Clearing Station/ Medical Care near Grevillers

[Gensmartie]

I'm trying to put together the path of a Royal Fusilier who died in October 1918  and buried in Grevillers Cemetery. Looking at war dairies I believe that he was fighting in the battle of Bapaume before his death but can not find his medical path once injured/killed.

[clk]

Hi Gensmartie,

 

In the absence of a surviving service record, if you know which battalion he was serving with, you should easily be able to identify what division it was part of. Then looking at the war diary for the Assistant Director of Medical Services for that division you should be able to establish what the immediate battlefield evacuation arrangement were*. That might also involve looking at the diaries for the appropriate Field Ambulance diaries of that division. If you were really lucky you might be able to find a surviving transcript of a hospital admission/discharge record for him on Forces War Records.

 

CCS diaries are now also available to download from the National Archives, it's very unlikely that their diary would mention him by name, but in addition to the ADMS diary the LLT (here) may help to identify which one he was evacuated to.

 

*obviously though in the height of battle, men did "stray", so there is no absolute guarantee that he was evacuated through the divisional arrangements.

 

Good luck.

 

Regards

Chris

[Gensmartie]

Thank you Chris, so much great information. What a great forum!

[TEW]

As you're looking at the battalion diary you must know his battalion. I would guess 23rd, 24th Royal Fusiliers? His division should also be identifiable from the diary?

 

You have to be fairly sure you know where he was before he was wounded ie where he started from, where his battalion were heading to.

 

As Chris says the Assistant Director of Medical Services diary is a good start point, below that in the hierarchy are three field ambulances. These are available via ancestry (free in libraries) or as downloads from National Archives.

 

So, if as an example he was 23rd or 24th RF they are both in 2nd Division, so the ADMS diary is this one, £3.45. Or, free to browse page by page at in UK libraries. What you're looking for is a set of instructions called either MEDICAL ARRANGEMENTS or 2ND DIVISION RAMC ORDERS. These are usually typed up sheets added to the end of either September or October, they may include maps.

 

The 2nd Division had three field ambulances; 5th, 6th & 100th. Each of those has a diary at National Archives and also free to browse page by page at in UK libraries.

 

One or all of them may have played a part in his evacuation and/or treatment.

 

There is also a Deputy Director Medical Services diary who is in charge of 3 or 4 divisions, that diary can also be useful but is not available from libraries.

 

I can say that 49 Casualty Clearing Station was at Grevillers during October 1918 so that is likely to be the place his death occurred.

 

If you need help finding the diaries via ancestry (library or at home) just ask, they can be tricky to find via ancestry

 

TEW

 

 

[Gensmartie]

Thanks TEW,

Again more good detailed information. Can I just ask as he enlisted in the 11th Fusiliers but last battalion was 10th Fusiliers (from MiC) , so am looking at the 38th Division diaries, I take it thats the correct one. 

[clk]

Hi Gensmartie,

 

Rather than talking about an unknown man to the rest of us, it would really help if you named him and said what his service number was, and when precisely he died. It's difficult for Pals to reliably advise in the absence of detail.

 

Regards

Chris

[TEW]

Yes, name and number would really help. Sounds like you may be right though with 10th Bn RF. Is he either Miller, Pledger or Coppin?

 

Do you have an ancestry subscription?

TEW

[TEW]

By a process of elimination I think he is 7664 Albert G Pledger. 1914-15 star to 11/RF, moved through 24/RF and 12/RF ending up with 10/RF and died 4/10/18.

 

That makes him with 37th Division wheh he died. ADMS diary is WO 95/2518/5

 

Or Ancestry if you have subscription.  This may work from UK Library

 

There are a lot of Medical Arrangements & Orders at the end of Sept 1918 which probably cover his evacuation and treatment. The first one for Oct 1918 is the day after he died so things may have changed but may be worth checking. I'd suggest starting with the last typed up sheet for Sept 1918 and working backwards.

 

The 37th Division had three Field Ambulances; 48, 49 and 50, each of these has a diary and may have more 'Medical Arrangements & Orders'.

 

You really need to know where his battalion was, trench names, map refs, objectives etc in order to know which field ambulance was dealing with his unit and therefore which dressing station, walking wounded post, he would have been taken to.

 

If the diary for the 10/RF doesn't give that info then the diary for 111th Infantry Brigade might. Seems the 10/RF were holding the (right) front line and were relieved on the 4th Oct during slight hostile shelling. The front line extended from BANTEUX to M.15.a.60.99.

 

The diary for the 4 Corps Medical Services is not available via ancestry but it does have several sheets of Medical Arrangments. The most likely one is for 25th Sept 1918 which does at least show that all wounded from 4 corps are to be evacuated to the CCSs at GREVILLERS.

 

Assuming I have the right man!!!!

TEW

 

 

[Gensmartie]

Thanks TEW 

You are absolutely correct on the right man AJ Pledger. Yet again the information I have gained is immeasurable. Thanks.

[TEW]

If you need links to any of the diaries or help understanding any of the contents feel free to ask. There may be some maps available as well to plot out the grid refs.

TEW

[Gensmartie]

Thanks once again. It will take me time to digest all the information but I will certainly ask for help if I get bogged down.