Organisation of Medical Battalions.


The Medical battalion comprises a Surgical company, an Ambulance company and a Headquarters company.

The Surgical company consist of 2 operating/ICU  platoons each with a House bodied wagon equipped as an operating theatre with a Heavy House trailer equipped as an ICU and 2 minor injury and laboratory platoons each with a House bodied wagon equipped as a minor injury treatment centre and a Heavy House trailer, one equipped as an X ray unit and the other as a laboratory and blood transfusion centre.

 Each Surgical platoon is commanded by a Surgeon Captain,  with a Surgeon Lieutenant,  3 Medic Sergeants and 6 Medics. Each treatment platoon is commanded by a Surgeon Captain with 2 Surgeon Lieutenants, 4 Medic Sergeants and 8 Medics. The X ray and blood transfusion/laboratory units are staffed jointly  by a Surgeon Captain and 2 Surgeon Lieutenants. The Surgical company is commanded by a Surgeon Major assisted by a Medic Sergeant Major.
The company has 16 QM drivers under the command of a QM Lieutenant assisted by a QM sergeant. The company has a total strength of 75.  The purpose of the Surgical company is to provide sufficient treatment to wounded soldiers to stabilise them so they can be evacuated to railhead and onwards to base hospitals.

The Ambulance company has 2 platoons each of 4 ambulances with 8 QM drivers under the command of a QM sergeant and 8 Medics under the command of a Medic Sergeant. The company is commanded by a QM Lieutenant supported by a Medical Lieutenant.  Total strength of the company is 38. These companies provide transport of wounded soldiers from Battalion Aid posts to Medical battalions. Transport of wounded soldiers to railhead is carried out by returning empty QM Transport companies.

The Headquarters company comprises a Staff platoon of 12 Staff men with 2 Staff Sergeants commanded by a Staff Lieutenant, a Signals platoon of 10 Signallers with a Signals Lieutenant in command supported by a Signals Sergeant. The Quartermaster platoon has 28  drivers with a QM Lieutenant in command supported by a QM Sergeant.  All QM staff of the Battalion are under the overall command of a QM Captain  supported by a Sergeant Major. The command platoon has a Staff Lieutenant Colonel as Battalion Commander with a Staff Major as Adjutant and second in command with a battalion Staff Sergeant Major and two standard bearers, one with the national flag and one with the battalion flag. Medical battalions are the only battalions where command is not held by officers of that arm of service. Medical officers are deemed "specialist" and are therefore ranked no higher than Major. Total strength of the Headquarters company is  64 giving a total battalion strength of 177.

The other vehicles and equipments of the battalion include 6 GS wagons towing a field kitchen, water tank trailer and 4 Heavy GS trailers for medical supplies. There are 2 House headquarters wagons and a Heavy House headquarters trailer with a Heavy House Signals trailer. Medical battalion staff also maintain Graves Registration facilities for supported battalions.

This photo shows from left to right the surgical company with medical staff in front, the command vehicles, GS vehicles and ambulances with QM, Signals and Staff in front.  My armies have a total of 12 Medical battalions on the basis of one for each Infantry Brigade.. The arm of service colour for Medical is white.