care for wounded

• the chain of evacuation was:

  1. stretcher bearers
  2. regimental aid posts
  3. dressing station
  4. casualty clearing station
  5. base hospitals
• stretcher bearers:

  • moved injured away from frontline
  • problem - terrain was muddy
  • RAMC ambulances set up mobile medical stations
  • used horses and wagons
  • motor ambulances started from 1915
• regimental aid posts:

  • to give immediate first aid
  • close to frontline - in communication trenches
  • could not treat serious injuries
  • stretcher bearers helped doctors give first aid
  • led by Regimental Medical Officer
• main dressing station:

  • wounded taken here by walking, stretcher bearers or motor ambulances
  • sent up in tents behind trenches
  • gave basic treatment
  • by 1915, nurses helped by treating wounds
  • more seriously injured sent to CCS
• casualty clearing station:

  • closest to front line - near railway station to move soldiers
  • operated on serious injuries
  • soldiers treated by doctors and surgeons
  • range of treatment increased - contain operating theatres and mobile X-ray machines
  • those without chacne of survival given pain relief
• base hospitals:

  • near French and Belgium coast to send men back to Britain
  • treated serious injuries
  • had specialists for specific treatments
  • took role of CCS after 1918 - CCS no longer became safe after German attacked
  • had specialised wards through triaging
  • after 1917 - BH opened three more with 2500 beds
  • CCS did more operations than base hospitals - due to infection and gangrene
• underground hospital at Arras:

  • wounded treated during Battle of Arras
  • fully working hospitals in 800m of tunnels
  • wounded treated
  • waiting rooms, 700 beds, had mortuary
  • had electricity and water
  • abandoned in 1917 after battle - hit by shell
  • close to battle - allowed wounded to be treated quickly
• Royal Army Medical Corps:

  • responsible for all medical officers and medical treatment
  • had stretcher bearers, doctors, ambulance drivers
  • 300 out of 20,00 were nurses
  • worked in base hospitals - not near front line
  • women worked in CCS and dressing stations from 1915 - demand for medics increased
• • field ambuances were mobile medical units
  • they were posts for aid and dressing stations
• First Aid Nursing Yeomanry:

  • female volunteers without medical training
  • 1914 - small number of volunteers helped French and Belgian forces
  • allowed to help RAMC by 1916
  • they:
  • drove motor ambulances
  • gave professional nursing care
  • supported base hospitals
  • cleaned and washed wounded and clothes
  • delivered medical supplies and food