Originally Posted by
melmothtw
The British were not officially at war with Argentina in 1982, but after the Argentine hospital ship ARA Almirante Irizar used its searchlights to illuminate a British raiding party the government in London made it very clear to Buenos Aires that any repetition would result in the British regarding the vessel as a combatant and attacking it, Red Cross or no.
Thank you. Some further collateral:
Great War British Field Ambulances [ie RAMC doctors, nurses, orderlies, stretcher bearers] were unarmed except a notional pistol for officers, and their protection was to be provided by the ASC of the unit [their drivers and bakers and storesmen] fully trained and armed. This probably arose from Victorian "savage warfare" when Zulus, Dervishes and Pathans could rightly not be expected to understand the niceties of conventions.