18th Division CCS July 1916

[The Guardroom]

Had a look on the long long road under CCS, but can't find (or more like unable to work out) who and were was the 18th Division, 55th Brigade CCS in July 1916.

Location of the regt concerned was the 7th Buffs at Montauban and later Trones Wood and relative who was woounded with loss of fingers on right hand at one of these battles.

Many thanks,

Alan

[Stebie9173]

Some of the 6th Northants (54th Brigade) killed early July 1916 are buried at Corbie out of 21 CCS, if that's any help?

Think there are some 12th Middlesex and 11Th R. Fusiliers there, too.

Steve.

[Paul Reed]

Had a look on the long long road under CCS, but can't find (or more like unable to work out) who and were was the 18th Division, 55th Brigade CCS in July 1916.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is no such unit. A CCS was part of the RAMC and not allocated to specific divisions. Personnel from the 18th (Eastern) Division would have been sent to whichever CCS were available and close by during the various battles they fought. In July 1916 the CCSs used by them were likely to be in the Bray sur Somme area.

[Chris_Baker]

Paul is quite right. Are you perhaps referriing to 55 Field Ambulance, the medical unit attached to 55th Brigade?

[The Guardroom]

Hi all,

No it was who was the local CCS to Montauban and Trones Wood, that any casualities would have been sent to. Bray sue Somme was what I was after so many thanks.

Did find the 55th Field Ambulance on the long road, so that was very useful as well.

Many thanks.

[Old Tom]

Hello, I allways like to hear about the 18th. Hope the following may be helpful. Its not based on the Somme but is about Ypres the next year, procedures may have changed. Infantry battalions had an RAMC Medical Officer (MO) who would set up a Regimental Aid Post (RAP) in a location near the front line but with some protection for the wounded. He would command a number of men from the battalion trained in first aid as stretcher bearers. The stretcher bearer tried to bring casualties to the RAP as soon as possible. At the RAP the MO would classify them for evacuation and carry out emergency treatment e.g to prevent on set of shock. The Field Ambulance (a RAMC unit, one per brigade in most cases) had three sections each having a stretcher bearer section and a tent section for treatment. These would form an Advanced Dressing Station (ADS) and a Main Dressing Station (MDS). These units were part of the Division. The next stage for the casualty was one of the Casualty Clearing Stations (CCS) which were RAMC units, part of the Army, deployed in support of the Divisions. Casualties might move by motor ambulance, light railway as available. The locations of the CCSs would depend very much on transport means available. The CCSs might be a few miles behind the line. On the Somme probably near the river/canal Somme as barges provided a good means of transport further back to the base.

Old Tom