I recently came across this plan of the Casualty Clearing Station at Lillers in France, some fifteen miles behind the front lines, and thought it worth sharing. The lists at the bottom suggest that by late 1917 there had been a huge increase in casualties from illness and self-inflicted wounds, and you will also note a whole row of tents reserved for those requiring dental treatment. Army rations had much to answer for.
Happy Christmas all. See you in 2013.
I find the Plan of 58 CCS very interesting, as I am doing research for an article on Fr. Patrick O’Mara SJ, (No Rank, Royal Army Chaplain’s Department Chaplain to the Forces Reference WO 372/15/33228) who served with the 58 CCS in 1917. On 29th March 1918 Patrick wrote to his Jesuit Provincial in Ireland:
“My move from No 58 was due to the fact that a number of casualty clearing stations have been shifted to safer areas or and have been grouped in pairs. One Catholic Chaplain is now able to look after two CCS where before he could only attend to one. Thumbers of mine are 33 and 54 [or possibly 34]. We sleep under canvass. The encampment is not fully laid down as yet. So far we are drawing wounded only from the Northern fringe of the great fight. I came here on 27th.”
In my article I would like to refer to the map you publish here, if that is all right with you.
Yours Sincerely
Liam O’Connell
That all sounds most interesting, Liam. Thanks for sharing. And by all means go ahead; it is a fascinating map, no doubt about it.
Just found a distant relation, Major Edward Darnley Anderson DSO, died here in November 1917. I was thinking of wounds or pneumonia but no…acute gastro enteritis. He was the youngest of 3 brothers who died in the war. One survived.
Illness and disease caused far more deaths than we realize, I think. Thanks for commenting Pippa.