Reserve Forces Day 2003

In 2003, the parade celebrated the contribution of the Reserve Army Navy and Air medical services to the nation, its defence and to peace keeping and humanitarian missions throughout the world.

On 17 January 1900, Neville Reginald Howse was commissioned as a lieutenant in the New South Wales Medical Corps and went to South Africa with the 2nd Contingent. During an action involving Major J. G. Legge's New South Wales Mounted Infantry and Western Australian Bushmen near Vredfort on 24 July 1900, Seeing a trumpeter struck by a bullet, Howse rode through a hail of bullts to get to him. He dismounted to collect the man but as he did so his horse was shot dead. He dressed the man's wound and then hoisted the man onto his shoulders and carried him to safety, where he successfully treated the casualty for a perforated bladder. The man survived. For this action, Howse was awarded the Victoria Cross, the first ever awarded to someone in an Australian unit, and the only one ever awarded to an Australian medical officer. Howse was promoted to captain on 15 October 1900.  After exemplary service In World War 1 at Gallipoli and in France, Howse chaired a committee on the future organisation of the Army Medical Services. He was appointed part time Director General of Medical Services (DGMS) in July 1921 with the rank of major general; he retired from the Army at the end to 1923 to become a member of parliament where he served as Minister for Health and Repatriation.
Tyquin, Michael B., Neville Howse: Australia's First Victoria Cross Winner.

During the morning hours of April 26th 1915 the day after the Galliploli Landings Jack Simpson did what many of his mates were doing - carried casualties back to the beach over his shoulder - until he was stopped dead in his tracks by something he saw; something he’d been passing for hours, but in common with the rest of his mates had paid little attention to.

A number of donkeys had been landed, along with their Greek drivers, to carry kerosene tins of water for the troops. Some of these donkeys had been abandoned by their drivers and now sought shelter and what little grazing there was in amongst the wild overgrown gullies. Jack was responding to a call of - “Stretcher-Bearer!” - when he saw, grazing unconcernedly near the wounded man, a donkey.
ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee (Qld) Incorporated