Sunday 30 March

Today was quite an eventful one, certainly as Mother's Days go! As well as everyone's efforts to call home there was medical work to be done. Our role as casualty handlers was put into good use today as there was an Aeromedical casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) to do. On board we have an Aeromed team from the RAF whose job it is to liaise with their colleagues when situations such as this arise, and help with the practical side of doing it once it is all organised. Of course, they have also been instructing us in different types of helicopters and working alongside us when practising for casevacs in the build up to operations.

The Aeromed teams ashore are in various different camps and field hospitals, and when they arrive on board they supervise the casualty's safe transit onto whichever type of helicopter they have brought. It is quite a long process as we all have to make sure that the patient is secure and stable for what may turn out to be a long and not necessarily smooth flight ashore. The purpose of casevac is to get a patient home for further treatment, which in turn frees up beds in the PCRF for other patients, and also gives them access to their families and highly specialist kit which we, highly equipped though we are, don't have. Today's casevac saw the release of five people back to their respective countries, as reported in the Times by Patrick Barkham who is the reporter on board.

We also received a new casualty through the medical chain, it was a child who was unfortunate to be caught up in a road traffic accident ashore. Again reported in the Times, he was hit by an American vehicle after having grown accustomed to being thrown sweets from them. It was a tragic accident, but he was fortunate in that he had a facility such as ours to go to, giving him a far higher standard of care than he would have otherwise received. His mother is also enjoying our hospital(ity!).

Monday 31 March

A day rather less eventful than yesterday, but one in which we have not been idle. The main event for us was the repatriation of seven EPWs (Enemy Prisoners of War) who had been deemed well enough to return to their homeland. We were still required to handle them, and under the watchful eyes of the Ship's Protection Team and RNR guards we got them aboard a jungly helicopter (a Sea King painted Green). Wearing the clothes kindly provided by our country (in the highest echelons of taste!) they walked, stooped and hobbled down the deck, giving us a cheery wave as they went. I heard they got a lot less than cheery welcome when they got ashore and their wails about having to move to a smaller bed (still bigger than ours!) must have seemed a million miles away. Oh dear. How very sad.

Another bonus to our day was provided by the mail drop that took place. Always a massive morale-booster, it didn't fail today. To all those who sent us something, thank you very much. Paul Donovan got his first bit of mail today, and is currently deciding which pair of 'FHM Collections' £200 flip-flops to replace his £2 1988 models with. It's a hard choice!

Tuesday 1 April

Port watch got all of today's excitement, my own being limited to feeding the EPWs. There was a call to receive a casualty just on the watch change/dinner time, which seems to be a disconcertingly regular occurrence, but he didn't actually arrive until later that night. He filled the space vacated earlier by a patient that was casevac'd off, the drills being performed with aplomb by Port watch. There were also five more EPWs to get rid of, and this evolution was again seen through successfully.

Wednesday 2 April

Today's medical events kicked off in the evening, and involved the evacuation of the patient that arrived last night. It was another delicate manoeuvre, but one that was done to the highest standards - as can be expected. The aeromed team arrived in a Chinook and left in it a couple of hours later with their patient, having sung the band's praises for a job well done. It is a surprisingly labour intensive operation, and requires good communication and teamwork, especially as the patient is evacuated using three different sets of people. The staff that have been looking after him are involved, especially in the crucial hand-over to the RAF Aeromed team, the band as casualty handlers are required to do the lifting and shifting and whatever else is required of us.

On a rather sombre note, the Seniors had an attack of morale last night while celebrating the promotion of one of the Aircrewman to Chief Petty Officer. Sensing this morale (the most subversive of qualities) the RFA Chief Officer stepped in and made them perform the unusual task of a reverse beer lift, involving the transportation of alcohol back into hangar 4. Of course, the Steward who, after a visit to the RFA-only Crew Bar fell down the stairs and broke his ankle (rendering him useless to man or beast) was just 'tired and emotional', and his RFA colleagues clearly needed the crew bar to stay open to help them cope with their distress. Or was it to have an RMT union meeting? At least the Seniors didn't have many jokes made at their expense - that wouldn't have been very nice at all, would it?! Of course, this hasn't affected their mental state at all, although a wary officer has posted a notice and guards on the alcohol gel hand-washing dispenser…

There were reports of four EPW casualties to come in, but they were delayed watching Eastenders (I think the nurse may have been joking) and didn't turn up. Perhaps it was the omnibus.

Thursday 3 April

The main event of today was the intake of another child patient, who was another unfortunate victim of a road traffic accident. Again the medical staff in the PCRF showed their professionalism and skill in providing the highest standards of care that can be given. The band members who brought him on board and dealt with him subsequently also acquitted themselves in the best manner. The training in the build up to hostilities has proved its worth with every bit of experience gained making for a better job next time raising the already high standards. There have been more reports of EPW casualties destined for our facility, but these too will probably turn out to be phantoms, or at least not turn up here.

Friday 4 April

As days out here go, today was quite an uneventful one. Unfortunately there started an outbreak of a bug which consigned more than a few to their cabins, the cause of this is being investigated. More importantly though, the spread is being contained as much as possible as the problems of contamination are impounded by the close conditions in which we live and work. With the PCRF onboard as well, it means that it is even more important to stop the bug reaching any further. There's certainly no lack of experience in hygiene and infection control though and if there's anywhere that can stop the spread then it's here!

An important event for the ship was the visit of Rear Admiral Marsh from the US Navy. He is the head of the wider task group that we are in and came to see the capability of the Argus in its various capacities, including being the Primary Casualty Receiving Facility and a helicopter carrier. He went away suitably impressed and took his staff rejoicing.

Saturday 5 April

Although there were no new patients to take on board today we did manage to get rid of a few! We did this in the nicest possible way of course and transferred them over to the USNS Comfort which is the huge American hospital ship that has come along with the rest of the task groups. It has around 1000 beds and is different to ourselves in that it is designated as a hospital ship. This means that it is painted white with big red crosses down its sides and declares its position to the International Red Cross every day so that they can in turn tell everyone else where it is. As a result of this it is covered by the Geneva Convention and 'immune' to any attack, but with Saddam Hussein's track record I know where I'd rather be! Suffice to say that the patients are still in very good hands and in a ship that big should even be safe from friendly fire!

Well, that was our week - I hope you have enjoyed reading about it.

Musn Hairsine, S.

Musn Hairsine passed out of training in August 2002 and was drafted to the Band of HM Royal Marines BRNC, Dartmouth. Having got there he was part of an amalgamated band formed from the CTCRM and BRNC bands and enjoyed doing a few concerts before the firefighters strike started. Stationed in HMS Flying Fox, Bristol he was proud to be part of the team in Avon's busiest temporary fire station, though still found himself very, very bored. At the turn of the year he joined the Band of NTG 03 aboard the RFA Argus and has enjoyed every minute of it.