Medical Evacuation Route of Causality Zillebeke 28 Sep 18

[USAF Engineer Ret.]

Attempting to trace medical evac route my grandfather would have traveled when wounded somewhere on road from I 21.a central to I 35. a.3.4 near Zillebeke Lake on 28 Sep 18. Was wondering if a comprehensive map of RAP's, CCS, Sanitary Hospitals serving this area was available. From what I found in War Diary of 203rd Field Company, RE appears a number of men in his #4 Section were WIA/KIA that day and assume would have been transported similarly.

 

I found some info that identified him (Cpl Elphinstone, 402467) at 2nd Aus San hospital but haven't been very successful finding out much else.

 

Any assistance would be appreciated.

 

Dave 

 

 

 

 

[kenf48]

It is difficult to be specific as to the route of his evacuation, but as a first point of clarification he was admitted to 2nd Australian General Hospital at Wimereux from where he was evacuated to England on the 5th October 1918. ('To Eng ex 2 Aus Gen Hosp).  

 

The war diary for the hospital which doesn't help you but may be of interest is here. September is a report in August and number of operations in September is an appendix for October.

 

His record shows he was first wounded on 20th September but remained on duty. 

 

Following his wound on the 28th September he ended up at the above hospital and after evacuation to England  at the Northern General Hospital in Lincoln, from there he was transferred to the 1st Scottish General Hospital in Aberdeen.

 

The war diary shows 490260 Williams died of wounds and he is interred at Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery (incorrectly listed by CWGC as 230th Field Company).  The Cemetery was used until October 1918 by 'a dressing station in a cottage nearby'. I don't know if that is the Advanced Dressing Station referred to below.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/8900/belgian-battery-corner-cemetery/

 

The war diary for 105 Field Ambulance for the 28th shows that for the attack by 35th Division they were responsible for an advanced dressing station, the main dressing station at White Mill VLAMERTINGHE which was for stretcher cases, given his wound he probably was, and a walking wounded station at Brandhoek.  There were 178 cases at the main dressing station and over 300 for walking wounded.

The diary can be downloaded from TNA http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7353955

 

106 Field Ambulance were also attached to 35th Division but it appears they acted in support of 105 for the attack, deploying their stretcher bearers to the latter.  They were at Poperhinge.

 

There are extensive maps of the action in the 35th Division diary but not sure that will help you much though I haven't studied them in detail.  You can also download the war  diary of the ADMS 35th Division WO 95/2472/7 for this period http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14054949 The diary does not break the casualties down but notes there were 830 approx casualties dealt with that day between 5.30a.m. and 530 p.m. The men from 203 Field Coy RE were a tiny fraction of that number.  It does include the location of Regimental aid posts and relay posts on the 28th, and as an Appendix a schematic diagram for evacuation on the 28th (attached) which includes map references for locations above.

 

 

 

That might enable you to make an informed guesstimate.

 

Ken

Edited 10 December , 2018 by kenf48

[USAF Engineer Ret.]

Ken

 

Thanks so much. A wealth of info for sure!

 

Dave

[TEW]

By strange coincidence I was just trying to date the scheme Ken supplied in the above post. It relates to the diary entry for 2/9/1918. I've also looked through 2nd Army DMS & XIX Corps DDMS diary and as far as I can see the scheme still holds good for 28/9/1918 with two exceptions;

• I have the MDS located on sheet 28 H.8.a.9.8, at White Mill, Not sheet 27 E.6.d. (already noted by Ken)
• XIX Corps DDMS seems to contradict himself on 28/9/1918 by having the Walking Wounded Station at Brandhoek 28.G.12.b.7.7 and a Walking Wounded Post at White Mill, together with the MDS. Unless WWS & WWP are different things? NB Not that far apart.

The ADS at 28.H.24.a.5.8. is the same, this is Belgium Battery Corner.

XIX Corps DDMS also refers to a 35th Div. ADS at Bedford House H.26.a.

 

There is another (undated) map in the 35th Div. ADMS diary that shows a trolley line for stretcher cases which starts near a RAP at Bedford House H.26.b and runs along to the other RAPS and Belgium Battery Corner.

 

As to evacuation from MDS/WWP. Walking wounded were sent to Remy Siding for admission to Nos. 10, 62 & 2 Canadian CCS. More serious wounded were also sent to Remy Siding or to Rousebrugge Nos. 36 or 3 Australian CCS.

TEW

 

[USAF Engineer Ret.]

203rd Field Co WD shows work on RAPS assisted by party of R.A.M.C. commencing on 18 Sep and completing on 26 Sep on the following locations:

 

 Bedford House Stables ( I. 26.a.8.1) 

G.HQ (I.19.d.8. 5 50)

Railway Embankment (I.20.b(g)?.5.0) 

 

I believe my grandfather to be slightly wounded on 20 Sep while working at one of these locations.

 

Dave

 

[TEW]

Looks like I made a few map ref. errors.
 

Quote

 

XIX Corps DDMS also refers to a 35th Div. ADS at Bedford House H.26.a. Should read I.26.a

 

There is another (undated) map in the 35th Div. ADMS diary that shows a trolley line for stretcher cases which starts near a RAP at Bedford House H.26.b and runs along to the other RAPS and Belgium Battery Corner. Should also be I.26.a

 

 

The DDMS XIX definitely mentions a forward ADS at Bedford House on the 28th.

 

The ADMS 35th Division mentions on the 21st that the DADMS visited the RAP at Dolls House 21.9.1918 (I.19.b.2.5) as it had been previously damaged by shell fire.

 

The undated map I mentioned shows a single RAP at Doll's House, 2 at Bedford House, 2 at Railway Embankment, 2 at HQ Line, and 2 at Swan Chateau. Some of these have map refs that measure up to the Scheme in post#2, others don't.

 

It lies inbetween appendix 289 and 290 which relate to circa 21/9/1918 so the map may have the same date.

 

 

Lastly, DMS 2nd Army has a set of Medical Arrangements for XIX Corps dated 21/9/1918, it was still in use with minor amendments to the 28th.

 

It may take some checking through to see which RAPs were in use around the 28th. EG Doll's House is sometimes a Relay Post and sometimes a RAP.

TEW

[USAF Engineer Ret.]

Brilliant TEW thanks.Starting to more clearly understand the process. Absolutely makes sense now as 2 KIA's from his Section are buried in Railway Dugout Cemetery (L/C Lowings, Walter, 4th of 4 brothers killed during the war and Spr Biddle).

 

L/C Williams,J Died of Wounds next day and buried in Belgian Battery Corner Cemetery and a Spr Tomson, J, died of wounds 6 Nov 18 buried British Cemetery, Calais.   

 

Thanks again,

 

Dave

[Seaaider]

On 10/12/2018 at 16:25, USAF Engineer Ret. said:

Attempting to trace medical evac route my grandfather would have traveled when wounded somewhere on road from I 21.a central to I 35. a.3.4 near Zillebeke Lake on 28 Sep 18. Was wondering if a comprehensive map of RAP's, CCS, Sanitary Hospitals serving this area was available. From what I found in War Diary of 203rd Field Company, RE appears a number of men in his #4 Section were WIA/KIA that day and assume would have been transported similarly.

 

I found some info that identified him (Cpl Elphinstone, 402467) at 2nd Aus San hospital but haven't been very successful finding out much else.

 

Any assistance would be appreciated.

 

Dave 

 

 

 

 

Hi Dave , I have just found you at one time were looking for relatives of Lance corporal Walter James lowings.

l am his great great grandson.

[USAF Engineer Ret.]

Great to hear from you. If you give me your email I can send you some pictures of your Great Great Grandfathers grave. I visited the area for 100th anniversary where he was killed and my GF was wounded. I have found a bit of info concerning that day and will attempt to send it to you if your interested.

 

Dave

[Seaaider]

Wow that’s amazing! Thanks so much ! It’s a small world .

I would love to see anything you have on Lance corporal lowings. 
 

I have some pictures my self of him and his grave just after the war if your interest.

many thanks 

Simon king 

 

[Michelle Young]

Please use private messages to communicate information like your email address, never a good idea to put information like that  on a public forum. Spammers do visit and harvest information like this.

Edited 2 November , 2021 by Michelle Young

[Seaaider]

So Sorry was just so happy to speak to Dave .