Sick Parade
Sick Parade
Round about the fifth week of training, I had a very sore throat and reported sick one morning. With their customary good planning, sick parade was at the same time as breakfast was served so you had to miss one. On reflection, perhaps it was planned that way. The Medical Officer said I had pharyngitis and was put on light duties and medicine. This meant I had to report every morning for treatment. I reported back to the sergeant that I had been put on light duties and he told me to stay in the hut and keep it tidy. As this was the week in which we had been on fatigues, there was no drill taking place. So every morning I reported for treatment which consisted of swallowing some type of medicine then I just sat in front of the stove keeping warm all day. As the week went on I got steadily worse and when I went back to the M.O. on the Friday he sent me to the sick quarters. I reported there and was shown to a small side ward with two beds in it. There was another occupant there who also had pharyngitis, in fact quite a number of beds were occupied with this complaint.

It was a great relief to get into bed as I was totally shattered. Shortly afterwards, a tea trolley appeared and I was offered a cup of hot chocolate which tasted like nectar. My companion started to inform me what was in store for me. It seemed that the treatment being used was injections of  penicillin in your backside and he said he had been having these for a few days and he was in agony. Some time later, the M.O. arrived and said he was going to try something different with me. Instead of the injections I was given a small jar of some concoction and I had to brush this on the back of my throat three times per day. The other patient had to continue with the penicillin and he obviously was not pleased.

Seemingly, according to him, we had to keep our small ward clean which meant getting up first thing in the morning and sweeping the floor then polishing it before giving everything a dust. I was in the process of sweeping under my bed when the sister appeared, she was an RAF officer, and asked what I was doing out of bed. She said I had to get complete bed rest for a few days and my companion would sweep my half too. He again was not pleased.

The rule regarding stay in sick quarters was that, if you were in longer than a week, you were put back a flight and this meant that you would go in with total strangers. So after a few days, I knew I had to get better quickly. Actually I did feel much better so I was able to go outside for a walk during the day. and at the end of the week, when asked, I stated I was much better so was discharged back to my billet. The only drill I had missed was funeral drill. This was not very intricate and I was able to pick it up from the others. But the sergeant was under the impression that I had missed much more and the next morning was the C.O.s parade and, when we were assembled outside, he shouted, “Jamieson, back to the hut for housekeeping”, so I didn’t inform him otherwise and had a nice seat in the hut while the others marched about the parade ground.
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