Colour Identification Patch of the 1st Health Battalion - Darwin
Military unit
The 1st Health Battalion (1 HB) is a unit of the 2nd Health Brigade. It is headquartered at the Robertson Army Barracks in Darwin. Formally having sub-units located in Darwin, Townsville and Brisbane, the then 1st Close Health Battalion (1CHB) was raised as 1 HB and fell under the command of the reestablished 2nd Health Brigade in 2022; with the existing Sub-Units being absorbed into 4th Health Battalion (Australia), and 2nd Health Battalion (Australia), respectfully. Additionally, a Close Health Unit was founded under the command of the 3rd Health Battalion (Australia), cementing the new capabilities of Joint Health.
The unit traces its lineage back to the 1st Field Hospital, which was raised in the 1960s for service as part of Australia's contribution to the Vietnam War. Since then, the unit has changed names twice and personnel have been deployed on numerous peacekeeping and warlike operations throughout Africa, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.
In February 2022, following the disbandment of 1CHB as part of the Army's restructure of its health battalions, four new health battalions were formed that were to be placed under the command of the 2nd Health Brigade.[1][2] 1CHB lives on through the newly formed 1st Health Battalion (1HB) that has retained their bat symbol.[citation needed]
In 2024, the unit consists of 3 Companies- 8 Close Health Company, and Operational Support Company colocated with the Battalion Headquarters in Darwin and 7 Health Support Company Based in Perth. Additional detachments of 1 HB personnel support NORFORCE in Darwin and the Pilbara Regiment in Karratha.
Role
When the unit was first formed as a field hospital during the Vietnam War, it was organised as a "Level 3" (now described as "Role 3") health facility, tasked with provision of initial wound surgery (surgical resuscitation) for combat casualties and medium to high intensity nursing care in the area of operations, as well as a definitive diagnosis of the casualty's condition.[3] Following the reorganisation of the Australian Army's health assets in late 2011, these functions were vested in the 2nd General Health and 3rd Health Support Battalions, and 1 CHB took over responsibility for provision of Role 1 and integrated medical support that was previously vested within the health companies that existed in the multi-functional combat service support battalions.[4]
1CHB provided close health support to deployed land force elements through the provision of Role 1 medical support. This entails forward positioning of assets within a battlespace to provide a number of close health effects, "including collection from [point of injury], resuscitation, stabilisation and evacuation, and emergency diagnostics".[4] The unit focused primarily upon the following key tasks: "primary health care, first aid, triage, resuscitation, stabilization, evacuation, on-route care, casualty staging, ... [and] ... patient holding".[4] In addition, the battalion could also provide limited rehabilitation and reconditioning services to deployed forces, and was responsible for management of combat medical supplies, and provided uniformed personnel to support civilian health personnel within garrison medical facilities.[4]
Raising the unit
1HB’s historical roots date back to Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War. In April 1966, during the Vietnam War the 2nd Field Ambulance was raised at Vung 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 Vung Tau from 8th Field Ambulance.[5]
In December 1971, the unit returned to Australia and was located at Manunda Lines, Ingleburn in New South Wales. At this time, the unit name was changed to the 1st Field Hospital.[6] The 1st Field Hospital was relocated to a purpose built medical facility at Holsworthy Army Barracks in Sydney, in January 1996. On 16 August 2000, the 1st Field Hospital was re-designated as the 1st Health Support Battalion (1HSB).[4]
In November 2011, the unit was re-roled as part of a restructuring of Army health units. It was subsequently renamed the 1st Close Health Battalion, subsuming the health companies previously forming part of the combat service support battalions within the 1st, 3rd and 7th Brigades based in Darwin, Townsville and Brisbane. These companies were redesignated as the 2nd, 8th and 11th Close Health Companies, perpetuating the designations of various field ambulances that had service histories dating back to the First World War. The unit's headquarters was in Sydney, but they began moving to Robertson Barracks, in Darwin, in late 2018.[4][7]
Call Sign Vampire
Original fighting bat logo used at Vung Tau
Radio operators in Vietnam allocated the Call Sign "Vampire" to all the Australian medical units at the Vung Tau base: 2nd Field Ambulance, 8th Field Ambulance and the 1st Australian Field Hospital. This resulted in the adoption of the fighting bat logo, which was originally used by the 2nd Field Ambulance. This was a different logo that which is currently used by 1 CHB. The current design of the bat logo was the result of a competition organised by the Commanding Officer of the 1st Field Hospital, then Lieutenant Colonel (later Major General) David Rossi, during 1977–1979. The criteria stipulated for the design was that it should be easily identified by the unit, involve the use of the Call Sign Vampire and represent a distinguishable piece of history from which to build upon.[6]
When 1CHB disbanded in 2021 the Bat symbol was inherited by the 1st Health Battalion (1HB) which caused some contention as the 2nd Field Ambulance (2FA) created the original design and a medic of the 2nd Close Health Company designed the latest iteration. Most members felt by right, the bat symbol belonged with the newly established 4HB who carried on 2FA's memory with its spiritual successor, 2CHC however this decision was quickly disregarded in favour of 1HB retaining the Vampire Bat.[citation needed]
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 soldiers. Prior to the raising of the 2nd Field Ambulance, medical support for the Australian troops was provided by the Americans.[5]
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.[3]
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.[5] 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 most severely injured soldiers with poor prognosis were treated at 36 Evacuation Hospital, the major United States medical facility in Vung Tau.[3] 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.[5]
The Australian military hospital at Vung Tau expanded from 50 beds to 106 beds, including a 50-bed surgical ward, a 50-bed medical war and a 6-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU).The hospital was fully functional with the necessary military hospital facilities and services including triage which could take up to six simultaneous casualties and could expand to 16 if necessary, Operating theatres with three operating tables, pathology, x-ray, dental, pharmacy, Regimental Aid Post (RAP), physiotherapy, and psychiatry. These services were supported by a Q Store, an orderly room, administration, messes and accommodation.[5]
Personnel of 1 Aust FD Hosp consisted of regular and conscripted soldiers from the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps (RAAMC), Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps (RAANC), Royal New Zealand Nursing Corps (RNZNC), transport drivers of the Royal Australian Army Service Corps now known as Royal Australian Corps of Transport, Chaplains Department and the Catering Corps. The surgical capacity was maintained by the Citizens Military Force (CMF) specialists from the Australian Army, Navy and Air Force, today known as Reserves, plus civilian specialists who undertook 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. Most permanent medical personnel served in country for 12 months.[5]
An increase in use of fragmentation weapons such as rocket-propelled grenades and mines 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, scrub typhus and sexually transmitted diseases.[3]
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 ("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, which allowed mostly unimpeded, rapid access to combat zones.[5]
Australia's combat role in Vietnam ended on 7 November 1971 with the withdrawal of most of the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (4RAR) from Nui Dat.[9] On 25 November, most of the medical personnel were withdrawn from 1 Aust FD Hosp. The hospital remained in operation until December 1971 when the bulk of Australian grounds forces returned to Australia.[5] Meanwhile, the 8th Field Ambulance had reopened at Vung Tau on 20 November to support the residual Australian force that remained there, until it too was withdrawn to Australia in late February 1972.[10]
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.[11]
The numbers of personnel serving in the medical units at Vung Tau were:[8]
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).
1 FD Hosp health service personnel were deployed to the then South West Africa in April 1989 until March 1990 as part of the Australian contingent of the United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG). UNTAG was deployed as a United Nationspeacekeeping force to monitor the peace process, and ensure free and fair elections leading to Namibia's independence, and the ending of South Africa's occupation.[13] The Australian contingent was largely made up of engineers from the 17th Construction Squadron.[14]
Australian military personnel deployed to Namibia were awarded the Australian Service Medal (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 (AASM) for recognition of service in a warlike operation. Personnel also received the United Nations UNTAG medal.[15]
Gulf War (1990–1991)
The Gulf War commenced on 2 August 1990 when Iraq invaded Kuwait. Following an announcement on 10 August 1990 by Prime Minister Bob Hawke, the Australian contribution to the Gulf War 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 Council Resolutions.[16]
The ADF raised the TGMSE under Royal Australian Navy (RAN) medical command as a contribution to the coalition medical support requirement. The TGMSE's were assigned to the American hospital ship USNSComfort(T-AH-20). 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.[16] After USNS Comfort arrived 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.[16]
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 USSIwo Jima(LPH-2) on 30 October 1990. Ten sailors died, six at the scene and four on board USNS Comfort.[16] 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.[17]
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 three personnel from 1 FD Hosp.[16]
Peacekeeping operations and war fighting, 1990s–2000s
In the years since the Gulf War, ADF medical personnel have been deployed on numerous peacekeeping operations throughout the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region. The first of these came in May 1991, when a group of 75 ADF personnel, including two from 1 FD Hosp, were deployed to Kurdistan, in northern Iraq, on Operation Habitat, Australia's contribution to the multinational response known as Operation Provide Comfort.[18] The goal of this mission was to defend approximately 4 million Kurdish people fleeing their homes in the aftermath of the Gulf War and supply them with humanitarian aid.[16]
Further deployments were carried out throughout the 1990s. These included: Cambodia (1992–1993), Operation Solace to Somalia (1992–1995), Operation Tamar which was part of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) in 1994–1995, the Solomon Islands (1995–1996), Operation Bel Isi to Bougainville (1997–2003), Operation Shaddock to Vanimo, in Papua New Guinea (1998), and as part of the International Force for East Timor in 1999–2000.[3] Further deployments throughout the 2000s have included support to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations across the Asia Pacific region and in Australia.[19] The battalion has also provided contingents of personnel on rotation to Australia's contributions to operational missions including those in Iraq and Afghanistan.[4]
Previous Structure
-1st Field Hospital (1FD Hosp) 1968 - 2000
-1st Health Support Battalion (1HSB) 2000 - 2011
-1st Close Health Battalion (1CHB) 2012 - 2022: the battalion consisting of the following units:[20][21]
The 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment is an armoured unit within the Australian Army's Royal Australian Armoured Corps. Formed in 1981 with the amalgamation of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment and the 4th Cavalry Regiment, from 1986 to 2014 the unit consisted of an independent squadron, B Squadron 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment, within the 3rd Brigade in Townsville, Queensland. From 2017, B Squadron 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment has been the training support and logistics squadron within the School of Armour at Puckapunyal in Victoria.
The Royal Australian Army Medical Corps (RAAMC) is the branch of the Australian Army responsible for providing medical care to Army personnel. The AAMC was formed in 1902 through the amalgamation of medical units of the various Australian colonies and was first deployed to South Africa as a small detachment of personnel supporting the Australian Commonwealth Horse during the Second Boer War. The corps has participated in every Australian Army operation since then, including wars and peacekeeping operations. The "Royal" prefix was granted in 1948.
The 1st Australian Task Force was a brigade-sized formation which commanded Australian and New Zealand Army units deployed to South Vietnam between 1966 and 1972. 1 ATF was based in a rubber plantation at Nui Dat, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) north of Bà Rịa in Phuoc Tuy Province and consisted of two and later three infantry battalions, with armour, aviation, engineers and artillery support. While the task force was primarily responsible for securing Phuoc Tuy Province, its units, and the Task Force Headquarters itself, occasionally deployed outside its Tactical Area of Responsibility.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army.
New Zealand's involvement in the Vietnam War was controversial, sparking widespread protest at home from anti-Vietnam War movements modelled on their American counterparts. This conflict was also the first in which New Zealand did not fight alongside the United Kingdom, instead following the loyalties of the ANZUS Treaty.
The 2/12th Field Ambulance was an Australian military unit of the Second Australian Imperial Force, serving during World War II. During their six years of service, over 200 soldiers were killed, the highest figure for a non-combatant unit in Australian history. The majority of the unit's casualties were suffered during the sinking of the hospital ship Centaur in May 1943. During the war, the 2/12th deployed personnel in support of Australian combat operations against the Japanese on Ambon, Timor and in Borneo before being disbanded in 1946.
Ingleburn Army Camp was a purpose-built camp constructed in 1940 for the Australian Army at Ingleburn, New South Wales, Australia.
The 1991 uprisings in Iraq were a series of anti-governmental intifada (rebellions) in Southern and Northern Iraq during the aftermath of the Gulf War in March–April 1991. On 16 May 1991, 75 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel were deployed to Kurdistan, northern Iraq on Operation Habitat, Australia's contribution to the multinational response known as Operation Provide Comfort.
The 2nd Health Battalion (2HB) is an Australian Army unit of the 2nd Health Brigade. It is primarily based at Gallipoli Barracks in Enoggera, Queensland, however Delta Company is located in Sydney, Newcastle and Canberra supporting NSW and ACT. The battalion is a rapidly deployable unit to provide support across the entire land based trauma system. This included integral, evacuation, initial wound surgery, resuscitation, damage control resuscitation and medium to high intensity nursing care, in the area of operations.
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army.
The Royal Australian Army Dental Corps (RAADC) is a corps within the Australian Army. It was formed on 23 April 1943 during World War II as the Australian Army Dental Corps, before being granted the 'Royal' prefix in 1948. Prior to its formation dentists were part of the Australian Army Medical Corps. The role of the RAADC is to provide dental care to army personnel in order to minimise the requirement for the evacuation of dental casualties, to conserve manpower and to reduce the burden of casualty evacuation. In the post-war years, the corps has provided personnel to deployments in Japan, Korea and Vietnam. It has also contributed to peace-keeping operations in Somalia, Rwanda, Bougainville and East Timor.
The 1st Australian Logistic Support Group was a ground support unit of the Australian Army during the Vietnam War located at the 1st Australian Support Compound in Vũng Tàu. 1 ALSG commanded logistic support units to all Australian forces in South Vietnam and was composed of engineer, transport, ordnance, medical and service corps units. The unit was initially formed in 1965 as the Australian Logistic Support Company to support the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment at the Bien Hoa Air Base, and was redesignated as 1 ALSG in April 1966 following the formation of the 1st Australian Task Force as the Australian commitment in Vietnam expanded.
The 8th Field Ambulance was a medical unit of the Australian Army. It was originally formed for service during World War I as part of the Australian Imperial Force, and served mainly on the Western Front between 1916 and 1918, before disbanding in early 1919. During World War II, the unit was re-raised as a Militia unit and served in Western Australia, New Guinea and Bougainville. During the Vietnam War, the unit served in Vung Tau in support of the 1st Australian Task Force between 1967 and 1968, before being disbanded in 1972. The unit's designation is now perpetuated by one for the 1st Close Health Battalion's close health companies.
The 3rd Health Battalion is an Australian Army unit headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia, foundered after the establishment of the 2nd Brigade (Australia) in 2022, providing Close Health, General Health and Health Support services to southern brigades and units of the Australian Army. Drawing its lineage from the 3rd Australian General Hospital, which was raised for service during World War I, the unit was tasked with providing Role 2 health support to troops deployed overseas on operations and within Australia on exercise and provided medical personnel for a variety deployments in the post-war period, including those to Rwanda, Bougainville, East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan.
The order of battle of Australian forces during the Vietnam War consisted of a small group of military advisors from 1962, but grew to include an infantry battalion based in Bien Hoa in 1965. This force was then replaced by a two- and later three-battalion task force with supporting arms based at Nui Dat which operated primarily in Phuoc Tuy Province between 1966–71, with logistic elements at Vung Tau. Airforce units committed initially consisted of transport aircraft, but were followed by helicopters and later bombers, while naval forces included destroyers and transport vessels. With the size of Australian forces in Vietnam reaching a peak in early 1968, a drawdown commenced in late 1970, with the bulk withdrawn by early 1972. The last elements returned to Australia in 1973. In total, around 50,000 Australians served during the Vietnam War, including 42,437 members of the Australian Army, 3,310 from the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), and 4,443 from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), with casualties including 519 killed and 2,348 wounded.
Operation Gabriel was the codename for the British military contribution in Rwanda as part of the UN Assistance Mission for Rwanda UNAMIR during the Rwandan genocide. British soldiers were deployed to Rwanda as part of a wider peacekeeping force that aimed to control the effects of the ongoing conflict and resulting genocide. British troops arrived in the country in August after just five days preparation, starting with a 60-strong advance group that aimed to repair infrastructure damaged by the conflict in the region, and to prepare for a mass evacuation of British civilians from the region. Six hundred troops followed the initial advance party shortly after, and contained elements from both Army and RAF logistics, support and infantry personnel. British troops were withdrawn in November 1994.
Operation Hardihood was a security operation conducted from 16 May to 8 June 1966 during the Vietnam War by the U.S. 503rd Infantry Regiment, the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) and the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment in Phước Tuy Province, South Vietnam to secure the area around Nui Dat for the establishment of a base area for the 1st Australian Task Force.
The 68th Medical Group was constituted on 18 October 1927 in the Regular Army as the 18th Medical Regiment. Redesignated as the 68th Medical Regiment and reorganized as the 68th Medical Group, the organization served in combat in Europe in World War II and in the Republic of Vietnam. During the Cold War, it was stationed at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland from 1954 until its deployment to Vietnam and was reactivated again in Germany, where it served from 1978 into the 1990s.
1st Australian Support Compound was a complex of logistics and support bases operated by the 1st Australian Logistic Support Group in Vũng Tàu, Phước Tuy Province, South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
Vung Tau Air Base (1955–1975) was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) facility. It was located near the city of Vũng Tàu in southern Vietnam. The United States used it as a base during the Vietnam War (1959–1975), stationing Army, Air Force and Navy units there. It was also the main base supporting Australian operations in the war and Australian Army and Royal Australian Air Force units were based there. Following the Fall of Saigon it reverted to a civil airport which remains in use today.
↑ "Army ORBAT Structure"(PDF). Department of Defence. Australian Army. 31 December 2020. Freedom of Information 274/20/21. Archived from the original(PDF) on 30 July 2021.
Horner, David (2011). "From Peacekeeping to Peace Enforcement: 1988–1991". Australia and the New World Order: The Official History of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Post-Cold War Operations. Vol.2. Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-0-521-76587-9.
O'Keefe, Brendan; Smith, Francis (1994). Medicine at War: Medical Aspects of Australia's Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 1950–1972. The Official History of Australia's Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 1948–1975. Vol.3. St Leonards, New South Wales: Allen and Unwin. ISBN1863733019.
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