The Royal Army Medical Corps
And the Malta Garrison
1960

The Malta Garrison – 1960

Associate Royal Red Cross Medal (ARRC)

The ARRC medal was awarded to Maj E M Stonham QARANC and Capt B Sawyer QARANC for their services to the David Bruce Military Hospital.

Combined Services Hospital (CSH)

David Bruce Hospital
David Bruce Royal Military Hospital 1954

In 1957, the working party of the Ministry of Defence Medical Services Coordinating Committee, decided on economical but not medical grounds, that Bighi should serve as the CSH. However, a revision of their estimates carried out in 1960 by the Manager Navy Works Malta found that their costings had been based on unreliable data.

In March 1960, a new report recommended that the David Bruce Military Hospital should be the future CSH. The recommendation was approved in Jan 1961, but the Defence White Paper of Feb 1962 outlined a naval draw down. With less troops in the island, a hospital of 206 beds was considered sufficient for service needs. The final decision to modify the military hospital at Mtarfa was not taken until 1967.

Bibliography