C.C.S. #19

[hazelclark]

Am reading Lyn Macdonald's "Passchendaele" book and was surprised that she had a contribution from a nurse supposedly working in the #19 C.C. Station at Remy Siding during 3rd Ypres. I didn't think that #19 had ever been there, so looked at the list on the Long Long Trail. It shows them at Agnez-les-Duissans from Jan. '17 until Mar.'17., and then a gap until 1918. So then I checked on "Scarlet Finders" and from the Matron's diary for that time, it looks like she visited #19 at Agnez. during that time. Does anyone know which is correct or if the L.L.T. list could have a typo. (maybe it should be March 1918) and Macdonald just made a mistake?

Thanks,

Hazel C.

[Sue Light]

Hazel

The information on the Long, Long, Trail is taken from an original document called 'Location of Hospitals and Casualty Clearing Stations in the Great War' which was published by the Ministry of Pensions in 1923. I've found some of the information there incomplete or inaccurate when checking with other sources and have tried to expand on it as I go along. The official war diary of the Matron-in-Chief clearly places 19 Casualty Clearing Station at Agnez-les-Duisans for a much longer period than stated.

She visits in March 1917 where it has been 'recently established' which fits in with the published dates. But her later mentions and visits shows it was still there right up until the German Spring Offensive in March 1918, when it was evacuated and closed. I don't think there's any doubt that Macdonald, or her source, is wrong - it wasn't at Remy.

Sue

[hazelclark]

That was the conclusion I came to also Sue! Thanks.

H.C.

Hazel

The information on the Long, Long, Trail is taken from an original document called 'Location of Hospitals and Casualty Clearing Stations in the Great War' which was published by the Ministry of Pensions in 1923. I've found some of the information there incomplete or inaccurate when checking with other sources and have tried to expand on it as I go along. The official war diary of the Matron-in-Chief clearly places 19 Casualty Clearing Station at Agnez-les-Duisans for a much longer period than stated.

She visits in March 1917 where it has been 'recently established' which fits in with the published dates. But her later mentions and visits shows it was still there right up until the German Spring Offensive in March 1918, when it was evacuated and closed. I don't think there's any doubt that Macdonald, or her source, is wrong - it wasn't at Remy.

Sue

[jhill]

This is the first I have heard of No 19 CCS being at Remy during this period. Everything I have read so far puts the composition of the Remy Group then as Nos 10 and 17 CCS and Nos 2 and 3 (Cdn) CCS. These four stations operated there from the beginning of 3rd Ypres through the end of 1917.

The attached snippet with the Diary of the 3rd Canadian Division shows the 2nd Army CCSs as of October 1917, and No 19 CCS is not listed at all. (2nd Army took over most 5th Army units about this time).

I am willing to be convinced otherwise, but I suspect No 19 might be a transcription error of No 10.