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Afield ambulance (FA) is the name used by theBritish Army and the armies of other Commonwealth nations to describe a mobile medical unit that treats wounded soldiers very close to the combat zone. In the British military medical system that developed during theFirst World War, the FAs formed an intermediate level in thecasualty evacuation chain that stretched from theregimental aid posts near thefront line and thecasualty clearing stations located outside the range of the enemy'sartillery. FAs were often assigned to thebrigades of adivision.
The term is no longer used in the BritishRoyal Army Medical Service. They were replaced by medical regiments (which are assigned to brigades) andfield hospitals. It is however still used in theRoyal Canadian Medical Service within theCanadian Armed Forces.
During the October and November 1917 offensive by theEgyptian Expeditionary Force there were no advanced medical base east of Kantara on theSuez Canal. The operations was supported by the British general and stationary hospitals inEgypt, with casualty clearing stations at Deir el Belah.[1]
On 28 October the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance "stood to" all day doing dressings in the open, before riding out from Tel el Fara at 16:00 towards Beersheba. Medical orderlies rode donkeys, mules pulled the supply wagons, stretcher bearers rode horses and more horses pulled the ambulances while camels carried the Tent Division, "a complete Light Horse Field Ambulance, for the first time on record."[2] Ten days of concentration and approach marches across the difficult and waterless country in "extreme secrecy" successfully culminated on 31 October 1917 with the capture of Beersheba. On that day, Nos. 35, 65, and 75 Casualty Clearing Stations were in position at Imara, while the Motor Ambulance Convoy cars attached to the Desert Mounted Corps drove between them and the Anzac Mounted Division receiving station at Rashid Bek. The Australian Mounted Division receiving station and the operating car were at Asluj, with some of the light motor ambulance waggons. Mobile sections of field ambulances followed their brigades while cacolet camels followed the divisions, and the remaining light motor ambulance waggons drove along the steep and winding eastern road from Asluj.[3]
TheNew Zealand Expeditionary Force established several field ambulances during the First World War, and 4, 5, and 6 Field Ambulance served with the2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Mediterranean during the Second World War.
Second World War units