C.A.M.C. with the Canadian Corps During the Last Hundred Days of the Great War
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THE C.A.M.C. WITH THE CANADIAN CORPS DURING THE LAST HUNDRED DAYS OF THE GREAT WAR BY A. E. SNELL, C.M.G., D.S.O., B.A., M.B. COLONEL, ROYAL CANADIAN ARMY MEDICAL CORPS (Late D.D.M.S. Canadian Army Corps) BASED ON MATERIAL AND MAPS SUPPLIED BY THE HISTORICAL SECTION OF THE GENERAL STAFF Published by authority of the Hon. E. M. Macdonald, Minister of National Defence Ottawa F. A. ACLAND Printer to the Kings Most Excellent Majesty 1924 INTRODUCTION Colonel Snell has laid the Medical Service and the Defence Forces of Canada under a great obligation by writing this book. It is a piece of public service which no one is better qualified to know, both from intimate personal knowledge of the events he describes and because official documents, diaries, maps, etc., have all been available to him. The result is an account of the Open Warfare stage of the Great War, the Last Hundred Days, which, in so far as it may reach the general public, will give them a good conception of the problems of the Medical Service in war, of the method by which sick and wounded are cared for, and of the devotion and intelligence with which the duties of all ranks were discharged. From the technical point of view, this book is the first con- tribution made by the Canadian Medical Service to the literature of training. It is full of the kind of experience that will make it valuable, if not exactly as a Manual, yet as a source from which Tactical and Administrative problems can be studied by coming generations of Medical Officers. J. T. FOTHERINGHAM, Major-General. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. ORGANIZATION, ADMINISTRATION AND FUNCTIONS OF C.A.M.C. Short description of Medical establishments of Canadian Corps–General outline of functions of Medical Service and process of dealing with typical casualties; sick–wounded .......................................................................1 CHAPTER II. WITHDRAWAL FROM THE LINE AT ARRAS AND MOVE TO AMIENS AREA. Preliminary moves in 1918–Movements of field ambulances from Arras to Amiens area–The Amiens Asylum–Medical arrangements during the move.................................................................................................................11 CHAPTER III. TAKING OVER THE LINE, MEDICAL ARRANGEMENTS AND NARRATIVE OF THE BATTLE, AUGUST 8. Detailed arrangements for moving forward and taking over the line–Clearing the front August 8: 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Canadian Divisions..........................26 CHAPTER IV. CONTINUED OPERATIONS TOWARDS ROYE, AUGUST 9 TO 13. Clearing the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Canadian Divisions August 9–The 32nd British and 4th Canadian Divisions August 10 and 11–August 12 to withdrawal from the line, all Canadian divisions employed–No. 7, Canadian Cavalry Field Ambulance ..............................................................................................45 CHAPTER V. WORK IN REAR CORPS AREA AND SUMMARY OF THE BATTLE OF AMIENS. Work in various main dressing stations–Pushing forward C.C.Ss.–Casualties during Amiens fighting–Corps Commander’s special order of the day– General discussion: (a) clearing the front line; (b) intercommunication and liaison; (c) M.D.S.; (d) C.C.S.; (e) M.A.C.................................................61 CHAPTER VI. MOVE, AMIENS TO ARRAS; MEDICAL ARRANGEMENTS AND NARRATIVE OF THE BATTLE, AUGUST 26 TO SEPTEMBER 1. Moves of field ambulances after arrival on Arras front–Clearing 2nd and 3rd Canadian Divisions August 26 to 28–Relief by 4th British and 1st v Canadian Divisions–Fighting August 29 to September 1–Arrival 4th Canadian Division–Work in rear Corps area–Sanitary sections.......................79 CHAPTER VII. DROCOURT-QUEANT OPERATIONS. Clearing 1st and 4th Canadian Divisions September 2 to 5–Light railway for wounded–First French refugees–British Divisions on this front, 51st and 4th ....................................................................................................................98 CHAPTER VIII. WORK IN REAR CORPS AREA. ARRAS. Detailed description of Corps M.D.S.–Walking wounded and stretcher cases– Casualties in the Canadian Corps during fighting from Arras to Canal du Nord ...............................................................................................................109 CHAPTER IX. PREPARATIONS FOR THE OPERATIONS FROM CANAL DU NORD TO CAMBRAI. Reconnoitering front area for suitable medical posts and roads for evacuation– C.C.Ss. moving up–M.D.S. dispensed with–Field ambulance record sections in C.C.Ss.–Broad Gauge and Light Railways–Copy of Medical arrangements issued–Final preparations.........................................................119 CHAPTER X. FIGHTING AROUND CAMBRAI, INCLUDING THE CANAL DU NORD, BOURLON WOOD AND IWUY, SEPTEMBER 27 TO OCTOBER 11 Clearing 1st and 4th Canadian and 11th British Divisions September 27–1st, 3rd and 4th Canadian and 11th British Divisions on 28–Continued operations September 29 to October 1–2nd Canadian Division relieves 1st and 4th Canadian Divisions–Work in rear area and casualties during battle of Cambrai–Letter from D.M.S., First Army–Broad Gauge evacuation–Casualties–2nd and 3rd Canadian and 49th (West Riding) Divisions from October 2–Relief by XXII Corps–Canadian Corps rest station, Fresnicourt.........................................................................................135 CHAPTER XI. THE PURSUIT TO VALENCIENNES, BATTLE OF MONT HOUY AND ADVANCE TO MONS. Arrangements on new corps front from October 11 to 16–Retirement and pursuit of enemy beginning 17th–Medical arrangements 1st, 2nd and 4th Canadian Divisions–2nd Canadian Division out of line on 19th–3rd Canadian Division relieves 1st Canadian Division on 22nd–Feeding and medical care of French civilians–Work of Quartermaster of field ambulance–Mont Houy operations November 1–Taking of Mons and Armistice–Honours C.A.M.C. personnel–Casualties among medical officers ...........................................................................................................164 vi CHAPTER XII. THE ARMISTICE AND ADVANCE TO THE RHINE. Medical arrangements at Armistice–Divisions closing up–Arrangements for advance to Rhine–Collection and caring for prisoners of war returned by Germans–C.C.Ss. moving forward–The advance and medical arrangements on the Rhine–Return to Belgium and thence to England .........188 L’ENVOI. APPENDICES. APPENDIX I. Copy of Medical Arrangements and Instructions of a Canadian Division ................209 APPENDIX II. Nominal Roll of Medical Officers who Served with the Canadian Corps during the Last Hundred Days...................................................................................220 APPENDIX III. Establishment of a Field Ambulance ........................................................................233 APPENDIX IV. Canadian Corps Order of Battle, August 8 to November 11, 1918...........................236 vii PLANS Medical Arrangements in the Field ...............................................................10 Plan of Dressing Station for Walking Wounded, Arras...............................110 Plan of Dressing Station, Marquion.............................................................144 Diagram of a Canadian Casualty Clearing Station ......................................149 MAPS (At end of book) Map 1.–Concentration and Moves– Amiens and Arras, August, 1918. Map 2.–Employment of Medical Units– Amiens, August 7 to 19, 1918. Map 3.–Employment of Medical Units– Arras, August 26 to September 3, 1918. Map 4.–Employment of Medical Units– Canal du Nord-Cambrai, September 27 to October 11, 1918. Map 5.–Readjustment of Medical Dispositions– Arras-Cambrai–Final Advance, September 5 to October 18, 1918. Map 6.–Employment of Medical Units– Denain-Valenciennes-Mons, October 12 to November 11, 1918. Map 7.–Area of Canadian Corps Operations– Amiens-Rhine, July to December, 1918. viii ABBREVIATIONS. A ...................................... Adjutant General’s. Branch. A.A. & Q.M.G................. Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General. A.D.M.S........................... Assistant Director of Medical Services of a Division. A.D.S ............................... Advanced Dressing Station. A.S.C ............................... Army Service Corps. C.A.M.C .......................... Canadian Army Medical Corps. C.A.S.C ........................... Canadian Army Service Corps. C.C.S ............................... Casualty Clearing Station. C.O .................................. Commanding Officer. C.O.R.C.C........................ Canadian Overseas Railway Construction Company. C.R.T ............................... Canadian Railway Troops. D.A.D.M.S....................... Deputy Assistant Director of Medical Services of a Divi- sion. D.D.M.S........................... Deputy Director of Medical Services of an Army Corps. D.M.S .............................. Director of Medical Services of an Army. Fld. Amb. & F.A.............. Field Ambulance. G ...................................... General Staff Branch. G.H.Q .............................. General Headquarters. G.O.C............................... General Officer Commanding. G.S.O. 1 ........................... General Staff Officer, 1st grade. H.Q .................................. Headquarters. I........................................ Intelligence Branch. M.A.C.............................. Motor Ambulance Convoy. M.D.S .............................. Main Dressing Station. M.T. Co ........................... Mechanical Transport Company. O.C .................................. Officer Commanding. Q .....................................