Air Evacuation

Air evacuation was established from temporary landing grounds alongside the MDS on 19 July and continued more or less regularly, upward of seventy cases being evacuated between then and the end of the month. These evacuations were carried out both by planes with Red Cross markings and by Bombays with ordinary RAF markings. On 24 July two of the latter were shot down adjacent to the MDS, fortunately without loss of life, but planes marked with Red Crosses were left untouched although obviously observed by enemy aircraft. Air evacuation was continued regularly until 25 August. Evacuation direct to Helwan aerodrome near 1 General Hospital began on 5 August and worked smoothly, eighteen patients arriving at the hospital by this means in August.