Edmundson, K.: my Army recollections (February 4, and 11, 1980)

Interviewee: Edmundson, K., b. 1903

ABSTRACT: Dr. (Lieut.-Col.) K. Edmundson Royal Army Medical Corps East Africa Medical Services Edmundson_K_0050_01.mp3 Born on March 17, 1903 in Birkenhead, Eng. Brought up in Liverpool, graduated from Liverpool University in medicine in Dec. 1926. Joined the Sudan Medical Service, transferred to east Africa in 1928. As he had been a reserve Officer in the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, he was automatically on active service when war broke out in 1939. Joined 1st Tanganyika Field Ambulance as a surgeon. Sent to Nairobi to train Africans in hospital work and to write a training manual. Next commanded the Uganda Motor Ambulance Convoy and took part in the Ethiopian Campaign. Moved north, 240 miles from Addis Ababa: morale problems, vehicle problems due to heat, excellent Italian-built roads. In March 1942 commanded the East African Medical Depot. Comments on surgical equipment, primitive anesthesia. Medical problems, bullet and knife wounds, intestinal worms from meat, tropical diseases. None of the latter in central Ethiopia due to the high altitude. General comments on transportation. Edmundson_K_0050_02.mp3 (2nd interview) At Nairobi had a mixed R.A.M.C./African staff. Eighteen months later given command of a 750-bed mobile hospital. Serious shortage of stores. For example, moved to Burma with only one quarter of their authorized number of beds. Convoy from Mombasa during which everybody was ordered to sunbathe every day in order to become acclimatized. In India managed to achieve fifty percent bed level after much effort. Comments on Assam railway, efficiently run by Americans. Hospital in northeast Assam, near Imphal, where he was stationed for nine months. Returned to east Africa, summer of 1945. Describes trip by air to Mombasa. Demobilized. Additional comments re Assam hospital. Mostly concerned with medical side, much fever of various kinds, especially river fever. (45:00) Anecdotes. Requests interview with G.O.C. Convoy conditions: shipboard food not very good. Anecdote about Mountbatten and man-management.

Rank: Lieutenant-Colonel.

An interview/narrative of K. Edmundson's experiences during World War II. Dr. (Lieutenant-Colonel) Edmundson served with the Royal Army Medical Corps and the East Africa Medical Services. Interview took place on February 4 and 11, 1980.

Interviewer: Gantzer, David

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• Edmundson, K., b. 1903
• Gantzer, David

Subject

• Great Britain. Army. Royal Army Medical Corps
• World War (1939-1945)
• Military history
• Great Britain. Army. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders

Language

• eng

Keyword

• Military hospitals--Burma
• Great Britain--Army--East African Force--Uganda Motor Ambulance Convoy
• World War, 1939-1945--Hospitals
• Great Britain--Army--Africa--Medical care
• World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Africa, East
• Tropical medicine
• Sudan Medical Service
• Great Britain--Army--India--Medical care
• Military hospitals--India
• Great Britain--Army--Burma--Medical care
• World War, 1939-1945--Personal narratives, Canadian
• Great Britain--Army--Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
• Great Britain--Army--East African Force--East African Infantry Brigade--Tanganyika Field Ambulance, 1st
• Great Britain--Army--Royal Army Medical Corps
• World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Ethiopia
• Edmundson, Kenneth, 1903-1981--Interviews

Date created

• February 4, 1980 to February 11, 1980

Relation

• Part of the Reginald H. Roy collection of interviews.

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 2 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic coverage

• Africa, East
• Ethiopia
• Kenya--Nairobi
• England

Coordinates

• -0.52734, 36.51855
• 52.16045, -0.70312
• 9, 39.5
• -1.28333, 36.81667

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound tape reel (ca. 90 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 1 sound cassette copy : standard, mono. in Special Collections.

Physical repository

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Collection

• Canadian Military Oral History Collection

Provider

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Genre

• sound recordings
• interviews
• reminiscences
• oral histories (literary genre)

Archival item identifier

• EK_050

Fonds title

• Reginald Herbert Roy fonds

Fonds identifier

• SC104

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds

Date digitized

• May 29, 2007

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 22 kHz. In .mp3 format at 64 kbps and 22 kHz. Digitized by AN, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Transferred from audio reel to audio cassette between 1987-1997. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2007. Migration metadata by KD and MT.

Rights

• This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca

DOI

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/wpjm-4225

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