Medical Department

We have had a wearing task down in the sick bay during this commission, so much so that our first two sick bay Petty Officers barely lasted a year between them. S.B.P.O. Devers left due to illness and his successor, S.B.P.O. Edmonds, stayed six months and then went to EAGLE (he likes Big Ships!). Since then C.P,O.M.A. Bowns and L.M.A. Mackay have carried on the good work with the help of Surgeon Lt.-Cdr. Blackstone, except of course when the “Flight Deck Doctor” wasn’t waving those coloured flags around. “Vampire” Mackay, if not in the prone position, was usually to be found around the flight deck dressed in a boiler suit and often awake. The Chief, if not fulfilling his 16-hour working day (he says), could be found with camera—travel, anywhere.

The department was kept on its toes with the usual medical routines, accidents and runs ashore but the end result has been satisfying and we trust that our successors will have an equally happy commission,