225th (Parachute) Field Ambulance
Encyclopedia
The 225th Field Ambulance was a Royal Army Medical Corps
unit of the British airborne forces
during the Second World War.
When raised the Field Ambulance
was assigned to the 5th Parachute Brigade, which was part of the 6th Airborne Division. As such they participated in Operation Tonga
part of the Normandy landings. The unit remained in France until September 1944, when they were withdrawn back to England to rest and rebuild. They then took part in the last and largest airborne mission in the war, Operation Varsity
, the River Rhine crossing in 1945.
After the war in Europe ended they were sent to the Far East for operations against the Japanese however the war ended before they could be deployed. Instead they were sent to Malaya
and Singapore
to assist in the restoration of British control. Later in the year they were sent to Java
, where the brigade had to maintain law and order until a Dutch force could arrive to relieve them. The Field Ambulance then returned to Singapore, for a short time before leaving to rejoin the 6th Airborne Division, now serving in Palestine
. However shortly after arriving the 225th (Parachute) Field Ambulance was disbanded.
, the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill
, directed the War Office
to investigate the possibility of creating a corps
of 5,000 parachute troops. In September 1941 the 1st Parachute Brigade began forming, comprising three parachute infantry battalions. In keeping with British Army practice at the same time as the infantry battalions were forming, airborne supporting arms were formed including Royal Army Medical Corps
volunteers. Of the seven airborne field ambulance
s formed during the Second World War, two, the 181st
and the 195th
, were glider borne, while the other five, the 16th
, 127th
, 133rd
, 224th
and the 225th, were parachute trained.
, using the number 225 from a disbanded unit from the Guards Armoured Division. On formation the Field Ambulance was assigned to the 5th Parachute Brigade, initially in the 1st Airborne Division and later the 6th Airborne Division.
The war establishment of a parachute field ambulance, consisted of 177 all ranks. With nine doctors in two surgical teams and four sections
. Together they could deal with 330 cases in twenty-four hours. With the surgical teams completing 1.8 operations an hour, but if they were required to operate the following day had to be relieved after twelve hours.
It was commanded by a Lieutenant-Colonel, with a Major second in command
and a Regimental Sergeant Major
as the senior non commissioned rank. Medical staff included two specialist surgeons and a specialist anaesthetist, a pharmacist and a Royal Army Dental Corps
(RADC) Dentist. To assist with operations there were six operating room assistants, a sergeant
nursing orderly and six nursing orderlies. Other medical staff were a sergeant sanitary assistant, a masseur, a RADC orderly. These were assisted by five stretcher bearers, one of whom was trained as a shoemaker. The rest of the headquarters consisted of a Quartermaster
, clerks, cooks, storemen, an Army Physical Training Corps
instructor and a barber. The four sections each comprised an officer (Doctor) in command and a staff sergeant
(nursing orderly) second in command. Three nursing orderlies, a clerk, a dutyman and thirteen stretcher bearers. The last component of the Field Ambulance was the Royal Army Service Corps
detachment, commanded by a Captain
, with a Company Sergeant Major
as second in command. They had fifty men under them, including thirty-eight drivers, four motorcyclists and five vehicle mechanics.
during the Normandy landings. The 5th Parachute Brigade landed on their own drop zone
to the north-east of Ranville. The brigade had to capture two bridges crossing the Caen canal and the River Orne and hold them until relieved by forces advancing from the British Sword beach
. At the same time they had to secure the landing zone for the divisions glider borne forces arriving later that day.
Under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Bruce Harvey, the 225th (Parachute) Field Ambulance, landing with the brigade were to establish their Main Dressing Station (MDS) at Le Bas de Ranville. Leaving England at 23:45 5 June, the aircraft carrying the field ambulance troops crossed the French coast at from 01:00 the unit started landing in Normandy. Unlike other units involved that night by 02:30 most of the unit had arrived at their rendezvous
, which was under German mortar
fire. Following at the rear of the 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, they arrived at Le Bas de Ranville. The MDS was established in a Chateau
by 04:00 and within half an hour the first of the brigades casualties arrived. During the morning the RACS, commander captured a German supply vehicle and located a vehicle park, which was used to supplement the unit jeeps in bringing in casualties. The fluid situation on the battlefield prevented some casualties from being evacuated to the MDS, and they were treated where they were by the units medics, until it was safe to move them. During the day the field ambulance was under almost constant, sniper
and artillery fire, but by 21:00 contact was made with the 3rd Infantry Division, and within an hour sixty casualties were evacuated to the beachhead. Another 280 remaining wounded were being treated at the MDS. Fighting in the area continued through the night and by 05:00 7 June 380 wounded had been dealt with at the MDS. In the first forty hours of the landings, the units surgeons had performed forty-three operations.
Following the battle of Breville
on 12 June, two of the wounded treated by the unit were Brigadier
s Kindersley
and Lord Lovat
, both had been wounded by friendly fire
at the start of the battle. Between the 14–18 June the MDS received casualties from the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, which had taken over the southern sector of the Orne bridgehead. Then of the 18 June, they were withdrawn and sent to a rest area beside the River Orne.
On 20 June they moved back to the front line, treated a steady flow of casualties, mostly from mortar fire and small arms wounds. Then of the 18 July, they were warned to accept casualties from the 11th Armoured Division taking part in Operation Goodwood
. On 8 August they were ordered to move the MDS to Le Mariquet, where they took in casualties from the 3rd Parachute Brigade. The 6th Airborne Division was ordered to advance on 12 August, and the 225th (Parachute) Field Ambulance, became responsible for collecting and evacuating all the wounded during the advance. By the 27 August, the 6th Airborne Division had reached the mouth of the River Seine, and was withdrawn becoming the 21st Army Group reserve.
in March 1945. The 6th Airborne Division would land on the east bank of the River Rhine in the area of the Diersfordter woods, near the town of Hamminkeln
. The 225th now commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel N.J.P. Hewlings still part of the 5th Parachute Brigade would land to the north of the woods, in daylight and a large number of casualties were expected.
Landing on 24 March the 225th established their MDS in some farm buildings at the edge of the woods, and were soon treating the casualties from the landings. The German infantry pulling back from the Rhine actually marched through the farm buildings without discovering the MDS. On the afternoon 25 March the leading units of the 15th (Scottish) Division, linked up with the airborne division.
The 6th Airborne Division then advanced mostly on foot, from then Rhine to Wismar
on the Baltic Sea
by 2 May 1945. During which in April the 3rd Parachute Brigade advanced 15 miles (24.1 km) in twenty-four hours, which included eighteen hours of close-quarters fighting. Later the same month the 5th Parachute Brigade marched 50 miles (80.5 km) in seventy-two hours, during which they also carried out two night time assaults. The quick advance changed the way the 225th operated, by necessity the divisions three field ambulance units had to leap-frog
to the front, the leading unit accepting all the division's casualties. Between landing and the end of the war the 225th treated 1,083 casualties.
on 6 and 9 August ended the war. It had been intended to use the brigade in Operation Zipper
, the invasion of British Malaya
, instead on 17 September, the brigade travelled by sea to Northern–Malaya
and advanced on Kuala Lumpur
unopposed. The 5th Parachute Brigade then took part in Operation Tiderace
the liberation of Singapore, as part of XV Corps
. In Singapore the 225th were quartered in Alexander Barracks, being responsible for the welfare of Japanese prisoners and some Germans who had been part of the German Naval Mission and the crews of two U-Boat
s.
Then in December 1945, the Brigade was sent to Java
, to help restore law and order until a Dutch force could arrive from Europe. By 25 December the 225th were in Jakarta
The Brigade was then sent to Semarang
and the 225th became responsible for the medical welfare of the towns 210,000 inhabitants. When the Dutch force arrived the 225th returned to Singapore arriving on 2 May 1946. Two months later the 5th Parachute Brigade were ordered to Palestine to rejoin the 6th Airborne Division arriving on 9 August. The 225th (Parachute) Field Ambulance being now surplus to requirements was disbanded on 19 August, the men being posted as reinforcements to the divisions other medical units.
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
unit of the British airborne forces
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
during the Second World War.
When raised the Field Ambulance
Field Ambulance
A Field Ambulance is the name used by the British Army and the armies of other Commonwealth nations to describe a mobile medical unit that treats wounded soldiers very close to the combat zone...
was assigned to the 5th Parachute Brigade, which was part of the 6th Airborne Division. As such they participated in Operation Tonga
Operation Tonga
Operation Tonga was the codename given to the airborne operation undertaken by the British 6th Airborne Division between 5 June and 7 June 1944 as a part of Operation Overlord and the Normandy Landings during the Second World War....
part of the Normandy landings. The unit remained in France until September 1944, when they were withdrawn back to England to rest and rebuild. They then took part in the last and largest airborne mission in the war, Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
, the River Rhine crossing in 1945.
After the war in Europe ended they were sent to the Far East for operations against the Japanese however the war ended before they could be deployed. Instead they were sent to Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
and Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
to assist in the restoration of British control. Later in the year they were sent to Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, where the brigade had to maintain law and order until a Dutch force could arrive to relieve them. The Field Ambulance then returned to Singapore, for a short time before leaving to rejoin the 6th Airborne Division, now serving in Palestine
Mandate Palestine
Mandate Palestine existed while the British Mandate for Palestine, which formally began in September 1923 and terminated in May 1948, was in effect...
. However shortly after arriving the 225th (Parachute) Field Ambulance was disbanded.
Background
Impressed by the success of German airborne operations, during the Battle of FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, directed the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
to investigate the possibility of creating a corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
of 5,000 parachute troops. In September 1941 the 1st Parachute Brigade began forming, comprising three parachute infantry battalions. In keeping with British Army practice at the same time as the infantry battalions were forming, airborne supporting arms were formed including Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
volunteers. Of the seven airborne field ambulance
Field Ambulance
A Field Ambulance is the name used by the British Army and the armies of other Commonwealth nations to describe a mobile medical unit that treats wounded soldiers very close to the combat zone...
s formed during the Second World War, two, the 181st
181st (Airlanding) Field Ambulance
The 181st Field Ambulance was a Royal Army Medical Corps unit of the British airborne forces during the Second World War.The Field Ambulance was assigned to the 1st Airlanding Brigade, the glider borne element of the 1st Airborne Division. Some men of the unit took part in the first parachute raid...
and the 195th
195th (Airlanding) Field Ambulance
The 195th Field Ambulance was a Royal Army Medical Corps unit of the British airborne forces during the Second World War.The 195th was the second airlanding Field Ambulance formed by the British Army. Once raised it was assigned to the 6th Airlanding Brigade, which was part of the 6th Airborne...
, were glider borne, while the other five, the 16th
16th (Parachute) Field Ambulance
The 16th Field Ambulance was a Royal Army Medical Corps unit of the British airborne forces during the Second World War. The unit was the first parachute field ambulance unit of the British Army. Their first deployment was in Operation Torch the Allied landings in North Africa. This was followed...
, 127th
127th (Parachute) Field Ambulance
The 127th Field Ambulance was a Royal Army Medical Corps unit of the British airborne forces during the Second World War.The 127th Field Ambulance was originally a pre war Territorial Army unit converted to parachute duties, becoming the second parachute field ambulance in the British Army...
, 133rd
133rd (Parachute) Field Ambulance
The 133rd Field Ambulance was a Royal Army Medical Corps unit of the British airborne forces during the Second World War.The 133rd Field Ambulance was formed in Palestine in January 1943, by the conversion of the 133rd Field Ambulance to parachute duties...
, 224th
224th (Parachute) Field Ambulance
The 224th Field Ambulance was a Royal Army Medical Corps unit of the British airborne forces during the Second World War.The 224th Field Ambulance was converted to an airborne unit in 1942, and assigned to the 3rd Parachute Brigade, part of the 6th Airborne Division...
and the 225th, were parachute trained.
225th (Parachute) Field Ambulance
On 7 June 1943 the 225th (Parachute) Field Ambulance was raised at Castle CaryCastle Cary
Castle Cary is a market town and civil parish in south Somerset, England, north west of Wincanton and south of Shepton Mallet.The town is situated on the River Cary, a tributary of the Parrett.-History:...
, using the number 225 from a disbanded unit from the Guards Armoured Division. On formation the Field Ambulance was assigned to the 5th Parachute Brigade, initially in the 1st Airborne Division and later the 6th Airborne Division.
The war establishment of a parachute field ambulance, consisted of 177 all ranks. With nine doctors in two surgical teams and four sections
Section (military unit)
A section is a small military unit in some armies. In many armies, it is a squad of seven to twelve soldiers. However in France and armies based on the French model, it is the sub-division of a company .-Australian Army:...
. Together they could deal with 330 cases in twenty-four hours. With the surgical teams completing 1.8 operations an hour, but if they were required to operate the following day had to be relieved after twelve hours.
It was commanded by a Lieutenant-Colonel, with a Major second in command
Second in Command
Second in Command is a 2006 action film directed by Simon Fellows, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. It was released direct-to-video in the United States, Belgium, and Germany on May 2, 2006. It has been rated R by the MPAA for violence and some language. The film was made in Bucharest, Romania.-Plot...
and a Regimental Sergeant Major
Regimental Sergeant Major
Regimental Sergeant Major is an appointment held by warrant officers class 1 in the British Army, the British Royal Marines and in the armies of many Commonwealth nations, including Australia and New Zealand; and by chief warrant officers in the Canadian Forces...
as the senior non commissioned rank. Medical staff included two specialist surgeons and a specialist anaesthetist, a pharmacist and a Royal Army Dental Corps
Royal Army Dental Corps
The Royal Army Dental Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army that provides dental care services to British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
(RADC) Dentist. To assist with operations there were six operating room assistants, a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
nursing orderly and six nursing orderlies. Other medical staff were a sergeant sanitary assistant, a masseur, a RADC orderly. These were assisted by five stretcher bearers, one of whom was trained as a shoemaker. The rest of the headquarters consisted of a Quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
, clerks, cooks, storemen, an Army Physical Training Corps
Army Physical Training Corps
The Royal Army Physical Training Corps is the British Army corps responsible for physical fitness and physical education. Its members are all Royal Army Physical Training Corps Instructors ....
instructor and a barber. The four sections each comprised an officer (Doctor) in command and a staff sergeant
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in several countries.The origin of the name is that they were part of the staff of a British army regiment and paid at that level rather than as a member of a battalion or company.-Australia:...
(nursing orderly) second in command. Three nursing orderlies, a clerk, a dutyman and thirteen stretcher bearers. The last component of the Field Ambulance was the Royal Army Service Corps
Royal Army Service Corps
The Royal Army Service Corps was a corps of the British Army. It was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air despatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery ; administration of...
detachment, commanded by a Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
, with a Company Sergeant Major
Company Sergeant Major
A company sergeant major is the senior non-commissioned soldier of a company in the armies of many Commonwealth countries, responsible for standards and discipline. In combat, his prime responsibility is the supply of ammunition to the company...
as second in command. They had fifty men under them, including thirty-eight drivers, four motorcyclists and five vehicle mechanics.
Normandy
On 6 June 1944, the 6th Airborne Division, took part in Operation TongaOperation Tonga
Operation Tonga was the codename given to the airborne operation undertaken by the British 6th Airborne Division between 5 June and 7 June 1944 as a part of Operation Overlord and the Normandy Landings during the Second World War....
during the Normandy landings. The 5th Parachute Brigade landed on their own drop zone
Drop zone
A drop zone is a place where parachutists or parachuted supplies land. It can be an area targeted for landing by paratroopers, or a base from which recreational parachutists and skydivers take off in aircraft and land under parachutes...
to the north-east of Ranville. The brigade had to capture two bridges crossing the Caen canal and the River Orne and hold them until relieved by forces advancing from the British Sword beach
Sword Beach
Sword, commonly known as Sword Beach, was the code name given to one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the initial assault phase, Operation Neptune, of Operation Overlord; the Allied invasion of German-occupied France that commenced on 6 June 1944...
. At the same time they had to secure the landing zone for the divisions glider borne forces arriving later that day.
Under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Bruce Harvey, the 225th (Parachute) Field Ambulance, landing with the brigade were to establish their Main Dressing Station (MDS) at Le Bas de Ranville. Leaving England at 23:45 5 June, the aircraft carrying the field ambulance troops crossed the French coast at from 01:00 the unit started landing in Normandy. Unlike other units involved that night by 02:30 most of the unit had arrived at their rendezvous
Rendezvous
-Computing:* Virtual Rendezvous, an open software project* Bonjour , formerly Rendezvous, a computer network technology* Rendezvous, a method of synchronizing two concurrent tasks for communicating data in Ada...
, which was under German mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
fire. Following at the rear of the 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, they arrived at Le Bas de Ranville. The MDS was established in a Chateau
Château
A château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
by 04:00 and within half an hour the first of the brigades casualties arrived. During the morning the RACS, commander captured a German supply vehicle and located a vehicle park, which was used to supplement the unit jeeps in bringing in casualties. The fluid situation on the battlefield prevented some casualties from being evacuated to the MDS, and they were treated where they were by the units medics, until it was safe to move them. During the day the field ambulance was under almost constant, sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
and artillery fire, but by 21:00 contact was made with the 3rd Infantry Division, and within an hour sixty casualties were evacuated to the beachhead. Another 280 remaining wounded were being treated at the MDS. Fighting in the area continued through the night and by 05:00 7 June 380 wounded had been dealt with at the MDS. In the first forty hours of the landings, the units surgeons had performed forty-three operations.
Following the battle of Breville
Battle of Bréville
The Battle of Bréville was fought by the British 6th Airborne Division and the German 346th Infantry Division, between the 8 and 13 June 1944, during the invasion of Normandy in the Second World War....
on 12 June, two of the wounded treated by the unit were Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
s Kindersley
Hugh Kindersley, 2nd Baron Kindersley
Hugh Kenyon Molesworth Kindersley, 2nd Baron Kindersley CBE, MC was a British businessman, banker and soldier. His father was businessman Robert Kindersley, 1st Baron Kindersley GBE.Kindersley was born in Knightsbridge, London...
and Lord Lovat
Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat
Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat and 4th Baron Lovat DSO, MC, TD was the 25th Chief of the Clan Fraser and a prominent British Commando during the Second World War...
, both had been wounded by friendly fire
Friendly fire
Friendly fire is inadvertent firing towards one's own or otherwise friendly forces while attempting to engage enemy forces, particularly where this results in injury or death. A death resulting from a negligent discharge is not considered friendly fire...
at the start of the battle. Between the 14–18 June the MDS received casualties from the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division, which had taken over the southern sector of the Orne bridgehead. Then of the 18 June, they were withdrawn and sent to a rest area beside the River Orne.
On 20 June they moved back to the front line, treated a steady flow of casualties, mostly from mortar fire and small arms wounds. Then of the 18 July, they were warned to accept casualties from the 11th Armoured Division taking part in Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood was an attack launched on 18 July 1944, during the Second World War, by the British army to the east of the city of Caen...
. On 8 August they were ordered to move the MDS to Le Mariquet, where they took in casualties from the 3rd Parachute Brigade. The 6th Airborne Division was ordered to advance on 12 August, and the 225th (Parachute) Field Ambulance, became responsible for collecting and evacuating all the wounded during the advance. By the 27 August, the 6th Airborne Division had reached the mouth of the River Seine, and was withdrawn becoming the 21st Army Group reserve.
Germany
The next airborne operation by 255th (Parachute) Field Ambulance, was Operation VarsityOperation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
in March 1945. The 6th Airborne Division would land on the east bank of the River Rhine in the area of the Diersfordter woods, near the town of Hamminkeln
Hamminkeln
Hamminkeln is a town in the district of Wesel, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated on the river Issel, approximately 10 kilometers north of Wesel. It is twinned with Sedgefield, United Kingdom...
. The 225th now commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel N.J.P. Hewlings still part of the 5th Parachute Brigade would land to the north of the woods, in daylight and a large number of casualties were expected.
Landing on 24 March the 225th established their MDS in some farm buildings at the edge of the woods, and were soon treating the casualties from the landings. The German infantry pulling back from the Rhine actually marched through the farm buildings without discovering the MDS. On the afternoon 25 March the leading units of the 15th (Scottish) Division, linked up with the airborne division.
The 6th Airborne Division then advanced mostly on foot, from then Rhine to Wismar
Wismar
Wismar , is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,about 45 km due east of Lübeck, and 30 km due north of Schwerin. Its natural harbour, located in the Bay of Wismar is well-protected by a promontory. The...
on the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
by 2 May 1945. During which in April the 3rd Parachute Brigade advanced 15 miles (24.1 km) in twenty-four hours, which included eighteen hours of close-quarters fighting. Later the same month the 5th Parachute Brigade marched 50 miles (80.5 km) in seventy-two hours, during which they also carried out two night time assaults. The quick advance changed the way the 225th operated, by necessity the divisions three field ambulance units had to leap-frog
Leapfrogging (infantry)
In infantry tactics, leapfrogging is a technique for advancing personnel and/or equipment on or past a target area being defended by an opposing force. This technique is taught in U.S. Army Basic Training and reinforced with all unit and advanced training throughout a soldier’s career...
to the front, the leading unit accepting all the division's casualties. Between landing and the end of the war the 225th treated 1,083 casualties.
Far East
Withdrawn back to England, on 19 July 1945 the 5th Parachute Brigade departed for India, arriving on 7 August to prepare for operations against the Japanese Empire. However the dropping of the Atom bombs on Hiroshima and NagasakiAtomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During the final stages of World War II in 1945, the United States conducted two atomic bombings against the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, the first on August 6, 1945, and the second on August 9, 1945. These two events are the only use of nuclear weapons in war to date.For six months...
on 6 and 9 August ended the war. It had been intended to use the brigade in Operation Zipper
Operation Zipper
During the Second World War, Operation Zipper was a British plan to capture either Port Swettenham or Port Dickson, Malaya as staging areas for the recapture of Singapore. However, due to the end of the war in the Pacific, it was never fully executed. Some of the proposed landings on Penang went...
, the invasion of British Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
, instead on 17 September, the brigade travelled by sea to Northern–Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
and advanced on Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
unopposed. The 5th Parachute Brigade then took part in Operation Tiderace
Operation Tiderace
Operation Tiderace was the codename of the British plan to retake Singapore in 1945. The liberation force was led by Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander of South East Asia Command...
the liberation of Singapore, as part of XV Corps
XV Corps (British India)
The XV Corps was a formation of the British Indian Army, which was formed in India during World War II. It took part in the Burma Campaign and was disbanded after the end of the war.-World War II:...
. In Singapore the 225th were quartered in Alexander Barracks, being responsible for the welfare of Japanese prisoners and some Germans who had been part of the German Naval Mission and the crews of two U-Boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s.
Then in December 1945, the Brigade was sent to Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, to help restore law and order until a Dutch force could arrive from Europe. By 25 December the 225th were in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
The Brigade was then sent to Semarang
Semarang
- Economy :The western part of the city is home to many industrial parks and factories. The port of Semarang is located on the north coast and it is the main shipping port for the province of Central Java. Many small manufacturers are located in Semarang, producing goods such as textiles,...
and the 225th became responsible for the medical welfare of the towns 210,000 inhabitants. When the Dutch force arrived the 225th returned to Singapore arriving on 2 May 1946. Two months later the 5th Parachute Brigade were ordered to Palestine to rejoin the 6th Airborne Division arriving on 9 August. The 225th (Parachute) Field Ambulance being now surplus to requirements was disbanded on 19 August, the men being posted as reinforcements to the divisions other medical units.