Oral History Gallery

Structure and training ashore 4 - Gaps in training, 1950s

George Hampton

Service: 1949 - 1979

Rate: Warrant Officer Sick Berth Attendant

Branch: Medical

George joined as a Sick Berth Attendant (SBA) in March 1949 and specialised in operating theatre work. He served in Royal Naval Hospital Portland and in RNH Bighi in Malta. Whilst serving at Malta he embarked in HMS Daring in order to provide humanitarian relief after an earthquake on the Greek island of Cephalonia.

How well did SBA training prepare you for actual medical practise? Listen to George's experiences.

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Extract Text (Duration 1.14)

We were trained in what they call ‘for landing parties'. Hmmm, how to setup shelters ashore, how to prepare areas for latrines, how to dig hmmm...cover and how to deal with our patients ashore. War wounds, they came in passing, you know, you, hmmm... there was no really specific teaching in how to deal with war wounds, except the use of shell dressings and various first aid. In the early NBC training we had, fire fighting and how to deal with gas and this sort of thing, yes. But I mean talking, you know, learning those situations and then coming into reality with patients who have very severe burns and things like that is quite different, you know, when you're actually dealing with them, yes.