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Remembered Today:

CASUALTY CLEARING STATIONS


jack

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My great uncle, 636222 Gunner James Gibb Traill, 'A' Bty, 256th Bde, RFA, 51st (Highland) Div. of 22nd Corps, attached to the French Army in July 1918, died of wounds on the 25th at No. 38 Casualty Clearing Station. The location of this CCS on the day was Montigny. Unfortunately, I have not been able to locate this Montigny as there are quite a few places of this name but none close to Epernay where I would have expected it to be. Can anyone help me to locate the correct Montigny and the exact location of No. 38 CCS on 25th July 1918 ?

Jack

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Hello Jack

Welcome to the forum.

I see from the CWGC site that your great uncle is buried at Terlincthun cemetery, which is on the coast near Boulogne. That cemetery received men who died in the hospitals at the coast, although it was also open for many years after the Great War for bodies found all over the battlefield.

According to my notes, 48 CCS was at Montigny in July 1918 (although I'm not sure which Montigny, either); 38 was at Fienvillers near Doullens on the Somme. I would not have thought, though, that a soldier dying of wounds at either of these CCSs would wind up in Terlincthun.

As an alternative suggestion, 38 Stationary Hospital was at Calais. Could this have been where he died, I wonder?

Also, try this link

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Hello Chris,

Thank you for you very promp reply. Yes, it was No.48 CCS and not 38 as I had indicated. I had misread my own reference. I got the information from my local District Roll of Honour. I can't understand why my great uncle should be buried by the coast when his Brigade was north west of Epernay.

The 51st Div. Artillery entrained at Pernes 16th July 1918 and detrained at Nogent-sur-Seine to be concentrated in the Moussy - Pierry area. On the 19th they passed through the French positions to take up positions in the valley of the Ardre and the Bois de Coutron where they fought until the end of the month. I had assumed that my great uncle had been with his Brigade at that time and had been wounded when German artillery shelled his Battery 20/21st July. Could it be that he had been wounded earlier, before his Brigade had left the Northern Sector ?

Jack

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Thank you Chris and Terry,

Is it possible that he was on his way home then taken off the train at Montigny ? He appears to have died about 100 miles from his unit which was NW of Epernay at the time. I would have thought that there would have been a nearer CCS than the one at Montigny-les-Jongleurs. Would it be too much of a coincidence for any other of the dozen or so Montigny's, some of which are closer, to be involved ?

Jack

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  • 5 years later...

Jack,

Interstingly enough I am researching my Great Uncle PTE Robert Syme 1/7th A&SH (51 Div) who also died of his wounds 25 July 1918 and is also buried in Terlincthun! He was originally buried in Epernay French National Cemetery but from the CWGC records all 300 Commonwealth war graves were transferred to Terlincthun in July 1964.

Unfortunately I have not been able to identify which CCS he was evacuated to.

Regards

Rob

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  • 1 year later...

Hi Gents,

I think I have finally cracked it. Having purchased 'MEDICAL SERVICES, Based on Official Documents Volume 3', it places 48 CCS, having left Boulogne on 16th May 1918 and arriving at Montigny-sur-Vesle, on the 19th. On the 26th May, however, the Germans attacked and 48 CCS had to pull back and moved to an area south of Epernay. So, not at Montigny on 25th July, as the 'LOCATIONS OF CCS...' says, but south of Epernay due to a sudden withdrawal in May.

Jack

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Rob,

I guess it must have been No. 48 CCS. This CCS covered the 51st (Highland) Division during operations in the Marne area in July 1918. The positions, according to the book I have, places the Main Dressing Stations at St. Imoges and Champillon; Walking Wounded Collection Points at Bellevue and Champillon; the Advance Operating Centre at Epernay, and the No. 48 Casualty Clearing Station itself at Chaltrait-au-Bois, between Montmort and Vertus.

Jack

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