15 Field Ambulance

15 (Edmonton) Field Ambulance
Active	1939–present
Country	Canada
Branch	Military Personnel Command
Type	Canadian Forces Health Services Group
Role	Medical
Size	Company
Part of	1 Health Services Group
Garrison/HQ	Brigadier James Curry Jefferson Building
Motto	Militi Succurrimus (We Hasten to Aid the Soldier)
March	"The Farmer's Boy":
Commanders
Commanding officer	Commander Robert Briggs
Regimental sergeant major	Chief Warrant Officer Mark Noble
Honorary colonel	Colonel Vacant
Honorary lieutenant-colonel	Lieutenant-Colonel Gord Steinke

15 (Edmonton) Field Ambulance (15 (Edm) Fd Amb) is a Canadian Forces Primary Reserve medical unit headquartered in Edmonton with a detachment (15 (Edmonton) Field Ambulance Detachment Calgary) in Calgary. The unit mission is to attract, train, force generate and retain high-quality health service personnel to provide health service support (HSS) to 41 Canadian Brigade Group and to augment CF domestic and international operations. An additional and important activity is to participate in activities that will raise its profile in Edmonton and Calgary.

History

15 (Edmonton) Field Ambulance's lineage originates with No. 4 Casualty Clearing Station mobilized in December 1939 as one of the medical units of the 1st Canadian Division for service overseas during the second world war. No. 4 CSS departed Halifax on 30 Jan 1940 embarked in the Empress of Britain and disembarked along the Clyde on 8 February 1940. The unit was directed to Aldershot were it spent the next three years. The medical services of No. 4 CCS during the winter of 1941–42 were provided in a large country house that accommodated 130 patients. Patients expected to be ill for more than three or four days were transferred from a field ambulance to the CCS.

During the Dieppe Raid, No. 4 CCS remained in Dorking, England. Casualties from the battle were evacuated by landing craft back to the casualty reception area at Portsmouth and No. 4 CCS handled the walking wounded.

In 1943 No. 4 CCS was sent to Sicily and operated in Catania providing care for sick and injured Canadian soldiers. The unit followed the battle of the I Canadian Corps through Ortona to the Gustav Line, on to the Hitler Line and Northern Italy. In 1945, the unit moved to Marseilles, France, and to Belgium and finally into the Netherlands. No. 4 CCS opened with attached surgical and transfusion units in Brakkenstein, near Nijmegen.

At war's end, No. 4 CCS returned to Canada and was re-designated No. 36 Casualty Clearing Station in the Militia. In 1954, the unit was once again re-designated No. 23 Medical Company (Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps). 23 Med Coy trained to achieve the highest standards and won the Ryerson Trophy each year from 1961 to 1964, and 1972 to 1974.

In 1978 No. 23 Medical Company was once again redesignated as 15 (Edmonton) Medical Company. In 1991, 14 Medical Platoon of 14 (Calgary) Service Battalion was reassigned and became 15 (Edmonton) Medical Company Detachment Calgary. In 2004, subsequent to the reorganization of all Canadian Forces medical and dental units into the Canadian Forces Health Services Group, the militia medical companies were re-designated and organized as Reserve field ambulances and the unit became 15 (Edmonton) Field Ambulance with its detachment 15 (Edmonton) Field Ambulance Detachment Calgary.

Present day

15 (Edm) Fd Amb is a unit of 1 Health Services Group and under operational control (OPCON) of 41 Canadian Brigade Group, consisting of all Alberta Army Reserve personnel. As a Canadian Forces (CF) Primary Reserve unit, members may serve on a full or part-time basis. Deployments are voluntary, and personnel continue to serve alongside Regular Force CF members. The Edmonton unit is based at Brigadier James Curry Jefferson Building, and in Calgary at the Northeast Armoury. The current commanding officer (23 February 2013) is Commander Robert Briggs of Edmonton.

Notable members

Past commanding officers (incomplete list)

• Commander Robert Briggs, CD, (2013-)
• Lieutenant-Colonel Roger Scott, CD, AdeC, MN, NP (2007-2013)
• Lieutenant-Colonel Ross Purser, CD, MD, CCFP(EM) (2004-2007)
• Lieutenant-Colonel Louise Leslie, CD (2001-2004)
• Lieutenant-Colonel J.W. Cutbill, CD, MD, MSc, CCFP (2000-2001)
• Major J.N. Slauenwhite, CD
• Lieutenant-Colonel M.L. Quinn, CD (1991-1994)
• Lieutenant-Colonel Jacqueline McLellan
• Lieutenant-Colonel E.S.O. Smith
• Lieutenant-Colonel F.C. Haley, CD, MD (1970-1974)
• Lieutenant-Colonel H.A. Schwarz, CD, MD, CCFP

Past honorary colonels

• Colonel the Honorable Allan H. Wachowich (2008–2012)
• Colonel James Donald Johnston (2003–2006)
• Colonel Kenneth Angus Munn (1993–2003)
• Colonel Harald A.J. Schwarz

Past honorary lieutenant-colonels

• Lieutenant-Colonel Sandra J. Munn (2005–2011)
• Lieutenant-Colonel Kenneth Angus Munn (1991–1993)
• Lieutenant-Colonel Robert James Sinclair Gibson
• Lieutenant-Colonel R.C. Bray
• Lieutenant-Colonel Harald A. Schwarz

Post World War II–present

• Colonel H.A.J. Schwarz
• Corporal Michael Starker – born January 1, 1972, died May 6, 2008, Pashmul Region, Zhari district (25 km west of Kandahar) Afghanistan – was both a soldier and a Calgary Emergency Medical Services paramedic.

Awards

• Freedom of the City of Edmonton and Calgary.
• St John Ambulance Alberta Council Provincial First Aid Competitions
  • 2013
    • Best Emergency Responder Team - Corporals T. Woroniuk, B. Warick, C. Livesy and J. Augustyn.
  • 2012
    • Best Standard First Aid Team Captain – Private J. Fillion
    • Best Novice Team – 15 (Edmonton) Field Ambulance: Privates Fillion, Dorrance, Behnke and Waite.
  • 2010
    • Best Emergency Responder Team Captain – Sergeant K.N. Porlier
    • Best Novice Team – 15 (Edmonton) Field Ambulance: Sergeant K. Porlier, Corporal C. Amberley, Corporal E. Lau, Private A. Nichols.
  • 2007
    • Best Emergency Responder Team Captain – Sergeant V.E. Churchill

Operations

15 Field Ambulance members have deployed in many domestic and international operations including:

• Operation Athena (Afghanistan)
• Operation Podium (2010 Olympic Games, British Columbia)
• Operation Archer (Afghanistan)
• Operation Peregrine (2003 British Columbia Forest Fires)
• Operation Danaca (Golan Heights)
• Operation Palladium (Bosnia-Herzegovina)
• United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) (Egypt)
• Operation Lentus (Southern Alberta Flooding)

Royal Canadian Army Cadets

15 (Edmonton) Field Ambulance is affiliated with 2995 Medical Company RCACC, based in Lac La Biche, Alberta.