Visiting Jim Harris RAMC Former Tidworthian

Image via WikipediaThis afternoon was spent at the Royal Hospital Chelsea visiting a very special former member of the RAMC and an ex-Tidworthian, if there is such a word! I was accompanied by my wife Lynn a former member of the QARANC, who Jim has valued as a friend of some years.

Some of you may remember Jim Harris, an Operating Theatre Technician, from his time at the Military Hospital Tidworth, others from his days in Singapore, Malta, Iserlohn and Munster, to name but a few places he served in. Jim has been unwell for some time now, and recently completed the first part of his radiotherapy treatment. He is currently confined to the Infirmary at the hospital, where he is being supported very well by expert medical and nursing teams. Despite being unwell, Jim is in good spirits and was today planning what we will do during our next visit, Sunday next.

Jim is unique in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He has achieved the distinction of being appointed as Warrant Officer Class 2 in charge of a company of 76 pensioners. He is the first member of the RAMC to achieve the status of WO2 in the history of The Royal Hospital. Warrant Officers have always been appointed from Regiments and never from a Corps. His place in the history of the Corps is assured. 

If anyone would like to send a message to Jim, please feel free to add the message in the comments file just below this entry. Please remember to enrol as a Follower before placing your comments.

Pictures here are from the Founders Day Parade, June 2009. This was the first ever parade at the Royal Hospital Chelsea when a company was led by a WO2 from a Corps.

The pictures below show Jim flanked by myself and Harold Davis. (I admit to being the lumpy one on the left of the picture) The middle picture shows Jim in his day-to-day "blues" working dress. The bottom picturs shows Jim along side my wife Lynn.