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1st Health Support Battalion (Australia)
Encyclopedia
17th Combat Service Support Brigade (Australia)
The 17th Combat Service Support Brigade currently commands the Australian Army's deployable operational level logistics units. Raised on 20 May 2006, the brigade was formerly known as the Logistic Support Force , and is made up of varied logistic corps and trades. It encompasses both reserve and...
of the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
. It is based at the Holsworthy Army Barracks
Holsworthy Barracks
Holsworthy Barracks is located in the outer south-western Sydney suburb of Holsworthy. It is part of the Holsworthy military reserve, which has been a training area and artillery range for the Australian Army since World War I. Following World War II it became a major base for the permanent...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
Role
1HSB is a rapidly deployable medical facility able to support all contingency as requested by the Australian Defence ForceAustralian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
(ADF). The role of the 1HSB is to provide Level 3 combat health support to land-based forces in joint, combined and inter-agency operations. A Level 3 facility provides the first formal initial wound surgery (surgical resuscitation) and medium to high intensity nursing care in the area of operations. It also provides a definitive diagnosis of the casualties condition.
Current composition
1HSB currently consists of:- HQ
- Clinical Company
- Clinical Support Company
- Operations Support Company
Raising the unit
1HSB has its historical roots dating back to Australia's involvement in the Vietnam WarMilitary history of Australia during the Vietnam War
Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War began as a small commitment of 30 men in 1962, and increased over the following decade to a peak of 7,672 Australians deployed in South Vietnam or in support of Australian forces there. The Vietnam War was the longest and most controversial war Australia...
.
In April 1966 during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
the 2nd Field Ambulance was raised at Vang Tau. A year later, 8th Field Ambulance took over from 2nd Field Ambulance. Another year on, 1 April 1968, 1st Australian Field Hospital was raised and took over the Australian military hospital at Vang Tau from 8th Field Ambulance (for more details on the units involvement in the Vietnam War, see the Vietnam section below).
In December 1971 the unit returned to Australia and was located at Manunda Lines, Ingleburn in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. At this time, the unit name was changed to the 1st Field Hospital (1 FD Hosp).
In January 1996, 1 FD Hosp was relocated to a purpose built medical facility at the Holsworthy Army Barracks in Sydney.
On 16 August 2000, 1 FD Hosp underwent a change to its current name, the 1st Health Support Battalion (1HSB).
1 April has been retained as 1HSB's anniversary to celebrate and commemorate the service of the unit since the raising of the 1st Australian Field Hospital in Vietnam in 1968.
Call Sign Vampire
The fighting bat logo (pictured left) was originally used by the 2nd Field Ambulance. This is a different logo that is in use today by 1HSB. The current design of the bat logo (as seen at the top of this page) was as a result of a competition organised by the Commanding Officer of 1st Field Hospital, Major General David Rossi AO (Ret), during 1977–1979. The criteria for the design was that it could be easily identified by the unit and involved the use of the Call Sign Vampire and a distinguishable piece of history from which to build upon.
Vietnam War (1966–1971)
Between April and June 1966, during the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, the 1st Australian Logistic Support Group
1st Australian Logistics Support Group
The 1st Australian Logistic Support Group was a ground support unit of the Australian Army during the Vietnam War located at Vũng Tàu. The unit was formed in 1965 as the Australian Logistic Support Company and was redesignated as 1 ALSG in April 1966.1 ALSG commanded logistic support units to all...
(1ALSG) had set up a logistics
Military logistics
Military logistics is the discipline of planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of military forces. In its most comprehensive sense, it is those aspects or military operations that deal with:...
base on the coast of Vung Tau
Vung Tàu
Vũng Tàu is a city in southern Vietnam. Its population in 2005 was 240,000. The city area is including 13 urban wards and one village. It is the capital of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, and is the crude oil extraction center of Vietnam. It is also known as one of the most beautiful cities of tourism...
in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. This base was to support the 1st Australian Task Force
1st Australian Task Force
The 1st Australian Task Force commanded the Australian and New Zealand Army units deployed to South Vietnam between 1966 and 1972. 1 ATF was based at Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy Province...
(1ATF) who had set up an operational base at Nui Dat
Nui Dat
Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy Province was the location of a prominent Australian military base in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The site was chosen by Lieutenant General John Wilton in 1966 and was built mainly by men from the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment...
, approximately 20 miles inland from Vung Tau in the centre of Phuoc Tuy Province
Phuoc Tuy Province
Phước Tuy Province was a province of South Vietnam. It now mostly corresponds to Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, just southeast of Ho Chi Minh City....
, south-east of Saigon
Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
.
At the logistics base at Vung Tau, a restricted Field Ambulance was set up comprising half a stretcher bearer company and a 50-bed hospital. It was raised on 1 April 1966 and known as the 2nd Field Ambulance. An Australian medical unit was now at war for the first time since 1945. The unit had approximately 100 personnel, a mixture of regular and conscripted
Conscription in Australia
Conscription in Australia, or mandatory military service also known as National Service, has a controversial history dating back to the first years of nationhood...
soldiers. Prior to the raising of the 2nd Field Ambulance, medical support for the Australian troops was provided by the Americans.
In February 1967, mass casualties arrived at the hospital from three different incidents almost simultaneously. This exposed the limitations of the hospital's operating theatre with three operating tables in a single Kingstrand hut. The modern weapons used during the Vietnam War were producing severe, multiple contaminated wounds with massive tissue damage, much greater than had ever been experienced by Australian Army clinicians. Surgery was often performed at the same time as the initial resuscitation efforts.
On 1 April 1967, the 2nd Field Ambulance at Vung Tau was taken over by the 8th Field Ambulance. It was located in two areas with the main hospital element at the Vung Tau base and a detached forward company at Nui Dat. 171 battle casualties were admitted to the hospital over a period of six months (4 September 1967 to 3 March 1968). There was only one fatality during this period, but it should be noted that most severely injured soldiers with poor prognosis were treated at 36 Evacuation Hospital, the major United States medical facility in Vung Tau.
As Australia's military commitment to Vietnam increased, so did the medical services supporting it. On 1 April 1968 the 1st Australian Field Hospital (1 Aust FD Hosp) was raised. The word "Australian" was used in the unit name so as to differentiate it from the American Field Hospital. This unit became the main Australian medical unit in Vietnam. On the raising of the 1 Aust FD Hosp, 8th Field Ambulance moved to Nui Dat where it had already established a forward company.
The Australian military hospital at Vung Tau expanded from 50 beds to 106 beds including:
- 50 bed surgical ward
- 50 bed medical ward
- 6 bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
The hospital was fully functional with the necessary military hospital facilities and services including Triage
Triage
Triage or ) is the process of determining the priority of patients' treatments based on the severity of their condition. This rations patient treatment efficiently when resources are insufficient for all to be treated immediately. The term comes from the French verb trier, meaning to separate,...
which could take up to 6 simultaneous casualties and could expand to 16 if necessary, Operating Theatres
Operating theatre
An operating theater was a non-sterile, tiered theater or amphitheater in which students and other spectators could watch surgeons perform surgery...
with 3 operating tables, Pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
, X-ray
X-ray
X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 0.01 to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz to 30 exahertz and energies in the range 120 eV to 120 keV. They are shorter in wavelength than UV rays and longer than gamma...
, Dental
Dentistry
Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
, Pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
, Regimental Aid Post (RAP), Physiotherapy, and Psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
. These services were supported by a Q Store, an orderly room, administration, messes and accommodation.
Personnel of 1 Aust FD Hosp consisted of regular and conscripted soldiers from the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps
Royal Australian Army Medical Corps
The Royal Australian Army Medical Corps is the branch of the Australian Army responsible for providing medical care to Army personnel. The AAMC was formed in 1902 and has participated in every Australian Army operation...
(RAAMC), Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps
Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps
The Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps is a Corps of the Australian Army. It was formed in February 1951 from the Royal Australian Army Nursing Service. A Corps Badge was introduced in 1951 with the motto Pro Humanitate . It embraces the values of compassion and service to others, reflecting the...
(RAANC), Royal New Zealand Nursing Corps (RNZNC), transport drivers of the Royal Australian Army Service Corps now known as Royal Australian Corps of Transport
Royal Australian Corps of Transport
The Royal Australian Corps of Transport is a corps within the Australian Army. It was formed in 1973 and is responsible for the operation of army surface transport assets.-Role:...
, Chaplains Corps
Royal Australian Chaplains Department
The Royal Australian Army Chaplains' Department is an all-officer Corps within the Australian Army that provides ordained clergy to minister to the men of the Australian Army....
and the Catering Corps. The surgical capacity was maintained by the Citizens Military Force (CMF)
Australian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
specialists from the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
, Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
and Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
, today known as Reserves, plus civilian specialists who did three month tours. General Medical Officers were made up mainly of Australian Regular Army (ARA) and CMF full time commissions. Also attached to the site were 33 Dental Unit, 1 Field Medical & Dental, 1 Field Hygiene Coy and a unit of the Red Cross
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
. Most permanent medical personnel served in country for 12 months.
An increase in use of fragmentation
Fragmentation (weaponry)
Fragmentation is the process by which the casing of an artillery shell, bomb, grenade, etc. is shattered by the detonating high explosive filling. The correct technical terminology for these casing pieces is fragments , although shards or splinters can be used for non-preformed fragments...
weapons such as rocket-propelled grenades and mines
Land mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
resulted in a doubling of battle casualties from March to August 1969 compared with the previous six months with battle casualties accounting for 33.1% of all admissions in 1969. In October 1969, 36 Evacuation Hospital closed, requiring the surgical facilities of 1 Aust FD Hosp to cope with all casualties, including severe injuries previously treated by the US facility. As history has shown in most military conflicts, disease cases in the Vietnam War outnumbered battle casualties. Other presentations to 1 Aust FD Hosp included cases of Malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, Scrub Typhus
Scrub typhus
Scrub typhus or Bush typhus is a form of typhus caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi first isolated and identified in 1930 in Japan., accessdate: 16 October 2011...
and sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
s to name but a few.
The high standard of para-medical services provided by 1 Aust FD Hosp was such that nearly 99% on patients who reached the hospital alive survived their injury or illness. This is a remarkable achievement, given that many of the casualties arrived at the hospital barely clinging to life with severe injuries. The use of medical evacuation
MEDEVAC
Medical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
("Dustoff") helicopters enabled a soldier to be receive emergency treatment at the hospital within thirty minutes of being wounded or injured in the field. This was only possible due to the air superiority of the helicopters, they had mostly unimpeded, rapid access to combat zones.
Australia's combat role in Vietnam ended on 7 November 1971 with the withdrawal of most of the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
The 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, was an Australian Army infantry battalion and part of the Royal Australian Regiment. The battalion was formed on 1 February 1964 and was renamed the 2nd Commando Regiment on 19 June 2009....
(4RAR) from Nui Dat. On 25 November, most of the medical personnel were withdrawn from 1 Aust FD Hosp. The hospital remained in operation until 14 December 1971 when the last Australian grounds forces returned to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
From the time of the arrival of the first Australian military members in 1962, some 50,000 Australians, including ground troops and air force and navy personnel, served in Vietnam. 520 died as a result of the war and almost 2,400 were wounded.
The numbers of personnel serving in the medical units at Vung Tau were:
- 26 personnel served with 2nd Field Ambulance (1 April 1966 – 1 April 1967)
- 196 personnel served with 8th Field Ambulance (1 April 1967 – 1 April 1968)
- 651 personnel served with 1st Australian Field Hospital (1 April 1968 to the end of the war)
Personnel deployed to Vietnam received the Vietnam Medal
Vietnam Medal
The Vietnam Medal was a joint Australian and New Zealand campaign medal awarded for service in the Vietnam War.The medal was jointly developed by Australia and New Zealand, although there were separate Royal authorisation warrants for each country....
for recognition of service in the Vietnam War and the Australian Active Service Medal 1945-1975
Australian Active Service Medal 1945-1975
The Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975 recognises the service of Australian Defence Force and certain other persons in prescribed warlike operations in the period after World War II, and prior to February 1975...
for recognition of service in a warlike operation.
Namibia (1989–1990)
1 FD Hosp health service personnel were deployed to the then South West AfricaSouth West Africa
South-West Africa was the name that was used for the modern day Republic of Namibia during the earlier eras when the territory was controlled by the German Empire and later by South Africa....
in April 1989 until March 1990 as part of the Australian contingent of the United Nations Transition Assistance Group
United Nations Transition Assistance Group
The United Nations Transition Assistance Group was a United Nations peacekeeping force deployed from April 1989 to March 1990 in Namibia to monitor the peace process and elections there. Namibia had been occupied by South Africa since 1915, first under a League of Nations mandate and later...
(UNTAG). UNTAG was deployed as a United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
peacekeeping
Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
force to monitor the peace process, and ensure free and fair elections leading to Namibia's
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
independence, and the ending of South Africa's illegal occupation.
The Australian contingent was largely made up of engineers from 17th Construction Squadron.
Australian military personnel deployed to Namibia were awarded the Australian Service Medal
Australian Service Medal
The Australian Service Medal is an Australian military decoration. It was authorized 13 September 1988 to recognise prescribed service in peacekeeping and non-warlike operations. It is awarded with a clasp to denote the prescribed operation and subsequent awards of the medal are made in the form of...
(ASM) with the Namibia clasp for recognition of service in peacekeeping and non-warlike operations. Following a review in 2001, the ASM was upgraded to the Australian Active Service Medal
Australian Active Service Medal
The Australian Active Service Medal is an Australian military decoration. It was authorised 13 September 1988 to recognise prescribed service in warlike operations...
(AASM) for recognition of service in a warlike operation. Personnel also received the United Nations UNTAG medal.
Gulf War (1990–1991)
The Gulf WarGulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
commenced on 2 August 1990 when Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
invaded Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. Following an announcement on 10 August 1990 by Prime Minister Bob Hawke
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
, the Australian contribution to the Gulf War
Australian contribution to the 1991 Gulf War
Australia was a member of the international coalition which contributed military forces to the 1991 Gulf War, also known as Operation Desert Storm. While the Australian forces did not see combat, they did play a significant role in enforcing the sanctions put in place against Iraq following the...
centred around the ADF deploying a Naval Task Force to the Gulf area, named Operation Damask. This was part of a larger multinational response involving 34 nations in support of United Nations Security Resolutions.
Australia's Naval Task Force included the ships HMAS Darwin
HMAS Darwin (FFG 04)
HMAS Darwin , named for the capital city of the Northern Territory, is an Adelaide class guided-missile frigate of the Royal Australian Navy . One of four ships ordered from the United States, Darwin entered service in 1984. During her career, she has operated in the Persian Gulf, as part of the...
, HMAS Adelaide
HMAS Adelaide (FFG 01)
HMAS Adelaide was the lead ship of the Adelaide class of guided missile frigates built for the Royal Australian Navy, based on the United States Navy's Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates...
and HMAS Success which were deployed in Operation Damask I, HMAS Brisbane, HMAS Sydney
HMAS Sydney (FFG 03)
HMAS Sydney is an Adelaide class guided missile frigate of the Royal Australian Navy . The frigate one of six modified s ordered from 1977 onwards, and the third of four to be constructed in the United States of America...
and HMAS Westralia
HMAS Westralia (O 195)
HMAS Westralia was a modified Leaf class replenishment oiler which served with the Royal Australian Navy from 1989 to 2006. Formerly RFA Appleleaf , she served in with the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary from 1975 to 1989. The ship was initially leased to the RAN, then purchased outright in 1994...
deployed in Operation Damask II, and HMAS Darwin deployed again in Operation Damask III. A Clearance Diving Team
Clearance Diving Team (RAN)
The Clearance Diving Teams of the Royal Australian Navy also act as commando frogmen: they consist of naval personnel who are qualified in diving, demolitions, underwater repairs, and reconnaissance...
and Task Group Medical Support Element (TGMSE) were also deployed.
The ADF raised the TGMSE under Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
(RAN) medical command as a contribution to the coalition medical support requirement. The TGMSE's were assigned to the American hospital ship USNS Comfort. The personnel were doctors, nurses and health administration personnel, predominantly from the RAN, supplemented with Army and Air Force personnel, including members of the Reserve forces.
USNS Comfort arrival in the Gulf in September 1990. The Australian TGMSE personnel undertook normal medical duties and participated in operational medical exercises and drills including training for the handling of casualties of biological and chemical warfare.
Although large numbers of casualties did not occur, medical personnel were required to manage seriously injured and ill personnel including the casualties from the boiler room explosion on USS Iwo Jima
USS Iwo Jima
Three ships of the United States Navy have been named USS Iwo Jima, in memory of the Battle of Iwo Jima., was to be a Ticonderoga-class aircraft carrier, but construction was canceled in August 1945...
on 30 October 1990. 10 sailors died, 6 at the scene and 4 on board USNS Comfort.
USNS Comfort was also called upon on 25 February 1991 when a SCUD missile attack from Iraq destroyed a US Army barracks in Dharan, Saudi Arabia, killing 28 soldiers and wounding another 110.
There were 3 TGMSE rotations:
- TGMSE 1 deployed on 13 September 1990 and completed service on 4 January 1991.
- TGMSE 2 deployed on 31 December until 15 March 1991
- TGMSE 3 deployed on 13 January until 15 March 1991
A total of 59 ADF personnel were involved in the TGMSE, including 3 personnel from 1 FD Hosp.
Kurdistan, Iraq (1991)
On 16 May 1991, 75 ADF personnel, including 2 from 1 FD Hosp, were deployed to Kurdistan, northern IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
on Operation Habitat
Operation Habitat
The 1991 uprisings in Iraq were a series of anti-governmental intifada in Southern and Northern Iraq during the aftermath of the Gulf War in March–April 1991...
, Australia's contribution to the multinational response known as Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations by the United States and some of its Gulf War allies, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurds fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War and deliver humanitarian aid to them.-Operation...
.
The goal of this mission was to defend approximately 4 million Kurdish people
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
fleeing their homes in the aftermath of the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and supply them with humanitarian aid.
Rwanda (1994–1995)
Operation Tamar, part of United Nations Assistance Mission for RwandaUnited Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda
The United Nations Assistance Mission In Rwanda was a mission instituted by the United Nations to aid the implementation of the Arusha Accords, signed August 4, 1993, which were meant to end the Rwandan Civil War. The mission lasted from October 1993 to March 1996...
(UNAMIR)
Bougainville (1997–2003)
Operation Bel Isi, Combined Health Element for the Peace Monitoring GroupPeace Monitoring Group
The Peace Monitoring Group on Bougainville in Papua New Guinea was brought about by the civil unrest on the island in 1990. The PNG government requested the Australian and New Zealand governments to provide a monitoring group to oversee the cease fire on the island. This group was made up of both...
.
Solomon Islands (2004)
Operation Anode, part of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon IslandsRegional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands
The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands , also known as Operation Helpem Fren, was created in 2003 in response to a request for international aid by the Governor-General of the Solomon Islands...
(RAMSI).
Pakistan (2005)
Operation Pakistan Assist, part of the International response to the 2005 Kashmir earthquakeInternational response to the 2005 Kashmir earthquake
In the international response to the 2005 Kashmir earthquake many countries, international organizations and non-governmental organizations offered relief aid to the affected regions. The aid given was in the form of monetary donations and pledges, as well as relief supplies including food,...
.
External links
- 1HSB The official website of the 1st Health Support Battalion.
- Call Sign Vampire The official website of the 1st Australian Filed Hospital Association.
- Digger History An unofficial history of the Australian & New Zealand Armed Services.
- ADF Health Journal
- United Nations Peacekeeping