AND A. The experience of the Australian Army Medical Service, since the outbreak of war, is probably unique in history. The hospitals sent out by the Australian Government were suddenly transferred from a position of anticipated idleness to a scene of intense activity, were expanded in capacity to an unprecedented extent, and probably saved the position of the entire medical service in Egypt. The disasters following the landing at Gallipoli are now well known, and the following pages will show how well the A.
When the facts are fully known, its achievements will be regarded as amongst the most effective and successful on the part of the Commonwealth forces.
In the following pages we have set out the problems which faced the A. The experience gained during this critical period enables us to indicate a policy the adoption of which will enable similar undertakings in future to be developed with less difficulty. We desire to acknowledge gratefully the permission to publish documents granted by General Sir William Birdwood and Dr. Ruffer of Alexandria, and also much valuable help given by Mr.
Howard D'Egville. The beautiful photographs which are reproduced were mostly taken by Private Frank Tate, to whom our best thanks are due. In any reference to the work of the Australian Army Medical Corps in Egypt it must never be forgotten that the expansion of No. The story told is the outcome of our personal experience and consequently relates largely to No. With the exception of the Director-General, all the medical officers were engaged in civil practice, which absorbed the greater portion of their energy.
The system of compulsory military training which came into operation in was creating a new medical service, by the appointment of Area Medical Officers, whose functions were to render the necessary medical services in given areas, apart from camp work. These also were mostly men in civil practice, to whom the military service was a supplementary means of livelihood. Camps were formed at periodical intervals for the training of the troops, the duration of the camps rarely exceeding a week.
