Ambulance Trains

[bobshaw]

I have made a start on trying to find which Ambulance Train was operating in the "ALBERT" region of the Somme in Sept-October 1916, having been sent a copy of the Diary for No 31 AT, it makes very interesting reading and gives totals of the injuries, if these were typical schedules, then we can see that the wounded soldiers might have been on a train for quite some time, albiet under the care of RAMC.

date district [/size]miles arr dep journey time loaded unloaded

22-Sep-16 Bailluel to Hazebrouck 12 10.30 11.30 207

Hazebrouck to Remy 54 12.15 12.45 45 mins 58 -10

Remy to Hazebrouck 54 13.25 14.35 40 mins 180

Hazebrouck to St Omer 18 15.55 16.15 1h 20m 9 -12

St Omer to Boulogne 37 17.05 17.25 50 mins

Boulogne to Lapugnoy 56 20.00 22.50 2h 35m -482

23-Sep-16 Lapugnoy 05.40 6h 50m

26-Sep-16 Lapugnoy to Cocques 20 9.00 10.25 125

Cocques to Barlin 9 10.50 11.25 25 mins 22

Barlin to Bruay 5 14.45 15.30 3h 20m 74

Bruay to Dannes 53 15.45 16.50 15 mins 86

Dannes 20.30 3h 40m -307

27-Sep-16 Dannes to Abbeville 5 10.50

Abbeville 03.47 2h 57m

28-Sep-16 Abbeville to Le Havre 122 13.00 18.45 292

29-Sep-16 Le Havre to Sotteville 66 07.35 13.04 12h 50m -292

30-Sep-16 Sotteville to Amiens 78 17.30 14.30 4h 26 m

01-Oct-16 Amiens 0.45 10h 15m

05-Oct-16 Amiens to Abbeville 34 18.45

Abbeville 21.45 3h

09-Oct-16 Abbeville to Doullens 29 02.20

Doullens 07.45 5h 25m

10-Oct-16 Doullens to Gezaincourt 2 12.40 15 mins 517

Gezaincourt to Abbeville 28 12.55 15.10 4h 20m

Abbeville 19.30 21.25

The mileage between districts are calculated from todays road maps, the railway line may have taken a different route.

If any one can help with other Ambulance Trains covering the 2nd/3rd Oct 1916 I would be grateful.

Bob.

[phil@basildon]

The ambulance trains you speak about possibly were made up of French rolling stock and may have been entirely French. Most British Ambulance trains remained in the UK and were used for transporting wounded men from the ports were they were landed to inland hospitals. The routes operated would have to avoid the front line and any lines that had been damaged. It may be that the train collected its "cargo" at one section of the front and delivered it to hospital and then proceeded to another part of the front collected more wounded and thence to another hospital. This seems the most likely scenario otherwise the train would be extreamly crowded.

I have a modern atlas of France that shows the railway lines and I will attempt to work out its actual route, luckily France never had a Dr. Beeching but some lines have been closed.

[bobshaw]

The ambulance trains you speak about possibly were made up of French rolling stock and may have been entirely French. Most British Ambulance trains remained in the UK and were used for transporting wounded men from the ports were they were landed to inland hospitals. The routes operated would have to avoid the front line and any lines that had been damaged. It may be that the train collected its "cargo" at one section of the front and delivered it to hospital and then proceeded to another part of the front collected more wounded and thence to another hospital. This seems the most likely scenario otherwise the train would be extreamly crowded.

I have a modern atlas of France that shows the railway lines and I will attempt to work out its actual route, luckily France never had a Dr. Beeching but some lines have been closed.

Hi Phil, I appreciate your offer of help - what I am looking for is the possible rail route from the "Albert" or "Amiens" area to Rouen. Also trying to find which number train was operating in this area on the 2nd or 3rd Oct 1916.

You mention the train could get extreemly crowded, from what I have found so far and seen in the one War Diary they carried around 400 wounded, on the one day they loaded 517.

Regards................Bob

[phil@basildon]

At the moment I dont seem able to find the atlas, which usually means it is right under my nose. I will keep you informed.

[phil@basildon]

Bob, I still cant find my atlas, but I have found a website that might interest you.

http://www.roll-of-honour.org/Medical/AmbulanceTrains.html

[grantowi]

The ambulance trains you speak about possibly were made up of French rolling stock and may have been entirely French. Most British Ambulance trains remained in the UK and were used for transporting wounded men from the ports were they were landed to inland hospitals.

From British journal of nursing – 25^th March 1916

Those who remember the hospital trains sent out to France at the, beginning of the war, and

saw the new train built by the Great Western Railway at Swindon last week, must realize that

great improvements have been made in the last eighteen months. The train, which cost &28,000,

and is over 600 feet long has through communication from end to end, from the isolation ward at

the far end, with its 18 cots, to the very last car. It provides accommodation for 472 sitting-up

cases, and 102 lying-down, or 306 lying-down and a staff of 46, 32 of these being orderlies.

In the wards various devices may be noted for the convenience of the nurses-,and the comfort

of the patients. The cots with removable head piece which prevents the pillows from slipping,

and with straps :above to take the place of pulleys, brackets for feeder or spittoon within easy reach

of the patients, racks for their papers and books, non-Tipp able stools on which the nurses can stand

to attend to the patients in the upper cots. Then in addition to the fixed electric lights there are

movable torches; cisterns of drinking water in each ward are in charge of the nurses and under

lock and key.

The pharmacy and operating theatre are lead lined, the latter With an operating table covered

with zinc. There is a store for medical comforts, as well as a pack store. There are comfortable

quarters for both the medical and nursing staffs the latter having a cozy little dining room with

oval dining table, and the orderlies also have comfortable quarters. A movable ladder is

provided which can be attached to the outside of a coach if necessary, for it must be remembered

that hospital trains at the front do not often draw up at platforms. Altogether the comfort of

patients and staff has been most carefully considered and Train 26 will speed on its mission

of mercy well equipped for all contingences

Swindon GWR made quite a few of these trains, mainly paid for by public subscription - they used to have open days where the public could come and view the trains and donate money. LNER also made some and I suspect that the other main Companys also produced some.

Grant

Edit, just had a google and there were either 30 or 34 of these train produced and sent to france.

bit more and some pics here - http://www.pharmj.com/pdf/xmas2005/pj_20051224_greatwar.pdf