Operation at the MDS

There was considerable argument as to the advisability of carrying out the major forward surgery in the field ambulances, especially when only a single surgical team was attached. It was held that the work could be more efficiently carried out at a CCS and that the extra teams should be attached to the CCS, concentrating the work in the one area and thus allowing of better utilisation of the specialists available. It was held that the lone operator was either overworked or wasted.

During the left hook at Mareth, however, it was essential that the forward surgery should be carried out by the field ambulances, and our units had two surgical teams and a field transfusion unit attached for that purpose.