Little-known museum tells stories of medic’s war efforts
Posted November 10, 2012 9:29 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – It’s not exactly one of Vancouver’s top attractions. But the Vancouver Museum of Military Medicine fills an important role, especially around Remembrance Day, in recognizing the efforts of local medics in both world wars.
The museum shares the same space as the 12th Vancouver Field Ambulance, an army reserve unit at Jericho.
While the museum has a collection of uniforms, medals and instruments used by the medics, curator Adrian French says their focus is on the people.
“It’s more geared towards the human stories of the doctors, the nurses, the dentists, even the chaplains: what they did during the war, what happened to them during the war and then where possible what happened to them after the war.”
He points out one of their prized possessions is a German banner, which signifies the only time Canadian medics had to resort to force to protect their patients during the Second World War.
“Our field ambulance opened up a first aid station in a German town in April, 1945. The next morning they were shot at by German troops down the road. Some of them borrowed rifles and held the enemy off,” explains French.
Because the museum is in an active military building, visitors need appointments before dropping by.
