Military Wiki
223rd (Durham) Field Ambulance
223rd (Durham) Field Dressing Station
223rd (Durham) Field Hospital Unit Badge
Full crest of the ambulance
Active 1967–1995
Country Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Flag of the British Army British Army
Type Field Ambulance
Size Regiment of three detachments
Part of 151st (North East) Brigade
Regimental HQ Bishop Auckland
Equipment
Insignia
Unit Crest 223rd (Durham) Field Hospital Unit Crest
Regimental Crest RAMC TRF

The 223rd (Durham) Field Ambulance was a field ambulance of the British Army's part-time force, the Territorial Army (TA) forming part of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Though short-lived, having been formed in 1967 and disbanding in 1995, the hospital's successors remain part of the British Army today as part of the 201st (Northern) Field Hospital.

History[]

Background[]

In 1967, as a result of the 1966 Defence White Paper, the Territorial Army (TA) was completely reorganised with many of the old units with long and distinguished histories reduced to company and platoon sizes and merged into new smaller units. Among the changes was the creation of the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve (TAVR), which was divided into three categories: TAVR I (The 'Ever-readies', ready for United Nations commitments and would serve to bring the Regular Army to war establishment, replace casualties, and be ready for rapid deployment); TAVR II (these units were to give the Regular Army administrative units not needed in peacetime. They would serve to bring the establishment and to replace losses. This category became known as the 'Volunteers' with units taking the sub-title of '(Volunteers) or (V)'. The third category, TAVR III was the largest of the branches tasked with home defence and were to maintain law and order in the event of nuclear attack and were also available for help in case of civil emergencies; these units had the subtitle of 'Territorial', not to be confused as the 'Territorials', the name for the TAVR as a whole. Lastly, TAVR IV was the smallest of the branch, comprising the University Officers' Training Corps, Regimental and Corps Bands and miscellaneous support units.[1]

Formation[]

Following the above changes, the medical units based in the county of Durham were merged to form the new 223rd (Durham) Field Dressing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps (Volunteers) on 1 April 1967.[2] The new field dressing station was formed within TAVR II with a 200 bed capacity. The new station was organised into a Regimental Headquarters (HQ) and two 'sections': 'A' and 'B', all based within Bishop Auckland. The unit was formed by amalgamating two former field stations based in the north: 22nd (Northern) and 137th (Northern) Field Dressing Stations RAMC.[3] After formation, the station was assigned to Northumbrian District, previously the 50th (Northumbrian) Division/District, though these un-centralised districts became a nuisance and caused issues rather quickly.[4][5][6][7]

Under the 1967 reorganisations a field dressing station had an establish strength for 7 officers, 109 other ranks, 3 MCs and equipped with 14 x Land Rovers and 7 x trailers. The station was divided into three elements, the headquarters (Regimental Headquarters), and two 'sections', though these seem to have been company sized units despite their names.[8]

On 1 March 1970, the Royal Army Medical Corps went through an internal reorganisation which saw the old medical designations replaced by modern terms. The old casualty clearing stations became field hospitals (a term which will disappear in the British Army in 2022), and the old field dressing stations became field ambulances. The field ambulances, as the name would suggest, were mobile units equipped with Land Rover Ambulances which would support units on the battlefield. From this date, the station became 223rd (Durham) Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps (Volunteers).[4][9]

Following these reorganisations, the hospital was expanded into the size of a headquarters and three squadrons (company sized units), and organised as follows:[10][11][12]

  • Regimental Headquarters, at Barnard Armoury, Newton Aycliffe (5 officers, 53 soldiers, 10 vehicles, 7 trailers)
  • A Clearing Troop, at Barnard Armoury, Newton Aycliffe (5 officers, 25 soldiers, 3 vehicles, 3 trailers)
  • B Ambulance Troop, at Barnard Armoury, Newton Aycliffe (25 soldiers and 18 vehicles)
  • C Bearer Troop, at Barnard Castle (35 soldiers)
  • D Collecting Squadron, in Stockton-on-Tees (7 officers, 64 soldiers, 14 vehicles, and 13 trailers)

Following these changes, the ambulance was designated, equipped, and organised as a 'Field Ambulance (Wheeled) (BAOR roled))' and organised into a Clearing Troop, Ambulance Troop, and a Collecting Squadron (separated into 6 x wheeled sections). The ambulance now being a 'wheeled' unit, was equipped with the Land Rover Ambulance. The unit now was established for a strength of 17 officers, 202 other ranks, 45 vehicles, and 23 trailers. If mobilised, the ambulance would support the 4th Armoured Division, and would be capable of forming one dressing station.[10][11][12]

Reorganisations[]

Land Rover, licence registration '-4

Land Rover Series IIA Ambulance was used by the hospital until 1985 when it was replaced by the Land Rover Battlefield Ambulance. This specific vehicle was used by the Royal Netherlands Army.

By 1981, following the 1975 Defence White Paper, the field hospitals were reorganised into a Clearing Troop, Ambulance Troop, and a Collecting Squadron, all organised the same. The bearer troop was dropped, and the establishment only slightly changed to 17 officers, 203 soldiers, 55 vehicles, and 23 trailers.[13]

In 1984, as a result of the 1981 Defence White Paper, many of the old disbanded territorial brigades were reformed as part of their respective regional districts. These brigades were not like their predecessors however, as with the enhancement of the TA, the brigades became purely administrative headquarters for training. Following these changes, the ambulance moved under the administrative control of 151st (North East) Brigade, part of North East District (which was merged with 2nd Infantry Division in 1985). The ambulance's establishment was now 230 personnel.[11][12]

By 1988, the reorganised brought up by the 1981 Defence White Paper saw the ambulance reorganised into the following structure:[14]

  • Regimental Headquarters, at Barnard Armoury, Newton Aycliffe (3 officers and 9 soldiers)
  • A Ambulance Troop, at Barnard Armoury, Newton Aycliffe (36 soldiers and 18 vehicles)
  • B Hygiene Section, at Barnard Castle (1 officer and 8 soldiers)
  • C Medical Squadron, in Stockton-on-Tees (organised into three medical sections, total of 7 officers and 30 soldiers)

Merger[]

As a result of the Options for Change reform which following the Dissolution of the Soviet Union and consequential end of the Cold War, the Royal Army Medical Corps saw its units reduced. Therefore, in 1995, the 223rd Field Ambulance was disbanded and its personnel transferred to the nearby 201st (Northern) Field Hospital.[4]

Honorary Colonels[]

Honorary colonels of the ambulance included:

  • 27th May 1970–1st June 1976: Colonel John Ramsay Horler TD MB[15][16]
  • 1st June 1976–1st June 1986: Lieutenant Colonel Cedric Mathieson Scott TD MB[16][17]
  • 1st June 1986–1st April 1987: Colonel Rowland Aubrey Goodhead TD[17][18]
  • 1st June 1987–1st April 1992: Lieutenant Colonel Michael Lister Fisher TD[18][19]
  • 1st April 1992–xxxxxxxxxxx: Colonel Keith Douglas Calder TD DL[19]

Footnotes[]

  1. Frederick, p. 326
  2. "From Miner to Major: There was talk of camps and of camaraderie at an informal reunion of the Durham Field Ambulance combat medics, a unit formed to turn trained killers into trained carers." (in en). https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/opinion/latest/1309358.miner-major/. Retrieved 2022-02-04 
  3. Watson, Dr. Graham (10 March 2002). "United Kingdom: The Territorial Army 1947". http://www.orbat.info/history/historical/uk/ta47.html. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "223 Field Dressing Station, RAMC (V) [UK"]. 2007-11-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20071107110515/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/vols-tavr/corps/ramc223.htm. Retrieved 2022-02-04 
  5. Vassallo, Colonel (retired) David (17 February 2021). "A History of 243rd (The Wessex) Field Hospital and its predecessors". https://www.friendsofmillbank.org/downloads/243_Fd_Hosp.pdf. 
  6. "TA Command Structure 1967 - 2000". 2007-08-25. http://www.win.tue.nl/~drenth/BritArmy/Lineage/TACOMMANDSTRUCT67/index.html. 
  7. Paxton, J. (1972). The Statesman's Year-Book 1972-73: The Encyclopaedia for the Businessman-of-The-World. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-230-27101-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=l43JDQAAQBAJ&q=HQ+UK+Land+Forces+1972+9+district+headquarters&pg=PA104. 
  8. "Staff Officer's Handbook, 1967 Course for Staff College, Camberley". British Army. 1967. p. 50–51. 
  9. General Staff Order: Authority for Redesignation, MOD(AMD 1) Encl 5 to 20/Med/1097(ASD 2) dated 23 February 1970.
  10. 10.0 10.1 "1978 Staff Officers' Handbook". British Army. pp. 40–42. 
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Vieux-Bill, Louis (May 2021). "British Army of the Rhine Order of Battle, July 1989". https://www.orbat85.nl/documents/BAOR-July-1989.pdf. 
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 Fritz, Alter (October 2018). "British Army of the Rhine & Royal Air Force Germany 1989: Organisation and stationing of the British Armed Forces in Germany in 1989". https://www.relikte.com/_basis/docs/baor-rafg-3.pdf. [dead link]
  13. "Staff Officer's Handbook, 1981 Course for Staff College, Camberley". British Army. 1981. p. 41–43. 
  14. "1988 Staff Officers' Handbook". British Army. 1988. pp. 66–69. 
  15. "No. 45138". 30 June 1970. p. 7190. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/45138/supplement/7190 
  16. 16.0 16.1 "No. 46934". 14 June 1976. p. 8390. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/46934/supplement/8390 
  17. 17.0 17.1 "No. 50535". 2 June 1986. p. 7421. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/50535/supplement/7421 
  18. 18.0 18.1 "No. 50965". 15 June 1987. p. 7672. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/50965/supplement/7672 
  19. 19.0 19.1 "No. 53001". 27 July 1992. p. 12674. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/53001/supplement/12674 

References[]