SteveKrieg
Company Commander
G'day all,
Just one more to round-off my weekend's work. Aside from the natural hazards that come from jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, the paratroopers that jumped that night sustained casualties caused by injury during the jump (the increased speed of some aircraft as a means by panicky aircrews to avoid flak causing a man's chute to deploy more violently), enemy shell fire of various calibres including small arms and, in some cases, jumping too low for a good landing (an evasive measure though a silly one given it put the aircraft well within range of ground fire more-so).
With that in-mind, and given the heavy casualties caused by this myriad of reasons, this diorama illustrates the 326th Airborne Medical Company which was responsible for evacuation of the wounded from the aid stations at battalion-level to the collecting stations where, depending on the injury, casualties would be on-forwarded to the field hospitals. Each PIR had a medical detachment fulfilling the role of battalion aid station whilst each company was assigned up to three medics. Regimental medics had the same tactical helmet markings as the parent regiment whilst those of the 326th bore a white stencilled/hand-painted cross.
Medics of both divisions painted over their large Geneva crosses given they jumped-in with the combat troops and therefore did not wish to give way their position with these obvious markings. Noting this, many medics of the 326th chose to wear two rather the required one arm bands denoting their role.
The dual-satchel issue medical harness was distained by para-medics because of its bulk so a single (extended) satchel was carried (a better-designed medical satchel was issued after the Normandy Campaign.
The casualty has broken his wrist (protruding bone as indicated by the bump in the bandage). Many injured and wounded remained where they laid for days in some cases and when stumbled across by fellow paras would often have their rifle up-ended a-topped with helmet to denote medical assistance required though many chose to cradle their weapons if they were capable of using it. Enjoy, Steve
Just one more to round-off my weekend's work. Aside from the natural hazards that come from jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, the paratroopers that jumped that night sustained casualties caused by injury during the jump (the increased speed of some aircraft as a means by panicky aircrews to avoid flak causing a man's chute to deploy more violently), enemy shell fire of various calibres including small arms and, in some cases, jumping too low for a good landing (an evasive measure though a silly one given it put the aircraft well within range of ground fire more-so).
With that in-mind, and given the heavy casualties caused by this myriad of reasons, this diorama illustrates the 326th Airborne Medical Company which was responsible for evacuation of the wounded from the aid stations at battalion-level to the collecting stations where, depending on the injury, casualties would be on-forwarded to the field hospitals. Each PIR had a medical detachment fulfilling the role of battalion aid station whilst each company was assigned up to three medics. Regimental medics had the same tactical helmet markings as the parent regiment whilst those of the 326th bore a white stencilled/hand-painted cross.
Medics of both divisions painted over their large Geneva crosses given they jumped-in with the combat troops and therefore did not wish to give way their position with these obvious markings. Noting this, many medics of the 326th chose to wear two rather the required one arm bands denoting their role.
The dual-satchel issue medical harness was distained by para-medics because of its bulk so a single (extended) satchel was carried (a better-designed medical satchel was issued after the Normandy Campaign.
The casualty has broken his wrist (protruding bone as indicated by the bump in the bandage). Many injured and wounded remained where they laid for days in some cases and when stumbled across by fellow paras would often have their rifle up-ended a-topped with helmet to denote medical assistance required though many chose to cradle their weapons if they were capable of using it. Enjoy, Steve
