May 2017 under the command of Senior ‘Old Boy’ Lt Col (Retd) Terry Reeves (App Cpl - Chavasse 1956/57). The roll call included:
• Col Ross McCulloch (Martin Leake 1979/81) – leaves Service 2017
• Lt Col Tim O’Callaghan (Chavasse 1979/81) – leaves Service 2017
• Lt Col Steve Hall (Harden 1979/81) – leaves Service 2017
• Maj Tim Woolsey (Harden 1980/82)
– leaves Service 2018
• Maj Paul Wiles (Harden 1980/82)
– leaves Service 2018
• Lt Col ‘Fletch’ Fletcher (Martin Leake 1980/82)
– leaves Service 2018
• Col Mark Earnshaw (Martin Leake 1981/83)
– leaves Service 2019
• Col Andy Yates (Harden 1982/84)
– leaves Service 2020
• Lt Col Scott Marshall (Harden 1979/81)
– leaves Service 2017
• Lt Col Gareth Moore (Martin Leake 1982/84)
– leaves Service 2020
• Maj Joe A’Lee (Chavasse 1982/84)
– leaves Service 2021
• Lt Col Aidy Meredith (Thompson 1983/85)
– leaves Service 2021
• Maj Daz Woodall (Chavasse 1983/85)
– leaves Service 2021
• Maj Rob O’Brien (Chavasse 1983/85)
– as the youngest, Rob will be the last serving RAMC Apprentice when he leaves the Service in 2022.
Finally, if we can have a collective claim to fame, between us we have accumulated (so far) 503 years of Service, not a bad return on the initial investment, notwithstanding the scathing comment written into an Annual Report for one of the above - ‘Apprentice X is wasting the Army’s time and money’!
Exercise Somme Serpent
In March, I took part in Ex Somme Serpent with other personnel from 1 Armoured Medical Regiment. This was a Battlefield study which specifically looked at the Somme. We had a guide for the five days that we were there who really set the scene as to what it must have been like for the troops back then.
We started the tour visiting the town of Albert including the Somme 1916 museum; this gave us a chance to look at some of the kit and equipment used within that time and the small amount of medical kit they held with them.
We then moved to Hawthorne Ridge and the crater there. Here we came across a bench in memory of the nurses who served within that time and a plaque which had been placed in memory of Edith Cavell. We briefly looked at her involvement including the troops she saved from both sides and how she was sentenced to death for treason.
We closely looked into Capt Noel Chavasse, VC & Bar, MC, and his continued selfless commitment which earned him his medals. We
were able to see where they had an Advanced Dressing Station at Minden Post which he worked in and discussed what their medical evacuation process was and how it would differ from today, including how many were medically trained and what the training consisted of.
I specifically looked into the many troops who were shot at dawn and learnt how many lost their lives for being what they considered at the time to be deserters. Back then, what some were calling ‘shell shock’ was considered emotional weakness or cowardice, whereas now we are more aware of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and its signs and symptoms.
Memorial at Hawthorne Crater
During the week we were able to visit the Menin Gate and Thiepval Memorial and it was eye-opening to see how many fallen were still missing. They continue to have a daily remembrance at Menin Gate every evening.
Lastly we had the opportunity to see the Bouzincourt Tunnel Tour, which was located underneath a church. There were inscriptions done by the troop living in there during that time and there was even some of their kit.
Sgt Lindsay Walker QARANC
Thiepval Memorial