55 Field Surgical Team RAMC

The Last FST in Oman

The Surgeon / Officer Commanding was from the Royal Navy.

The Anaesthetist was from the Royal Air Force.

The Resuscitation and Dental Officer was from the Royal Army Dental Corps.

The remainder of the team was from the RAMC;

          OTTS                     (4)
          Radiographer         (1)
          Lab Technician       (1)
          SRNs                     (2)
          SENs                     (3)
          WO I                     (1)

(Only the MOD could dream up such a combination and label it "Joint Services" ! Imagine the negotiations and politicking between the three services  as they sought to put the team together!)FWJdeB

Their main problem was supply - fortnightly C130. A lack of provision of nitrous oxide for eight weeks occurred through a failure to re-establish a cancellation of supply when it was thought that the FST was going to close. This obviously had  a bearing on the anaesthetic techniques used.

The REs maintained their fleet of two ambulances,a Landrover and a "beach buggy"

Accommodation now "consisted of seven large tin huts"

918 outpatients were seen at the FST and a further 170 at Umm-Al-Guariff.

321 admissions to hospital

715 X-Ray examinations were made - 1041 exposures

655 Laboratory examinations were performed

200 dental  cases were attended to.

101 elective non-battle surgical operations were performed
          e.g. inguinal hernia, meniscectomy etc

26 non-battle emergency procedures
          e.g. perforated DU, intussusception

34 primary trauma operations
          e.g. RTAs

37 secondary procedures
          e.g. DPS and removal of fixation devices

13 primary battle casualties were treated
          e.g. shrapnel and gunshot wounds

31 secondary battle casualty procedures
           e.g. DPS etc

239 operations in a four and a half month period.      i.e. 18% battle related

 All of the photographs below and the comments have kindly been  provided by Geoff Davis

The inside of the Sgts's mess	The new Salalah Control Tower	The Mess garden	Mess Bar	Sgts's Mess staff
FST and Sgts Mess from the air	FST denuded of all its protective burmails	The morgue/beer cooler	FST from behind (!)	FST and back of Sgt's Mess
The Last FST	Casevac Helicopter	The pools at Ayun	The pools at Ayun	The pools at Ayun
Dentist and Anaesthetist (Do I hear "This won't hurt a bit?)	Skyvan	Thumrait Souk	Another FST photograph.......	A hard day on the beach
Fighting with a local over whose beer it is	Emergency resupply for beach barbecue	Once we were white	Mick and friends	One lucky boy after playing around with an unexploded shell
Another satisfied patient	Salalah from the air	The "lucky" boys leg	Aboard HMS ? on a courtesy visit to Oman	Playing at being Arabs
Playing at being Arabs	During the monsoon/khareef period, it wasn't the heat of the humidity that was the worst, it was these loud little buggers bonking all night long	Wildlife at Ayun pools	Bud browned off.....	? the result of the camel race
Young sunburned Brit visitor	The long trip home	Casevac coming in	FST play volleyball and lose	Volleyball
On guard at Ayun pools	FST plat football and lose	The winner of the camel race (honest) gets his just reward. Whether this was meant or not I have my reservations. Wonder what reward the rider got ?	Old palace guard (Askari)	Salalah at night during Eid celebrations

 

It was customary during the Napoleonic wars that the Prize Money that was awarded when enemy ships were captured was divided amongst the crew of the ship according to rank. I understand, from two independent sources that when the FST was finally closed down all the equipment that had been signed for was returned to the MOD. That which had not been signed for or was declared u/s, which I am told included two................... and the proceeds were then divided according to rank in the best RN tradition