Research Enquiries
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Army Medical Services (AMS), incorporates the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), Royal Army Veterinary Corps (RAVC), Royal Army Dental Corps (RADC) and Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC). The history of the AMS can trace its origins from 1660, alongside the formation of the regular army: at this time the service details of all medical officers were first recorded. The Museum of Military Medicine houses the archives and artefacts of these Corps and their antecedents. The archive includes material dating from late 17th century to the present day: documents relating to the European and Imperial conflicts of the 18th and 19th centuries, the Crimean War (1854-1856), Anglo Boer War (1899-1902) and the Balkan conflicts of the early 20th century, WWI and WWII, the Korean War (1950-53) and later minor conflicts, such as the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960), Cyprus 1963-64 and the Falklands conflict (1982). These archives are open to the public for research. An appointment is necessary.
The museum does not hold service records of soldiers and nurses. However, service details for those officers who held a regular commission in the Army Medical Department (AMD) and RAMC are retained. These have been collated into ‘Medical Officers of the British Army 1660-1960’ (culled from large leather-bound manuscript volumes dating back to the 18th century, held at the museum) published in 1968. A third volume, yet to be published, has been compiled to include the period 1960-1998. The records contain promotional details, medical qualifications, postings, campaigns, honours and awards, dates of birth and death etc. The large manuscript registers used to compile the printed books do contain some additional details such as extracts from annual confidential reports and references to obituaries published that are not contained in the volumes. The museum also holds registers containing brief service details of Civilian Doctors in the Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902 and Women Doctors in WWI. Regarding medical officers who were war time (1914-18) service only i.e. territorials, voluntary service and conscripted, brief details relating to their units, dates and reason for leaving are recorded and preserved in the museum’s archives.
The principal published work on the history of the Army Medical Department is the, History of the Army Medical Department (AMD) in 2 volumes, covering the period 1660 to 1898 by Sir Neil Cantlie. There are various other short general histories such as the Famous Regiments edition on the RAMC and others published prior to and shortly after WW2 as well as some succinct individual unit histories.
From 1859 until the early 20th century an annual AMD Report was published containing medical reports and statistics relating to the British Army serving throughout the world. These are founded on geographical regions (Stations) e.g. Ceylon, Egypt, Mauritius etc. Some volumes also feature medical reports written by medical officers who took part in campaigns such as the war in North China 1860, the war in New Zealand 1863-65 and the Red River Expedition 1870.
The Journals of the RAMC, first published in 1903, are a valuable source of information. The early volumes feature postings, promotions, retirements, honours and awards, exams passed by soldiers, reports on equipment, organisational changes, births, deaths and marriages, as well as historical articles on the medical services. Since the 1950s it has become more of a clinical journal and the papers published are of a mainly medical nature. A complete digital copy of these journals is also retained by the museum. The RAMC Magazine, published from the early 1920s, contains news from the various units, promotions, postings, sporting information and obituaries. The years 1916-1919 and 2001-2011 have been digitised.
Gallantry medal rolls for WWI and WWII have been gleaned from the journals and magazines of the RAMC and are available. This information also includes the relevant London Gazette details. Various other gallantry e.g. Distinguished Conduct Medal 1914-1920 and campaign medal e.g. Egypt Medal with clasp ‘Suakin’ 1885 awarded to the Medical Staff and Medical Staff Corps, rolls are also held.
The Wellcome Library, currently holds part of the RAMC Muniment Collection on behalf of the museum. The Muniment Collection, was originally housed at the Royal Army Medical College before transfer to the RAMC museum at Keogh Barracks and then to the Wellcome. The Wellcome has subsequently catalogued and digitised this collection: the catalogue can be viewed online at (https://wellcomecollection.org/works/xqc9qs4x)