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    Memories of a National Service Doctor
    Memories of a National Service Doctor
    Memories of a National Service Doctor
    Ebook98 pages1 hour

    Memories of a National Service Doctor

    By Dr John A Lunn

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    Dr John Lunn, at the outset of his National Service, could not have imagined the events which lay ahead. He writes of his first year in the Suez Canal Zone, the last year of the British Army occupation. He describes his experience acting as medical officer on the tank-landing craft sailing the length of the Suez Canal to Aqaba, taking military equipment to Jordan. During his second year in the army, he was on active service in Cyprus during the EOKA campaign. Two life-threatening events are recalled. The book emphasises Dr Lunn’s deep admiration for the bravery of the young National Servicemen in Cyprus when severely wounded and, also, how they coped with the loss of their comrades. He concludes the book by saying how much his life’s experience was enriched by his National Service and how it gave him a lasting affection for the British Army.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAustin Macauley
    Release dateAug 31, 2018
    ISBN9780463678619
    Memories of a National Service Doctor
    Author

    Dr John A Lunn

    The author is a retired hospital consultant with a particular interest in diseases of occupation. He also undertook studies to identify reasons for failed tuberculosis immunisation programmes. One of his early junior hospital appointments was to a specialist ward at St Mary’s Hospital, London, where pioneering treatment of tuberculous meningitis had commenced following the advent of the antibiotic Streptomycin. He designed and had produced a simple, inexpensive, disposable vaccinating device which ensures accurate introduction of the vaccine Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) for protection against tuberculosis As a result of these studies, he was appointed a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation of the UK Department of Health. He was also asked by the South African government’s Department of Health to review their immunisation programme against tuberculosis. His commitment to his tuberculosis studies may well have been inspired by his own recovery from tuberculosis when a child. Before the advent of antibiotics, he spent two years in a sanatorium in order to overcome the disease. He obtained his postgraduate doctorate degree as a result of the studies into the causes, other than flour, of respiratory allergy in flour mill workers. His interests in retirement include recaning and restoring antique chairs, basket making and growing organic vegetables.

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      Book preview

      Memories of a National Service Doctor - Dr John A Lunn

      About the Author

      The author is a retired hospital consultant with a particular interest in diseases of occupation. He also undertook studies to identify reasons for failed tuberculosis immunisation programmes.

      One of his early junior hospital appointments was to a specialist ward at St Mary’s Hospital, London, where pioneering treatment of tuberculous meningitis had commenced following the advent of the antibiotic Streptomycin.

      He designed and had produced a simple, inexpensive, disposable vaccinating device which ensures accurate introduction of the vaccine Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) for protection against tuberculosis

      As a result of these studies, he was appointed a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation of the UK Department of Health. He was also asked by the South African government’s Department of Health to review their immunisation programme against tuberculosis.

      His commitment to his tuberculosis studies may well have been inspired by his own recovery from tuberculosis when a child. Before the advent of antibiotics, he spent two years in a sanatorium in order to overcome the disease.

      He obtained his postgraduate doctorate degree as a result of the studies into the causes, other than flour, of respiratory allergy in flour mill workers.

      His interests in retirement include recaning and restoring antique chairs, basket making and growing organic vegetables.

      ***

      Dedication

      To Maureen, my wife, for her patience and support.

      ***

      Memories of a National Service Doctor

      Published by Austin Macauley at Smashwords

      Copyright 2018, Dr John A Lunn

      The right of Dr John A Lunn to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the

      Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All Rights Reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with the written permission of the publisher, or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act 1956 (as amended). Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      ***

      A CIP catalogue record for this title is

      Available from the British Library.

      ***

      www.austinmacauley.com

      ***

      Memories of a National Service Doctor, 2018

      Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd.

      ISBN 9781788481823 (Paperback)

      ISBN 9781788481830 (Hardback)

      ISBN 9781788481847 (E-Book)

      ***

      First Published in 2018

      Austin Macauley Publishers.LTD/

      CGC-33-01, 25 Canada Square

      Canary Wharf, London E14 5LQ

      ***

      ***

      ***

      Acknowledgements

      I am indebted to my daughters, Joanna and Juliet, for their invaluable technical help in assembling this book.

      ***

      Chapter 1

      National Service Background

      In World War I, the British Army grew to 4 million, the greatest it has ever been. In World War II, without the dreadful attrition of trench warfare, the Army was not as great, and at its height in 1945 was 2.9 million.

      In the post-war period tension with the USSR and defence of the Empire, apart from India which became independent in 1947, Britain still required a large army. In 1955, the year I began my National Service, the Army was a quarter of a million strong. A large contingent was stationed in Germany and much of the remainder scattered around the world in outposts of Empire. The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) had difficulty recruiting enough regular doctors and relied on National Service recruits. For this reason, medical students were allowed to complete their training before doing their National Service.

      I trained at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, and qualified in December 1953. I completed my two mandatory house appointments in December 1954. I had received an excellent medical training, but nothing had prepared me for some of the events that lay ahead of me in the Army.

      All young men who were required to do National Service, had to be medically examined to establish their fitness for enlistment. In early December 1954, I was informed that I had to go to the Queen Alexandra’s Military Hospital, Millbank, to have my medical examination. King Edward VII accompanied by Queen Alexandra first opened the hospital in 1905. It was a grand building with high ceilings and very long corridors. Potential recruits arrived at the examination centre in the hospital having had to walk along a very long corridor. I got the impression that the rather bored looking examining doctors considered that if you were able to walk that far, you were fit enough. The actual medical check was very cursory, and the only indication that I had passed was when I received my call-up papers at the end of December 1954.

      The envelope with my call-up papers included instructions to proceed to Ash Vale Station, near Mytchett, Surrey. A railway warrant for the journey was included together with instructions regarding dress. A smart jacket and tie would be worn. It was also made clear which train I had to catch and that I would be met at Ash Vale Station accordingly.

      On the appointed day in early January 1955, I stepped out of the train at Ash Vale Station and felt that I had then left the civilian world behind me. For the first time in my adult life, I realised that I would no longer be free

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