Chelseagirl3 Posted 16 June , 2019 Share Posted 16 June , 2019 My grandfather, William Edward Baxter, was injured sometime at end of December 1916 beginning of January 1917, he was admitted to No.8 Stationary Hospital, Wimereux on 7/1/1917. He was with 128 Heavy Battery RGA who were in the vicinity of Vlamertinghe. I would like to see it I can trace/understand more of his journey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 16 June , 2019 Share Posted 16 June , 2019 (edited) I put the link to your previous thread on this man here to save time ! A couple of points: His name appeared in the Casualty List 31/1/17 as wounded. This normally suggests actual wounding a month earlier, ie around 31/12/16 +/- a couple of days. I have tried looking for others on the same Daily List but so far only one with useful dates which shows a man of 202 Siege Bty who was wounded 2/1/17 and was admitted No4 GH Camiers 6/1/17 Then finally Invalided to England 28/1/17. I'll see if there are any others.(edit- a man of 126 HBty who was wounded 25/12/16 is on same list, so spread of possible wounding dates is a bit wider than I thought) You have noted that he was admitted to Wimereux, No 8 Sta Hospital 7/1/17 (as per his Service Record). He had GSW both legs and right arm, serious. In view of this I suggest he will have been moved down the line through Casualty Clearing Station etc pretty rapidly assuming he was fit to move. Charlie Edited 16 June , 2019 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelseagirl3 Posted 16 June , 2019 Author Share Posted 16 June , 2019 Thanks Charlie, much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 16 June , 2019 Share Posted 16 June , 2019 slightly edited my post above Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 16 June , 2019 Share Posted 16 June , 2019 (edited) .Forgive me but I thought we had done quite well in the earlier post with the location of the battery. Is it the specific route from Vlamertinghe to Wimereaux he would have taken (or rather been taken) that you are now looking for? Edit - taking up Charile's thought As far as I can determine, No 2 Casualty Clearing Station at Bailleul was the nearest (10 miles) from Vlamerthinghe and pretty much on a direct line to Wimereux. So he may have been take directly there or perhaps been treated at a nearby Field Ambulance first. In both cases, no record would exist of his passing through. , Max Edited 16 June , 2019 by MaxD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 16 June , 2019 Share Posted 16 June , 2019 I note there was a military Cemetery at Vlamertinghe and CWGC says this: Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery was started by French troops in 1914 and was taken over by Commonwealth forces in April 1915. It was used by fighting units and field ambulances until June 1917. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 17 June , 2019 Share Posted 17 June , 2019 Good spot Charlie. First stop the cemetery before the CCS perhaps? I had a brief try to find which division(s) were occupying the ground around that time which would then at least give possible FAs but ran out of time! Max PS Can't have been much fun for the wounded to be brought to a FA in a cemetery!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 17 June , 2019 Share Posted 17 June , 2019 4 hours ago, MaxD said: FA in a cemetery! I think the cemetery was 'used' by the FA for disposal ! - but they were probably sited fairly close by ? I tried the Hospital Admissions records but didn't see anything helpful. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 17 June , 2019 Share Posted 17 June , 2019 Has to be (reasonably inspired?) guesswork but at the time in question, Vlamertinghe was in the 55 Division area of operations (Div HQ at Brandhoek just west of Vlamertinghe). The cemetery has a preponderance of King's Liverpool men from 55 Div battalions who died in December 1916 and the 55 Div ADMS diary for Dec 1916 has mention of a proposed collecting station at Vlamertinghe.. My suggestion therefore is that it was one of the 55 Div RAMC elements to which he may first have been take before onward movement to the CCS. Max. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 17 June , 2019 Share Posted 17 June , 2019 4 hours ago, MaxD said: (reasonably inspired?) clever stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 17 June , 2019 Share Posted 17 June , 2019 Try 54 or 55 FA diaries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 18 June , 2019 Share Posted 18 June , 2019 (edited) 13 hours ago, johnboy said: Try 54 or 55 FA diaries Both in 18th Division - not in the area. Apart from the ADMS diary, I have looked at the FAs in 55 Div but apart from listing a plethora of Collecting, Advanced and Main Dressing Stations with nary a grid ref or location among them they served only to indicate that one or other of those elements would perhaps have been where our man was first looked after. I should perhaps have said for Chelsea Girl's benefit that there are no records of treatments by medical units at that level and any answer to the question "what was his journey from Vlamertinghe to Wimereux" can only be a matter of speculation. Even the medical records that do exist are (quote National Archives) a representative selection only. And it was raining so the garden had to wait! Max PS Shame on me for not linking LLT on the evacuation chain :https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/the-evacuation-chain-for-wounded-and-sick-soldiers/ Edited 18 June , 2019 by MaxD Gross omission Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 18 June , 2019 Share Posted 18 June , 2019 For this time frame the Pop-Ypres road more or less formed the boundary between 8 & 10 Corps of 2nd army. I can only add at present that 4th London FA of 47Div, 10Corps were running a MDS near Brandhoek G.12.b.2.6. Artillery evacuations have proved difficult in the past, even more so for army troops like 128 HB. They may have their own scheme of evacuation which on some occasions is in their diary. I can also place 2 & 8 CCS at Bailleul. TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 18 June , 2019 Share Posted 18 June , 2019 That is quite a possibility, the battery was in H 16, H 17 and with the ADMS working out of Brandhoek, one of the 47 Div stations may well have been the first port of call. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 18 June , 2019 Share Posted 18 June , 2019 I'll have to have another look as I wasn't aware of the location of 128 HB. That places them closer to Ypres which may have been a more sensible evacuation route to then be sent back west to CCS. Alternatively, there may be other medical units around H16/17. I think off hand 55 Div, VIII Corps medical units were based in Ypres. These would be West Lancs and Wessex FAs. The map I have is a bit crude and just shows an E-W line that joins Pop & Ypres which I assume is the road. Immediately south of that line (around Brandhoek) shows the 23rd Div. with 47th Div south of them but as it looks like X Corps DDMS was in charge of all three divisions and 12 FAs he was placing them where he felt they were best suited. This is why 4th London FA of 47th Div. were in the 23rd Div area!!! 4th London FA were there at the MDS all December and January as far as I can see. The Ypres - Vlamertinghe - Brandhoek - Pop road runs parallel to the railway used by Ambulance trains, once in Pop it's possible to veer off to CCS groups at Godewaersvelde or Hazebrouck. TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 18 June , 2019 Share Posted 18 June , 2019 It was the West Lancs I was looking at, some elements of which were to the west of Ypres. I sort of discounted Ypres itself as being in the wrong direction but I wouldn't die in a ditch over it! More generally your researches illustrates well the sheer impossibility of knowing exactly how our man got from the battery position to Wimereux which is where we came in. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEW Posted 18 June , 2019 Share Posted 18 June , 2019 One of my main concerns is that when I've found Medical Arrangements for artillery they vary from infantry Arrangements. Looking at 8 & 10 Corps DDMS material at least there are few changes for Dec & Jan. 10 Corps 4 London FA Corps MDS at G.12.b Another Dressing Station at Vlamertighe Mill. 69 FA running MDS at H.8.a and ADS at H.12.d. Corps Collecting Centre H.24.a 8 Corps 55 Div. 2/1 West Lancs FA running MDS at G.5.d (Red Farm?) 10 Corps evacuating by AT to Hazebrouck and Remy Siding. No details from 8 Corps. TEW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxD Posted 18 June , 2019 Share Posted 18 June , 2019 Can comment only that 128 Hy Bty was not far from a number of ADS and MDS. Max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelseagirl3 Posted 22 June , 2019 Author Share Posted 22 June , 2019 Thank you all so much for all your help, advice and time it is much appreciated Amanda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali Hollington Posted 29 November , 2019 Share Posted 29 November , 2019 If you are trying to trace the casualty evacuation route, I would suggest trying the war diary for the ADMS- Assistant Director Medical Services for the Division you are interested in. This often gives grid references for each of the medical units [and sub-units ie dressing stations]. In my research, I found a number had maps showing the route or at least instructions stating the planned route. I should add, I don't recall seeing names of individuals evacuated in any of these, but it might help work out how someone got from the point of wounding to hospital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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