Regimental Aid Post Records

Hello,
Is anybody aware if the regimental aid posts kept records of the men that came through their doors for treatment?

The reason I am asking is that I have found the location of an original field grave from May 1940 (he remains unidentified) and was located in the approximate position of the R.A.P. of the 77th field regiment. So I am wondering if the chap was taken there for treatment, passed away and was buried nearby.

Also I dont know much about R.A.P.s, were they tied in with the R.A.M.C.? I think the 11 field ambulance was in the area at the time. Again I'm not sure how they are tied in.

Date of death of the chap is recoded by CWGC as 19th May and location is just north of a town called Tiegem/Tieghem near the river Escaut/Sheldt.

Thanks for any help anyone can give.

Adam

 

Adam.

The RAP of 77 Regt RA was run by the Regimental Medical Officer (RMO) - likely a young GP in the early part of his/her career. It is normally the first job allocated to a newly commissioned doctor in the RAMC. The RMO's job was largely one of triage - deciding whether the casualty that was brought into the RAP would live or die. If the RMO's assessment was that the casualty would survive the trauma of the journey back to the Advanced Dressing Station (ADS) and the trauma of surgery, then they were taken from the RAP to the ADS by ambulances/jeeps of the Field Ambulance RAMC.

If the casualty was assessed not capable of surviving the trauma of travel and surgery, he was placed outside, handed to the Padre, given some morphine and quietly left to pass away.

Regards

Frank

 

Thanks for your reply Frank, very sad.

Would you know if records were kept of patients who were brought to the RAP?

Thanks
Adam

 

Adam.

I very much doubt it. They were probably kept at the time as an immediate but ditched soon after as the unit moved on and the casualties cleared out. The RMO and his team were too busy.

Regards

Frank

 

Thank you.

It might be a good idea if I find out who the M.O. of the 11 Field Ambulance attached to the 77th Field Regiment in May 1940 was. Perhaps he has a diary or memoirs?

 

Ive found in the nominal roll of the war diary that the Medical Officer in May 1940 was Acting Captain H.W. Chadfield, attached from 12 Field Ambulance RAMC.

 

MO's kept a record of patients in a day book to a standard pro-forma - patient ID (nrn), unit, wound, cause, treatment, disposal. I don't know the protocols of what should have been done with the records - who, what, where? I have however seen a rare few kept by the individual doctors which have come on the market however none any official collection.

 

Thats very interesting to know, thank you!
It gives me another avenue to explore.