Questions about hospitals in France

[singwiththespirit]

I'm working on a novel in which one the heroine and several of her family members form one of Lena Ashwell's Concert Parties on the Western Front. For those unfamiliar, the Lena Ashwell Concert Parties consisted of 3-4 singers, instrumentalists, and other entertainers. They gave concerts mainly at base camps and in hospitals - in the latter, the individual performers would also quietly entertain the non-ambulatory men at their bedsides. Because of how the Concert Parties operated, and because my protagonist (an Aussie) is wounded at Pozières in 1916 (ending up at 3rd Australian General Hospital at Abbeville) and again at Amiens in 1918, I need a fairly good understanding of the operations of hospitals in France.

I have a rough idea of the progression of a wounded man from the casualty clearing stations to the various hospitals in France and ultimately to a convalescent hospital (usually back in Blighty) - but what I'm having trouble finding out is:

Would any particular attempt have been made to send a wounded Australian soldier to one the hospitals run by the Aussies (vs. the British, Canadians, or Kiwis) - or did it not matter?

Were men always sent on to convalescent hospitals after some time in a hospital such as 3rd Australian General/Abbeville, or might they become fit enough to be sent back to their units directly without any time in a convalescent hospital? If not, were there convalescent hospitals in northern France, or were they all back in Blighty?

How much coming and going was usual/allowed ambulatory patients in hospital? Were they free to

wander about the town, to make outings to nearby beaches, etc.?

Any answers - or suggested reference works where I might discover answers - will be much appreciated!

[Bairbre]

I know very little about any of these Forum topics but your query reminded me of a link

http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/trails/6676/photogra.htm

given by Terry Reeves for newspaper articles re Alnwick Camp, Northumberland (see last line):

ALNWICK AND COUNTY GAZETTE: ALNWICK HUT TOWN AND MILITARY NEWS (1916)

The Convalescent Camps

"A visit to the encampment in the Pastures this week, after an absence of a fortnight, revealed a wonderful change in the ornamental approaches to B and C camps. The shrubbery adorning the sides is flourishing beautifully through the dry weather of last week. The interior of every hut is now comfortably arranged and fitted up, and every week wounded men in a convalescent stage are arriving in the camps for treatment. Today (Friday) a draft of 91 men arrived. The dowsing heat treatment is now in good working order, and some 123 men are massaged every morning, while 70 others are being attended to by the ladies of the V.A.D., who dress their wounds. The B and C camps at present are quite full with patients, and camp A has nearly got its full complement. On Wednesday, Lady Victoria Percy had the hospital in Baliffgate transferred to the hospital at the top of C camp, and we noticed that the elctric station in B camp was nearly completed. The whole of the lighting for the four camps will be controlled from this station, which will save a great deal of trouble and labour and consequently be much more economical. Its efficiency was brought into operation on Tuesday night, when there was a threatened air raid, all lights being immediately switched off.

Unfortunately for the soldiers, through the outbreak of German measles in the town, Alnwick has been declared "out of bounds" for at least a fortnight."

Hope this is of help

Bairbre

[Chris_Baker]

I can't remember seeing any cases where a man did not go to a convalescent camp of some kind after being treated at a base hospital. There were such camps at many locations on the French Channel coast. The duration of stay varied from a day or two up to several weeks, presumably depending on his condition. From there he would usually go to an Infantry Base Depot camp (assuming he's an infantryman) before being posted to a unit.