5 Medical Regiment traces its roots to the establishment of 5 Field Ambulance in Aldershot on 14 August 1914 under command of Lt Col RJ Copeland RAMC. Arriving at the French coast on 19 August, they boarded trains and arrived at Vaux Andigny on 22 August. They then marched 32 miles over Pont-Sur-Sambre to take over the sick and wounded from 4 Field Ambulance releasing this unit to receive casualti
es from the Battle of Mons. During this time, Arthur Martin-Leake was making his way to the seat of the war. Having been severely wounded when gaining the Victoria Cross in South Africa, he occupied his convalescence in obtaining the degree of Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. Despite holding a high administrative post in the Indian Railways, he contrived to gain passage to France, joined 5 Field Ambulance and, for conspicuous gallantry between 29 October and 9 November 1914 he was awarded the Victoria Cross for the second time; the first man in history to be honoured so.
5 Field Ambulance was disbanded at the end of WW1, having taken part in many great battles including the Battles of the Somme, Arras, Cambrai and the Hindenburg Line. At the outbreak of WW2, 5 Field Ambulance was reformed at the Connaught Hospital, Aldershot under the command of Lt Col S Arnott DSO, and served in Arles, Marshiennes, India, Rangoon, Japan and Malaya. After WW2, the unit served in Cyprus and the Suez Canal Zone until 1958 when it disbanded. When 24 Field Ambulance was disbanded in September 1976, remnants of 24 Field Ambulance were used to reform 5 Field Ambulance, which then moved by arms plot to Oxford Barracks, Munster. The links to 24 Field Ambulance still exist within the Regiment today within 24 Medical Squadron. The unit was renamed 5 Armoured Field Ambulance on 1 January 1982. The unit took part in Operation GRANBY 1990-91. In 1993 the unit moved to Fulwood Barracks, Preston and in that same year it was renamed 5 Field Ambulance RAMC. During 1993 to 1998, the Regiment undertook 3 deployments to the Balkans. Also at this time the Regiment adopted its badge, based upon the Lancashire Red Rose, reflecting the Regiment’s new adopted county heritage. On 1 December 1999 the unit changed formation and name to 5 General Support Medical Regiment and deployed once more to the Balkans on Op AGRICOLA in 2000. In 2003 the Regiment deployed to Iraq on Op TELIC 1 and then celebrated its 90th Anniversary on 13 August 2004 followed immediately by another deployment to Iraq on Op TELIC 5. 2008 saw the Regiment deploy for the first time to Afghanistan on Op HERRICK 7. On 1 April 2009 the Regiment was renamed 5 Medical Regiment, following the restructuring of the RAMC under the Improved Medical Support to Brigades policy, and moved to Gaza Barracks, Catterick Garrison. At this time the Regiment added the White Rose of Yorkshire to its Regimental badge. In recent years the Regiment has been heavily committed to supporting UK Operations in Iraq and most recently in 2013 the Regiment deployed to Afghanistan once more for Op HERRICK 18. On 13 August 2014, 5 Medical Regiment celebrated its Centenary and on 1 September 2014 the Regiment was renamed 5 Armoured Medical Regiment.
