New Medical Units Formed

A unit known as 1 Field Surgical Unit was officially formed on 10 June 1944. In September 1942 a surgical team was first formed as a detachment from 1 General Hospital. It accompanied 2 NZ Division through the desert campaign until the fall of Tunisia in May 1943, when it returned to Base and was temporarily disbanded. On 8 October 1943 the team—called 1 General Hospital Surgical Team—was reformed and accompanied the Division to Italy. It was this 1 General Hospital surgical team which was now formed into an official unit of 2 NZEF as 1 NZ FSU. In effect, the unit consisted of a surgeon (Major A. W. Douglas), an operating theatre corporal, three theatre orderlies, and two truck drivers, with provision for an anaesthetist, who was generally ‘borrowed’ from another unit when required. The name of the unit was changed to 3 NZ FSU in October 1944.

On 25 July a new establishment became effective for 4 Field Hygiene Section, whereby the unit was combined with 2 and 3 Anti-Malaria Control Units to become 4 Field Hygiene Company, and extra transport was also provided. The change simplified and improved administration and proved very advantageous. In the following winter one malaria-control section was disbanded and the other became a typhus-control section.

At the same time a new war establishment was issued for 102 Mobile VDTC, enabling it to have extra vehicles and to raise the number and rank of its NCOs.

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