Rush to Danger: Medics in the Line of Fire

by Ted Barris

Noted military historian Ted Barris once asked his father, Alex, “What did you do in the war?” What the former US Army medic then told his son forms the thrust of Barris’s latest historic journey—an exploration of his father’s wartime experiences as a medic leading up to the Battle of the Bulge in 1944–45, along with stories of other medics in combat throughout history.    Barris’s research reveals that this bloodiest of WWII battles was shouldered largely by military medics. Like his father, Alex, medics in combat evacuated the wounded on foot, scrounged medical supplies where there were seemed to be none, and dodged snipers and booby traps on the most frigid and desolate battlefields of Europe. While retracing his father’s wartime experience, the author weaves into his narrative stories about the life-and-death struggles of military medical personnel during a century of service. In this unique front-line recounting of the experiences of stretcher bearers, medical corpsmen, nurses, surgeons, orderlies, dentists and ambulance drivers, Barris explores the evolution of battlefield medicine at such historic engagements as Fredericksburg, Batoche, the Ypres Salient, the Somme, Vimy, Singapore, Dieppe, Normandy, Falaise, Bastogne, Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan. Barris’s sources reveal—like never before—why men and women sporting the red cross on their helmets or sleeves didn’t flee to safety but chose instead to rush to assist.  

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Medical

432 pages, Hardcover

Published August 20, 2019

About the author

Ted Barris is an accomplished author, journalist and broadcaster. As well as hosting stints on CBC Radio and regular contributions to The Globe and Mail, the National Post, and various national magazines, he is a full-time professor of journalism at Centennial College in Toronto. Barris has authored seventeen non-fiction books, including the national bestsellers Victory at Vimy and Juno.

Reviews

[Mark Adkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book explores the role of medics on the battlefield. The author, Ted Barris, used his father Techincal Sergeant Alex Barris' experience as a medic with the United States Army during World War Two as the framework for this book.

He intermixed his father's story with that of medics that served in various conflicts from the American Civil War, The North-West Rebellion, World War One and Two, the Korean War, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The stories told about individual Medics or members of the Medical Corps highlight different aspects of being a Medic during war and conflict.

I found this to be an interesting book and some of the stories about the individual people were inspiring. A few times however the author seemed to diverge from talking about the people and concentrated on the actual battle, which normally is a good thing but at times took away from the theme of the chapter.

Some readers might not like how the book was laid out, instead of going chronologically (from the American Civil War to Afghanistan) it would jump from conflict to conflict in no logical manner. Also, I think to fully appreciate the book you must have a general understanding of the events that the writer is talking about.

I do recommend this book to anyone interested in Military History or interested in Medics.

[Bret Kinghorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been a fan of Ted Barris' other books, I was happy to have been gifted this book one Christmas. Upon reading it, I was amazed at the detail and thought that went into. We are given a glimpse into Mr. Barris' fathers life as medic for US Army during some of the bloodiest, and costliest, battles of the European campaign. As he learns more about his fathers life as a medic, he shares the stories with us, intermixing incredible feats and darning rescues involving other medics (and regular soldiers before medics were a thing), along with Nursing Sisters, Doctor's, and some stories from the patients themselves, from the Civil War, straight to the Afghan and Iraqi Wars. The book contains stories that are told in a way in which you can almost sense and feel the tension and fear that all involved were going through. The raw emotions are printed all over the pages and are, at some points, horribly sad. These stories are told to bring to life the selflessness of these people. The protectors who ignore the shooting and mortar's. The pain and agony. The death and destruction. All to aid those in dire need. I am glad he took the time to interview and research these stories. They are too often not given the voice that they have earned.

[Roger Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the latest in a series of wartime histories written by Ted Barris, a Canadian author living in the Toronto area. It is a collection of stories about the heroics of wartime medics who risked their very lives to go out on the battlefield to collect the wounded and bring them to safety behind the lines where they could be treated. The book was probably inspired by Ted's father, Alex Barris, a well known radio personality from Toronto who worked as a medic for the U.S. Army during the days after D Day and especially during the Battle of the Bulge. This is not a traditional history of World War II but a series of stories from wars ranging from the American Civil War to Iraq and Afghanistan but with emphasis upon the final year of WW 2 during the Allied offensive against Germany in France and Belgium and ultimately in Germany. Highly recommended.

[Vicky Earle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ted Barris puts the human face on the tragedy of war. In this book, as in his previous writings, he uses interviews, diaries, letters and other sources to provide rich, personal accounts from those who were sent to treat the wounded. "Rush to Danger" has brought a new understanding and appreciation of how dedicated the medics were and how much they did to save lives.
The stories are often traumatic, but often heart-warming as well - in many cases Barris tells of the extraordinary courage exhibited by (most often) ordinary men.
The meticulous research along with the careful, clear and considerate writing makes this a great book, and one that I recommend.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this, as I do all of Ted's books, because I went to school with him back in the 50s and 60s. This book features his dad, Alex Barris, who I also knew because he directed our high school musical. Alex was a medic in WWII. As all of Ted's books this was an interesting read, although I am not usually interested in military history. Ted has a way of making the history personal, especially this time with the inclusion of his father's story as the backbone of the book. I would have been happy for a little less military detail, but Ted is, after all, a military historian and writer.

[Eric Aubin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well written and full of interesting facts about different campaigns and wars but I found myself getting depressed at all the senseless killing in the pitched battles I was reading about. I was also getting incensed at the decisions of the generals and politicians responsible for so much carnage. They seemed so inured and indifferent, I shut the book halfway through as I'd had enough. Others will feel differently so in fairness I give it a 3*

[Rick B.H. Ghost · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ted Barris has written many books on the history of wars past and present this is one I will probably read again. Medics are a special breed two of my relatives were medics during military service in the past.

[Kelly Fines · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ted Barris is a phenomenal war historian, but I found with this book his focus was more on the battles than the medics' experiences.

[Ken Covo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, full of really interesting historical facts.

[Victor Saville]

medics during war