Locations for 44 Casualty Clearing Station

[TEW]

I've noticed that the locations given for 44CCS in various sources don't match up precisely with the diary. I guess the original source IE the letter 13th. July 1923, sent from the Ministry of Pensions which gives Puchevillers as 20/8/1916 has pushed further sources (LLT) out of kilter.

I have worked on topics where the OP has excluded 44CCS from Puchevillers from eg a June 1916 enquiry as sources say it opened there in August.

So, locations/dates extracted from the diary.

WO95/345/1   1/5/1916 – 30/6/1917  

9/5/16            Arrived Le Havre.
11/5/16          Rouen.
16/5/16          Abbeville
17/5/16          Puchevillers
17/6/16          Puchevillers, Two nursing sisters arrived; A/Sister W.M. Gedye QAIMNS; Sister H.M. Connell QAIMNS.
17/5/16          PUCHEVILLERS. 44 CCS Opened
18/6/16          Puchevillers, Four nursing sisters arrived, 90 cases admitted.
                      A/Sister H. P. Crawford TFNS; S/Nurse Ethel Lilian Damon QAIMNS; S/Nurse B. R. Culwick QAIMNS; S/Nurse A.B. Brayshaw TFNS.
20/2/17          Puchevillers, receiving sick only.
11/3/17          Visited COLINCAMPS to find suitable site.
12/3/17          Commenced striking camp.
19/3/17          2pm. Handed over remaining patients to 2/1 South Midland CCS (61 CCS?)
19/3/17          9pm. Arrived COLINCAMPS.
25/3/17          COLINCAMPS. 10am. Officially opened by DMS.

WO95/345/2      1/7/1917 – 31/10/1919

2/7/17            COLINCAMPS, commenced to strike camp.
4/7/17            COLINCAMPS, closed for patients. Remaining – 1 Officer, 223 ORs.
19/7/17          2.30am. Left COLINCAMPS siding.
19/7/17          2.30pm. Arrived BRANDHOEK siding.
26/7/17          Orders from DMS 5th army that 44CCS would be receiving from 2, 18 & 19 Corps for abdominal wounds, severe chest wounds,fractures of thigh only.
10/8/17          8.0am. Opened. First cases admitted by 8.30am.
21/8/17          Camp shelled, S/Nurse N. Spindler QAR killed & four sisters wounded. DMS ordered evacuation of patients & staff.
22/8/17          8pm. Moved to REMY SIDING.
30/8/17          Returned to BRANDHOEK & began to build sand bag shelters. Majority of unit detached to other CCSs.
1st Sept to 5th Sept diary missing.
6/9/17            BRANDHOEK. DMS suggested an operating centre at NINE ELMS (sheet 27. L.10.b.3.5) in addition to site at BRANDHOEK for walking cases. [possibly didn’t happen]
10/9/17          BRANDHOEK. Sister M. Wood QAIMNS granted Military Medal for courageous conduct on 21/8/17.
13/9/17          NINE ELMS. Personnel rejoined unit.
15/9/17          NINE ELMS. Unit opened at midday.
16/9/17          NINE ELMS. First patients admitted.
29/9/17          Striking camp at BRANDHOEK.
5/4/18            HQ moved to ARNEKE.
13/4/18          Unit opened at ARNEKE.
9/5/18            HQ moved to new site Sheet 19 O.20.b.central near BERQUES EXCHANGE.
No diary entries until 6/6/18, opened by that date.
6/6/18            BERQUES. Vicinity of unit bombed.
1/10/18          BERQUES. Visited new sites near YPRES. Striking camp commenced. DMS detailed site on sheet 28 H.5.a.9.9 near BRIELEN.
5/10/18          BRIELEN. Commenced pitching camp.
7/10/18          Moved to BRIELEN.
14/10/18       BRIELEN. Commenced taking in.
28/10/18       Ordered by DMS to report to DDMS 19 Corps to select new site.
29/10/18       Proceeded to COURTRAI to see proposed sites. Two buildings found suitable, sheet 29 H.32.c.1.2
31/10/18       BRIELEN. Commenced striking camp.
2/11/18          Arrived at new site, COURTRAI building occupied by other units.     
7/11/18          COURTRAI. Opened for severely wounded.
13/11/18       Visited LEUZE, found two suitable sites.
15/11/18       Handed over to 62 CCS.
16/11/18       LEUZE.
19/11/18       LEUZE. Unit opened.
21/11/18       9am. Unit closed.
21/11/18       NIVELLES.
21/11/18       NAMUR
27/11/18       Opened main hospital at NAMUR, convent Notre Dame, Rue Lombard, advanced hospital at HUY, Ecole Athenee.
10/12/18       Left NAMUR.
10/12/18       Arrived DUREN.
11/12/18       Arrived COLOGNE. Kaiserin Augusta Schule.
11/12/18       COLOGNE. Inspected Maschinen Bauschule, 48 Ubier Ring, found to be more suitable.
16/12/18       Sister hospital located at 28 Stadtwald Gurtle.
31/10/19       COLOGNE. Cases in hospital = 248, admitted = 2.
End of diary

TEW
 

Edited 29 August , 2017 by TEW

[Chris_Baker]

Thank you, TEW. Great stuff. I'll update LLT when I get a chance.

[nikp]

Hi TEW.

My Grandfather served with 44 CCS. This info is much appreciated.

Cheers,

Nick.

[Vigotonefan]

Hi Guys,

 

Just a quick question regarding Casulty Stations: would they have 'followed' (for want of a better word) specific regiments around for the duration of the war? Or was it a case, in this instance the 44 CCS, been set up for areas that were needed at any specific time/battles? Would those that had worked in 44 CCS been the same or would there be a transient (again, for want for a better word) staffing set-up?

 

Apologies as this is a basic & perhaps silly question, but trying to get my head around it for my man.

 

Kind Regards,

-David.

[TEW]

As far as I'm aware and may be corrected CCSs came under orders of the DMS of each Army. Their locations were based on being close enough to the action but back enough to be safe from shelling (not always succesful). Proximity to a rail connection, river or canal was also essential for arriving and departing troops.

 

Not connected to Regimental arrangements, depending on their intake criteria they may be 'taking in' across a Corps or 2-3 Corps or (as below) skin diseases from X corps, other sick from Y Corps

 

For big offensive operations CCSs could be moved and a new rail head created. As CCSs tended to work in groups of 2 or 3 sometimes they specialised in specific injury types; head, abdomen, chest or general sick/wounded, skin diseases, self-inflicted wounds, VD, Enemy wounded POWs etc.

 

When CCSs closed down and moved they retained the senior staff but a lot of nurses, orderlies etc would be transferred to another CCS. Whether they returned I can't say but the junior Officers quite often were recalled. Specialists, EG X-Ray operators would be sent with their equipment to which ever CCS the DMS ordered so they are in effect transient staff. A lot of the donkey work was done by PB men (Permanent Base). These are previously sick/wounded men that have recovered enough to be usefully employed at a CCS and again were probably being rotated.

 

TEW