RAMC Operation Pitting: Medics at the Heart of the Kabul Evacuation
When chaos erupted in Kabul in August 2021, RAMC personnel answered the call. Operation Pitting became the largest RAF airlift since the Berlin Blockade, evacuating over 15,000 people from Afghanistan as the Taliban advanced on the capital. Amidst extraordinary scenes at Hamid Karzai International Airport, RAMC medics demonstrated remarkable professionalism under intense pressure. This article looks back at their contribution, and at the wider context that shaped one of the most demanding operations in the Corps’ recent history.
What Was Operation Pitting?
Operation Pitting ran from 13 to 28 August 2021. Its purpose was to evacuate British nationals, embassy staff, and Afghans eligible for relocation as the Afghan government collapsed. Over 1,000 UK military personnel took part, including large elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade. As a result, more than 15,000 people were flown to safety on over 100 flights, out of a wider multinational effort that rescued over 122,000 people in total.
The scale was unprecedented. For example, one RAF Globemaster carried a record 439 passengers on a single flight, nearly three times its designed capacity. Meanwhile, on the ground, troops worked in extreme heat, managed surging crowds, and processed families through a chaotic and rapidly changing security picture.
RAMC Medics on the Ground
Throughout Operation Pitting, RAMC personnel provided critical medical support. They treated casualties, delivered emergency care in difficult conditions, and supported mothers and infants among the thousands of evacuees passing through the airport. Consequently, their work sat at the centre of an operation defined as much by its humanitarian scale as by its military logistics.
Working Alongside 16 Air Assault Brigade
RAMC medics worked closely with 16 Air Assault Brigade, who provided force protection and logistical support across the airfield. Together, they helped process families, distribute medical supplies, and manage a queue of civilians that stretched for miles beyond the perimeter. Notably, this partnership reflected a wider pattern seen throughout RAMC history, where medical professionalism and battlefield discipline work hand in hand.
Care Under Pressure
The conditions were relentless. Extreme heat, mass casualties, and constant uncertainty tested medical teams to their limits. Despite this, RAMC personnel maintained medical readiness throughout the two-week operation, treating everything from crush injuries to routine but urgent healthcare needs among evacuees who had often travelled for days to reach the airport.
A Legacy of Service
Operation Pitting exemplified the RAMC motto: In Arduis Fidelis, meaning Faithful in Adversity. Working alongside the Royal Navy, RAF, and international partners, RAMC medics upheld the Corps’ proud tradition of providing care to all who needed it, regardless of circumstances. Their dedication during those two weeks stands as a proud chapter in the Corps’ recent history, and a reminder that the RAMC spirit of service continues strong today.
Key facts about Operation Pitting:
- Duration: 13 to 28 August 2021 (15 days)
- People evacuated by the UK: over 15,000, including around 2,200 children
- UK personnel deployed: more than 1,000, including 16 Air Assault Brigade
- Wider multinational effort: over 122,000 people evacuated overall
- Recognition: the Operational Service Medal (OSM) Afghanistan, with a dedicated Operation Pitting clasp, was later awarded to all who deployed
Remembering Abbey Gate
One thing worth being aware of is that the operation’s final days were marked by tragedy. On 26 August 2021, a suicide bombing at Abbey Gate killed around 170 Afghan civilians and 13 US service members, as thousands still waited to be evacuated. It is a sober reminder of the human cost behind the statistics, and of the courage shown by those, including RAMC medics, who continued to treat the wounded in the operation’s final, harrowing days.
Our thoughts remain with all who were lost, and with everyone who cared for the injured that day.
The image used in this article:
LPhot Ben Shread UK MOD © Crown copyright 2021
