Page 129 - JSOM Spring 2021

Guerilla Surgeon

A Thing of the Past or Warning to the Future?

Rogers L. Guerilla Surgeon: A New Zealand surgeon’s wartime experiences with the Yugoslav Partisans.
Collins: January 1, 1958. ASIN: B000S5M92O. Hardcover.
Review by Regan Lyon, MD*

ndigenous forces were crucial to resisting and combating on- perspective their priorities and motivations. As medics, we can
going and overwhelming invasions. The front lines of forces help foster that trust by advocating for appropriate medical
Iwere blurred, making freedom of movement of outsiders care for their casualties. After all, as Roger’s stories reinforce,
near impossible. Areas of conflict were unpredictable, and ret- the majority of casualties were suffered by the partner force.
ribution for collaborating with the opposing force was a real
threat. Even hospitals were targets, despite medical neutrality The unique operating environment of guerrilla warfare plays
described in the Geneva Conventions. Medical supplies were a critical role in medical support to the forces. Restricted
always a rare commodity, and prolonged care by medics with freedom of movement, logistical conundrums, reduced “foot-
extra training were the rule rather than exception. prints,” and reliance on partner forces all shape clinical prac-
tice in such conditions. The lack of freedom of movement is
While this may sound like a description of current conflicts in the hallmark of guerrilla warfare and impacts the movement of
Syria or Africa, Guerrilla Surgeon is a fascinating recount of patients, medical supplies, and sustenance. Rogers’ vivid sto-
battlefield medicine in Yugoslavia in World War ries emphasize the reliance on prolonged field care
II. Referenced in the previously reviewed work by by medics and partner forces due to the inability
COL William “Rocky” Farr titled Death of the to evacuate patients to more definitive care. He
Golden Hour and the Return of the Future Guer- also highlights the need for medical supply caches
rilla Hospital, this provides a reminder that our to store items for resupply or for a hasty hospital
lessons from the past deserve attention as we pre- relocation. Rogers constantly worked to decrease
pare for future conflicts. his hospitals’ and supply caches’ signatures to the
enemy, relying on the partisans for movement of
The author of the book, Dr Lindsay Rogers patients, supplies, and communication with head-
(1901–1962), was a New Zealand native who quarters. The reduced medical “footprint” in the
completed medical school at Otago University and area also required the training of partisan “med-
trained in surgery in London. In 1940, he joined ical students” and nurses, establishing a network
the British forces to help defeat the Nazi Ger- of guerrilla hospitals to overcome the challenges
many expansion. Although originally assigned to the Eighth of the environment.
Army in Northern Africa, he believed his services were best
warranted closer to the point of injury in regions with poor In the 254 pages of astonishing stories and descriptions of con-
medical coverage. Rogers volunteered for the Special Opera- flicts, patients, and partisan friendships, Rogers describes the
tions Executive. After months of specialized training, he and a practice of medicine in guerrilla warfare. His observations of
couple of nonmedical enlisted troops were sent to Yugoslavia modifying medical decisions based off reduced resources, pro-
to provide surgical care to Yugoslav partisan guerrilla forces. longed evacuation times, and limited local medical capabilities
His guerrilla surgeon narrative brings perspective to the reader are eerily familiar to practice in current theaters of operation.
on working with partner forces and the unique challenges of While his experience is from World War II, he highlights re-
guerrilla medicine. current themes seen in the history of battlefield medicine and
demonstrates that the nature of guerrilla warfare and medicine
As any medic who has deployed in current conflicts knows, has not changed. COL Farr asserted in his manuscript that
integration with partner forces is paramount to mission suc- future operations will require the resurgence of guerrilla med-
cess. Our operational forces work hand-in-hand with the part- icine and acceptance that “the golden hour” is a concept of
ner nation in training assault forces on basic soldiering skills. the past. However, few active military medical personnel have
However, a lack of trust from the partner force makes these experience in environments with denied freedom of movement
efforts futile. Although he was assisting partner forces to set or evacuation capabilities. As we look toward conflicts on the
up a medical network, the stories shared by Rogers reiterates horizon and great power competition, we should consider the
the need to earn the trust of locals. Understanding their cus- past lessons of Rogers with the Yugoslavian guerrilla force in
toms, language, limitations, and grievances helps to put into preparations for casualty care.
*Correspondence to regan.lyon@gmail.com
Major Lyon is a graduate student in the Department of Defense Analysis (Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict), Naval Postgraduate School,
CA.

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