DOCTORS: from The Story of The Anzacs

The Australian Army Medical Service had from the beginning teen organised in such a way as to correspond closely with the British Army Medical Service, Australian units being thus enabled to take their place side by side with the medical services in any part of the British Dominions. When War broke out, three Field Ambulances and one Light Horse Field Ambulance were placed on a war footing, complete in every detail as to personnel, equipment, vehicles and horses. This service was subsequently increased to meet the proportions of the later contingents, and medical services for the lines of communication were organised, with a personnel drawn from medical officers on the Active List. An Australian Army Medical Corps reserve was also formed.

At the very outset of the War, many of Australia's most distinguished men threw up large practices and volunteered for service in a trying, and in some cases, pestilential, climate, at a mere fraction of their previous salary, and in many instances under conditions as dangerous as those of the actual fighters in the field. The self-sacrificing patriotism of these doctors was enhanced by the fact that many of them were quite elderly men, completely unused to roughing it, and feeling keenly the discomfort of military life, the increased work, and the daily and nightly tension of their new conditions.

The greatest heroism was displayed by the Anzac doctors on the Peninsula itself. No part of their sphere of operations was free from the enemy fire, yet they worked as coolly as if they were in the wards or operating theatres of Melbourne or Sydney hospitals. At the Landing they were specially to the fore, and did splendid service. As many of the sick and wounded as possible were sent off from Anzac to the hospital ships and thence to the base hospitals of Lemnos or Egypt; but the more urgent work had to be done on the terrain itself under heavy fire.

One doctor who was operating had the instrument knocked from his hand by a bullet, and, as a result of this, a small bomb-proof hospital and operating theatre were built to replace the tent in which he had been working. This hospital was under the command of Colonel Howse, V.C., who went about his daily work under heavy fire with a superb contempt of danger. Constantly the doctors had to tend the wounded in the thick of the firing - thus Captain Jackson worked for days without a rest, and in the face of what seemed certain death, to alleviate the sufferings of the wounded. Captain Loughran was "in the thick of every action of the 14th Battalion."

One doctor went forth within easy range of a notorious sniper in Monash Gully, and brought back one wounded man after another. Another doctor, belonging to a N.S.W. Battalion, joined in the great charge at Lone Pine, and rendered fine service tinder heavy bomb fire. A most grievous loss to the A.A.M.C., and to Australian Medicine in general, was dealt by the death of Captain Mathison.

Dr. Mathison was one of the most brilliant men of science in Australia. After taking high honours at the Melbourne University, he went through a course at the Lister Institute, in England, and subsequently became Pathologist at the Melbourne Hospital. All who knew him believed that he had a great career before him, and he had already done work of national value to Australia. His bright and cheerful character endeared him to all who knew him, and his death came as a severe blow to the medical profession in Australia.

At the attack on Gaba Tepe, on May 4th, our men were met with a fierce fire from the Turkish guns, and the beach was covered with wounded; the medical officer in charge, Dr. Brennan, worked there bravely, attending to the wounded men in spite of a rain of bullets and shells. This was one incident among many which show the devotion and heroism of the Army Doctors who, at all times, have shown their readiness to risk their lives at the call of duty.

One of the most loved among the Doctors was Captain J. G. Luther, of the 5th Battalion, and when he was killed in one of the trenches his death brought great sorrow to the soldiers, all of whom had come to know and love him.

Captain Sydney Campbell, 8th Light Horse, earned a great name amongst his brother officers and men for his care and skill with the sick and wounded. Utterly fearless, he worked strenuously amongst the wounded in the firing line. After a hard spell in the trenches he went down with his C.O. (Colonel White) to the beach, where he was badly wounded by shell fire. A few hours later he died.

So much for the work done by the doctors in the field. As typical of their work in the hospitals, we may cite the history of the First Australian Stationary Hospital, which was under the control of the Army Medical Corps, and was mainly recruited from South Australia. The officer in command was Lieutenant Colonel H. W. Bryant, V.D., A.A.M.C., a Victorian, whose work, like that of his staff, deserves special mention.

They left Australia in the early part of December, 194, by the Australian Hospital Ship, "Kyarra," and arrived in Egypt in the middle of January. There the personnel was divided into two camps, one being with the 1st Light Horse, and the other at the Village of Maadi. The residents pf this village deserve the thanks of the people of Australia for their great kindness to the Australian troops. No effort or expense were spared to render their stay as agreeable as possible. The residents vied with each other in giving the troops as pleasant a time as they possibly could.

Receiving two hours' notice only, half the hospital unit proceeded to Ismailia, just before the Turkish attack on the Canal in February, 1915, and they remained there until hostilities were over. The Australian Hospital was the only one at Ismailia possessing motor ambulances. The two that were taken thither gave invaluable aid during the fight, and special mention was made of the services rendered by Major, now Lieutenant-Colonel, Powell, of South Australia, who was in charge of this portion of the Hospital.

On March 3rd, the Hospital left Alexandria for Lemnos, taking with it 80 tons of equipment, and reaching the island, together with other detachments of the famous 3rd Brigade. It must not be imagined that they here found everything prepared for them, this was by no means the case.

Through lack of their motor waggons and other transport, the work of transferring the supplies and equipment was by no means easy. Through the perseverance of Lieutenant-Colonel Bryant and his staff, this initial difficulty was eventually overcome; but the Hospital had still to undergo much hardship and tribulation. The water supply was defective at first, and there was also a difficulty in getting firewood, all of which had to be carried from the mainland. The Hospital was located on the side of a rocky hill and exposed to the full fury of the gales, which were often accompanied by rain; so that the greatest difficulty and discomfort were suffered every day by the staff, more especially as the tents were always overcrowded with patients.

During one night, owing to a severe storm, six marquees, all full of patients, were blown down. No words can express the praise due to the staff for their gallantry on this occasion, and, indeed, throughout the whole campaign. On many occasions they had to work 48 hours at a stretch, and they did this without complaint, their only desire being to render all the assistance possible to the unfortunate men who were so gallantly suffering indescribable pain. Not only were there wounded soldiers to be tended, but sick ones also, suffering from almost every form of disease.

Sergeant H. S. Marshall, of Melbourne, was at first the only certified dentist available for the assembled troops. This gallant young man toiled unceasingly, wearing himself utterly out through want of rest and sleep. Sir Ian Hamilton, who knew the fine work he had done, desired to give him a commission, but for some technical reason this was found impossible. He died of phthisis shortly after his return to Australia.

About the middle of May orders were received that the staff were to proceed to Gallipoli, and they departed for the Peninsula on the "Clan Macgillivray," anchoring at the mouth of the Dardanelles, and being subsequently transferred to the Cunard liner, "Alaunia," which had been turned into a hospital ship. For two weeks the Hospital had its headquarters here, and during this time 1,500 wounded were taken on board. After treatment, they were either removed to the Base, or returned to the Front.

Subsequently submarines made their appearance and the Hospital returned to Lemnos, which was made into an intermediate base. Cases were sent to and from Gallipoli in trawlers, leaving the Peninsula at night, and landing at Lemnos in the morning. Those fit to return to the front did so at night in the trawlers.

After the return to Lemnos, about one dozen hospitals, English, Indian and Australian, were established at Mudros east. Among these was the Second Australian Stationary Hospital, the personnel of which came from Western Australia.

Towards the end of the campaign, the First Australian Hospital was transferred to Gallipoli, and had its base at Walker's Ridge, where it remained until the Evacuation. At Lemnos it had experienced many difficulties, but at Anzac there were graver risks, for on one occasion a shell burst on one of the marquees, causing some eight casualties.

To impress our readers with the high value in which this Hospital ranked, it may be mentioned that a special order was issued by the D.M.S. that very severe cases were to be operated on only at the First Australian Hospital. The O.C. was mentioned twice in Despatches. This Hospital up to August was the only one with a X-ray outfit, and had to perform the X-ray work of all the other Hospitals, some thousands of cases being treated in this way.