12 (Vancouver) Field Ambulance is a

Canadian Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...

Primary Reserve The Primary Reserve of the Canadian Armed Forces (french: links=no, Première réserve des Forces canadiennes) is the first and largest of the four sub-components of the Canadian Armed Forces reserves, followed by the Supplementary Reserve, the ...

medical unit in

Vancouver, British Columbia Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

History

This unit has a long and distinguished history that lives up to the medical corps tradition of being faithful in adversity. It is the latest in a line of Vancouver army medical units dating back to

18 Field Ambulance 18 Field Ambulance is one of the 16 Royal Canadian Medical Service (RCMS) reserve medical units. Situated in Thunder Bay, Ontario, 18 Field Ambulance has a proud reputation among the Canadian Forces. History The 18 Field Ambulance was formed i ...

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

World War I

This unit started out initially as a local militia unit. In World War I, the field ambulance was sent to the 5th Canadian Division and stationed with the

72nd Battalion (Seaforth Highlanders of Canada), CEF The 72nd Battalion ( The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada), CEF was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during World War I, and recruited throughout the province of British Columbia. History The 72nd Battalion was authori ...

, for a period of time. After the war, it was set up as a reserve unit and renamed 12 Field Ambulance. The unit was called to active service in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

in 1939.

World War II

In 1942 the unit, now known as 12 Canadian Light Field Ambulance (the term "light" indicated that it was equipped to be particularly fast moving and so able to keep up with a swiftly advancing armoured division), sailed to England with the 4th (Canadian) Armoured Division. Providing medical support to the Division as they participated in operations within Europe. One of the unit's most significant action was in support of the 4th Armoured Division during the battle of Hochwald Forest. Captain Nathan Kaufman was Section Officer. His OBE award states that "On 2 March 1945, Captain Kaufman sited the most forward casualty collecting post in the Hochwald Gap and its position was responsible for the fact that early medical attention was given to the wounded in that sector. Through all operations this officer has shown a consistent devotion to duty combined with an ability to get forward and complete his job despite the personal risk involved. His willingness to serve and his efficient handling of casualties has been an inspiration to all ranks of his unit." 12 Field Ambulance made Canadian medical corps history becoming the only field ambulance to engage the enemy in combat. This occurred one morning in April 1945 in the German town of Sogel. German soldiers approached, and fired upon the casualty treatment facility under cover of darkness. The commanding officer quickly organized two platoons, and placed them at the approaches to the dressing stations. They held off the enemy for two hours; with weapons borrowed from the woundedat the time medics did not carry weaponsuntil a squadron of tanks arrived to relieve them. During the fighting the dressing station continued treating patients. The commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel A.D. MacPherson received the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typ ...

for his leadership in this action; Corporal F.F. Thompson was awarded the

Military Medal The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land. The award ...

, and Captain Harry Jolley was made a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

Post-World War II to 1999

After the war, 12 Field Ambulance was reverted to the Army Reserve (Militia) and moved to Jericho Garrison in 1947. The unit was then renamed 24 Medical Company following another move to

Bessborough Armoury Bessborough Armoury is a Canadian Forces armoury located at 2025 West 11th Avenue in Vancouver, British Columbia. History Construction of the armoury began in September 1932 and was completed in the following spring. Architecture The architec ...

. In 1969, the medical unit became attached to 12 Vancouver Service Battalion. In the early 1970s, the unit was disbanded along with all militia medical units across Canada. After existing as a medical station at 12 Service Battalion for several years, the unit was raised as 12 (Vancouver) Medical Company in 1980 and is relocated back to its present location at Jericho Garrison later that year. During this period, the unit participated in numerous peace keeping missions and served on tours in Bosnia, Croatia, Cypress, Aviano and the Golan Heights.

2000 to present

12 Field Ambulance was involved with local operations ranging from G8 Security in 2002 to fighting BC Forest Fires in the year 2003. Recently, the unit was awarded

Freedom of the City The Freedom of the City (or Borough in some parts of the UK) is an honour bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary. Arising from the medieval practice of granting respected ...

from the city of

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

in 2007. In addition to domestic operations, the unit participated in operations overseas, most recently in

Operation Athena Operation Athena was the Canadian Forces' contribution to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. The operation was divided in two phases: the first one took place from July 2003 to July 2005 in the Kabul region and the s ...

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

Notable members

World War II

* Captain Palmer: After meeting with

Willem Johan Kolff Willem Johan "Pim" Kolff (February 14, 1911 – February 11, 2009) was a pioneer of hemodialysis, artificial heart, as well as in the entire field of artificial organs. Willem was a member of the Kolff family, an old Dutch patrician fami ...

, directed the construction of a Kolff type mechanical kidney in Vancouver. * Corporal FF. Thompson: Noted for being in the picture capturing a German soldier at the Battle of Sogel, where he was given the Military Medal for his actions during the sortie.

Post World War II–1999

* Lieutenant-Colonel Grasset: Proposed (we hasten to aid the soldiers) as the motto of the CFMS in 1976. Taken into informal use shortly thereafter, it was formally approved on 10 August 1988.

Awards

Freedom of the City of Vancouver was given to the 12 (Vancouver) Field Ambulance on April 14, 2007.

Operations

12 Field Ambulance had members deployed in many domestic and foreign operations, including:

World War II

Operation Blockbuster Operation Blockbuster was the completion of the larger Operation Veritable by the First Canadian Army, reinforced by the XXX Corps from the British Second Army from late February to early March, 1945. Veritable had been slower and more costly ...

Operation Totalize Operation Totalize (also spelled Operation Totalise in recent British sources) was an offensive launched by Allied troops in the First Canadian Army during the later stages of Operation Overlord, from 8 to 9 August 1944. The intention was to bre ...

Operation Tractable Operation Tractable was the final attack conducted by Canadian and Polish troops, supported by a British tank brigade, during the Battle of Normandy during World War II. The operation was to capture the tactically important French town of Fal ...

Post World War II to 1999

Operation Calumet Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...

* Operation Dana Ca *

Operation Echo Operation Echo was the codename given by the Canadian Forces for its air activities during the Kosovo War in 1999. In support of the NATO Operation Allied Force Canadian aircraft based at Aviano Air Base in northeastern Italy flew bombing mission ...

* Operation Harmony *

Operation Palladium Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...

2000 to Current

* Operation Grizzly *

Operation Peregrine Operation PEREGRINE was a domestic Canada, Canadian military operation that took place between August 3 and September 16, 2003. In early August 2003, British Columbia was overwhelmed by over 800 separate forest fires. Provincial fire services were ...

* Operation Paladium * Operation Podium

References

External links

12 (Vancouver) Field Ambulance Official Website

12 (Vancouver) Field Ambulance Medical Museum Website

CFMS History/Heritage Page.

Canadian Forces Medical Service : Introduction to its History and Heritage.

Troop and Family Support Awareness Fundraiser

Canadian War Museum.
{{Canadian Forces Land Force Command Medical units and formations of Canada 12