Recorded interview with Corporal Matthew Olssen, 12 December 2024

Matthew Olsson served as a reservist paramedic with 612 Squadron and deployed to Afghanistan with the Medical Emergency Response Team, working on the air evacuation of seriously injured battlefield casualties.

Matthew Olsson explains how he moved to the UK from South Africa, trained as a civilian paramedic and joined 612 Squadron as an RAF reservist. He describes training before deployment to Afghanistan, his experience of Camp Bastion and his role with the Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT). He describes the MERT’s composition, role, equipment and techniques and the experience of working in Chinook and Merlin helicopters during casualty evacuation flights.