![]() – they were ‘sitting ducks’ for the Italian artillery. On 11 December the tanks of the 3 rd Hussars became trapped in the soft crust of the dried salt lakes at Ras El Saida. ‘Operation Compass’ commenced on 8 December 1940, with allied forces attacking Italian troops at Sidi Barrani The Italians soon withdrew, and the 3 rd Hussars were ordered to pursue the retreating forces. Being lightly armed, it could not display a Red Cross, instead Somerville emblazoned the regimental emblem, the Horse of Hanover, on each side. The Medical Assistance Vehicle (MAV) was effectively a mobile surgical unit. With ‘light-hearted support’ from senior officers, and using a captured Italian ambulance, he designed a vehicle which would allow treatment of casualties on the battlefield. Somerville quickly realised that medical officers would need to be highly mobile in order to provide treatment swiftly. The 3 rd Hussars were despatched to Egypt in the summer of 1940, arriving in Cairo in September, to serve as part of the 7 th Armoured Division, the ‘Desert Rats.’ He was commissioned in September 1939 and posted as Medical Officer to the 3 rd (Kings Own) Hussars the following month. ![]() He was awarded an OBE in 1920 for this service.Īfter demobilisation from the army, Somerville pursued a career in medicine, rather than veterinary medicine, working in general practice, initially near to Whitely Bay, Northumberland and then in Bournemouth.Īt the outbreak of World War 2, Somerville, aged 52, volunteered for military service. He served in France throughout the war: in January 1916 he was awarded the Military Cross (MC) for ‘distinguished action in the field’, and in 1918 received a bar to the MC ‘for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.’įollowing the armistice in 1918 he was posted to Northern Russia where he worked as a medical officer on hospital trains, caring for the casualties of the Russian Civil War. ![]() Somerville passed the conjoint medical examination (MRCS, LRCP) in the summer of 1914 and, at the outbreak of war, was commissioned in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He immediately gained a place at the London Hospital Medical College, believing that a dual qualification would aid his plans to work abroad. After attending Framlingham College Suffolk, he entered the Royal Veterinary College in 1904, graduating MRCVS in 1908. It was here, on 11 December 1940, that a member of the veterinary profession was recognised for gallantry of the highest order.ĭr Thomas Somerville was born in March 1887 in Ceylon, the son of a successful tea planter and merchant. Utilities, Water Utilities, Storm Drainage Utilities, Electrical Utilities, Communications Utilities.This month marks the 75 th anniversary of ‘ Operation Compass’ which took place in the North African desert, in western Egypt during World War 2. Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC).Įlectrical, Lighting, Interior Lighting, Exterior Lighting.Įlectronic Safety and Security, Electronic Access Control and Intrusion Detection, Video Surveillance, Fire Detection and Alarm.Įxterior Improvements, Flexible Paving, Rigid Paving, Curbs, Gutters, Sidewalks, and Driveways, Fences and Gates, Turf and Grasses. Openings, Metal Doors and Frames, Entrances, Storefronts, and Curtain Walls, Windows, Door Hardware. Thermal and Moisture Protection, Dampproofing and Waterproofing, Thermal Protection. Wood, Plastics, and Composites, Rough Carpentry. *The owner requests that all subcontractor / supplier inquiries be directed to the General Contractor.Ĭoncrete, Concrete Forming and Accessories, Cast-in-Place Concrete. Selective demolition includes removal of metal stairs and creating masonry openings to access expansion. New Construction, Infrastructure - 52,000 SFĬub Run Elementary School - Fairfax Countyįairfax Presbyterian Church Affordable Housing Developmentĩ,246 sf Pre-engineered metal building addition to existing warehouse. Sheehy Automotive - Loisdale / Springfield Shirley Industrial Park - Distribution Center Warehouse RFQ Contractor - Phlipott Landslide Constructionĭulles Toll Road Crossing at Innovation Center RFQ D/B - Defense Logistics Agency Overwatch Booths and Dining Patio Pavers New Construction, Renovation, Infrastructure New Construction, Infrastructure - 438,800 SF Inova Springfield Replacement Campus - Phase 1 New Construction, Infrastructure - 118,000 SF Silver Line Elementary School - Fairfax Countyĭunn Loring Elementary School - Fairfax County Route 1 Elementary School - Fairfax County Public Schools
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