What was a Base Hospital?
The Base Hospital was part of the casualty evacuation chain, further back from the front line than the Casualty Clearing Stations. They were manned by troops of the Royal Army Medical Corps, with attached Royal Engineers and men of the Army Service Corps. In the theatre of war in France and Flanders, the British hospitals were generally located near the coast. They needed to be close to a railway line, in order for casualties to arrive (although some also came by canal barge); they also needed to be near a port where men could be evacuated for longer-term treatment in Britain.
There were two types of Base Hospital, known as Stationary and General Hospitals. They were large facilities, often centred on some pre-war buildings such as seaside hotels. The hospitals grew hugely in number and scale throughout the war. Most of the hospitals moved very rarely until the larger movements of the armies in 1918. Some hospitals moved into the Rhine bridgehead in Germany and many were operating in France well into 1919. Most hospitals were assisted by voluntary organisations, most notably the British Red Cross.
The Base Hospitals in France: listed by number
| Hospital | Great War history | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Voluntary Hospital | Mobilised in London 19 August 1914. Landed at le Havre 30 August. to Saint-Nazaire 5 September. To Boulogne 29 October and Wimereux next day. Remained there. See No. 32 Stationary Hospital, below | |
| No 1 British Red Cross | Le Touquet Oct 14 - Jul 18 | Known as Duchess of Westminster's Hospital. 150 beds |
| No 1 General | Le Havre Aug 14 - Nov 14; Etretat Dec 14 - Jan 19 | Redesignated "Presbyterian USA" in 1917 |
| No 1 Australian General | Rouen | Arrived April 1916 |
| No 1 Stationary | Le Mans Sep 14 - Oct 14; Rouen Oct 14 - | |
| No 1 New Zealand Stationary | Amiens 1 Jul 1916 - 24 May 1917; Hazebrouck 24 May 1917 - 14 Sept 1917; Wisques 14 Sept 1917 - | |
| No 1 South African | Abbeville | |
| No 2 British Red Cross | Rouen Sep 14 - Dec 18? | 250 beds |
| No 2 General | Le Havre Aug 14 - May 19 | |
| No 2 Australian General | Wimereux, Rouen (dates tbd) | |
| No 2 Canadian General | Le Treport | |
| No 2 Stationary | Nantes Sep 14 - Nov 14; Outreau Nov 14 - Sep 15; Abbeville Sep 15 - Jan 20 | |
| No 3 British Red Cross | Abbeville Oct 14 - Jan 16 | Friends Ambulance Hospital |
| No 3 General | Rouen Aug 14 - Sep 14; St Nazaire Sep 14 - Nov 14; Le Treport Nov 14 - Mar 19; Rouderbirken Mar 19 onward | |
| No 3 Australian General | Abbeville | |
| No 3 Canadian General | Dannes-Camiers | |
| No 3 Stationary | Rouen Feb 15 - Mar 19; Rotterdam Apr 19 onward | |
| No 4 British Red Cross | Wimereux Nov 14 - Dec 15 | Known as Sir Henry Norman's Hospital |
| No 4 General | St Nazaire Sep 14; Versailles Sep 14 - Jan 16; Camiers Jan 16 - Apr 19; Dunkerque Apr 19 - Nov 19 | |
| No 4 Stationary | St. Omer until Arques May 18 - Nov 18; Longuenesse Dec 18 onward | |
| No 5 British Red Cross | Wimereux Dec 14 - Jan 19 | Known as Lady Hadfield's Hospital. 100 beds |
| No 5 British Red Cross A Section | Dieppe Jan 15 - May 19 | Known as 2nd Stationary Annexe |
| No 5 British Red Cross B Section | Abbeville Jan 15 - May 19 | Known as 2nd Stationary Annexe |
| No 5 General | Rouen Aug 14 - Sep 14 and Feb 15 - Mar 19; Angiens Sep 14 - Feb 15 | |
| No 5 Stationary | Le Mans Sep 14 - Dec 14 | |
| No 6 British Red Cross | Paris-Plage Apr 15 - Jul 15; Etaples Jul 15 - Jun 18; Trouville Sep 18 - Dec 18 | Known as Liverpool Merchants Mobile Hospital. 252 beds |
| No 6 General | Rouen Nov 14 - Apr 19 | |
| No 6 Stationary | Le Havre briefly late Aug - early Sept 14, then St-Nazaire. Rouen, St-Omer and Bethune Oct 14. Rouen again 14 Nov 14. Le Havre Dec 14 - May 16; Frevent Jun 16 - Aug 18; Fillievres Sep 18 - Feb 19; Antwerp Apr 19 onward | |
| No 7 British Red Cross | Boulogne Hotel Christol Oct 14 - Jan 15; Aug 15 - Nov 15; | Known as Allied Forces Base Hospital |
| No 7 General | Amiens Aug 14 - Sept 14; St Omer Jun 15 - May 18; Boulogne May 18 - Apr 19 | Known as Malassises Hospital |
| No 7 Canadian General | Etaples | |
| No 7 Stationary | Boulogne Oct 14 - Apr 19 | |
| No 8 British Red Cross | Calais Oct 14 - Jul 15; Paris-Plage Sep 15 - Dec 17; Boulogne Jan 18 onwards | Known as the Baltic & Corn Exchange Hospital. 250 beds |
| No 8 General | Rouen Aug 14 - May 19 | |
| No 8 Stationary | Wimereux Mar 15 - Mar 19 | |
| No 9 British Red Cross | Calais Jan 16 - Mar 18; Longuenesse Mar 18 - Sep 18; Hazebrouck Sep 18 - Oct 18; Roubaix Oct 18 - Nov 18 | Known as the Duchess of Sutherlands Hospital or Millicent Sutherland Ambulance. 100 beds |
| No 9 General | Nantes Sep 14 - Nov 14; Rouen Nov 14 - Jun 17 | Taken over by US Army Jun 17 |
| No 9 Stationary | Le Havre briefly late Aug - early Sept 14, then St-Nazaire. Le Havre Oct 14. | At least part of this unit became 39 General Hospital by Jun 1916 |
| No 10 British Red Cross | Le Treport Jun 16 - Dec 18 | Known as the Lady Murray's Hospital. 50 beds |
| No 10 General | St Nazaire Sep 14 - Oct 14; Rouen Oct 14 - May 19 | |
| No 10 Stationary | Le Mans Sep 14 - Oct 14; Orleans briefly in Oct 14; St Omer Oct 14 - May 18; Clerques June 18 - Oct 18; Arneke Oct 18; Tourcoing Nov 18 - Feb 19; Remy Siding Feb 19 onward | |
| No 11 General | Boulogne Oct 14 - Apr 16; Camiers Apr 16 - May 17 | Taken over by US Army May 17 |
| No 11 Stationary | Rouen Oct 14 - Mar 19; Duren Mar 19 onward | |
| No 12 General | Rouen Sep 14 - Jun 17 | Taken over by US Army Jun 17 |
| No 12 Stationary | Rouen Feb 15 - May 16; St Pol Jun 16 - Jun 19 | |
| No 13 General | Boulogne Oct 14 - Feb 19 | |
| No 13 Stationary | Boulogne Oct 14 - Jun 16 | |
| No 14 General | Wimereux Oct 14 - Apr 19 | Chateau-Mauricien attached from Jun 16 |
| No 14 Stationary | Wimereux Oct 14 - Jun 19; Boulogne Jun 19 - Jan 20 | |
| No 16 General | Le Treport Jan 15 - Jun 17 | Taken over by US Army Jun 17 |
| No 18 General | Camiers Feb 15 - Jun 17 | Taken over by US Army Jun 17 |
| No 20 General | Camiers May 15 - Apr 19 | |
| No 22 General | Camiers Jun 15 - Jan 19 | |
| No 23 General | Etaples Jun 15 - Nov 16 | Taken over as No 7 Canadian General |
| No 24 General | Etaples Jun 15 - Nov 19 | Villa Tino attached from dec 15; Sick Sisters from Apr 17 |
| No 25 General | Dammes-Camiers Aug 15 - May 16; Hardelot Jun 16 - Jul 17; Wiesdorf Mar 19 onward | Renamed from Meerut British in Aug 15 |
| No 25 Stationary | Rouen Mar 15 - May 19 | |
| No 26 General | Etaples Jun 15 - Jul 19 | |
| No 32 Stationary | Wimereux Jul 16 - Dec 19 | Known as the Australian Voluntary Hospital until 14 July 1916 |
| No 35 General | Calais May 15 - Dec 19 | See Lahore British; Sick Sisters Hospital was attached to 35th, as was Chateau-Boursot |
| No 38 Stationary | Calais Jul 17 - Nov 17 | |
| No 39 General | Known to have been in Le Havre Jun 1916 but with a section operating at Marseilles | Formerly known as 9 Stationary Hospital |
| No 39 Stationary | Aire May 17 - July 18; Desvres Jul 18 - Aug 18; Fort Gassin sep 18 - Apr 19; Ascq Sep 19 - Oct 19 | |
| No 40 Stationary | Sailed Southampton to Le Havre 20-21 April 1917. To Harfleur and remained there. | |
| No 41 Stationary | Gailly May 17 - Mar 18; Amiens Mar 18 and Dec 18 - Jan 19; Fouilloy Apr 18; Pont Remy Apr 18 - Nov 18; Poulainville Feb 19 - Nov 19 | |
| No 42 Stationary | Amiens Oct 17 - Apr 18; Camiers Apr 18 - Nov 18; Nancy Nov 18 - Mar 19; Euskirchen Mar 19 onward | |
| No 46 Stationary | Etaples Jul 15 - Jun 19 | Was Etaples Isolation Hospital until Jan 17 |
| No 47 General | Le Treport Apr 17 - Mar 19; Bonn Apr 19 onward | |
| No 51 General | Etaples Oct 1916 - Oct 19 | Specialist Venereal Disease Hospital |
| No 52 Stationary | Le Havre Oct 15 - Jul 19 | Was Havre Isolation Hospital until Mar 18 |
| No 53 General | Wimereux Jul 17 - Feb 19 | Known as London General Hospital |
| No 54 General | Wimereux Jul 17 - May 19 | Known as London General Hospital |
| No 55 General | Wimereux May 17 - Mar 19 | Known as Eastern General Hospital |
| No 56 General | Etaples May 17 - Apr 19 | Known as Southern General Hospital |
| No 57 General | Marseilles Jul 17 - Feb 20 | Known as Western General Hospital |
| No 58 General | St Omer Aug 17 - Mar 18; Rouen Apr 18 - Mar 19 | Known as Scottish General Hospital |
| No 59 General | St Omer Jul 17 - Mar 18; Rouen Apr 18 - Mar 19 | Known as Northern General Hospital |
| No 72 General | Trouville Dec 17 - Oct 19 | |
| No 73 General | Trouville Feb 18 - Apr 19 | |
| No 74 General | Trouville Mar 18 - Mar 19 | |
| No 81 General | Marseilles Dec 17 - Apr 19 | |
| No 83 General | Boulogne June 16 - Apr 19; Langenfeld Apr 19 onward | |
| Anglo-Belge BRCS Hospital | Calais Apr 15 - Dec 19 | Known as British Farmers Hospital |
| BRCS Auxiliary Hospital | Wimereux Dec 15 - Feb 19 | Known as Hotel Sussex |
| BRCS Detention Hospital | Gournay-en-Bray Feb 15 - Apr 19 | |
| BRCS Detention Hospital | Forges-les-Eaux Apr 15 - Apr 19 | |
| Bruges Military Hospital | Bruges Nov 18 - Jan 19 | |
| Calais Isolation Hospital | Calais Dec 15 - Dec 18 | |
| Charmes Detention Hospital | Charmes Mar 19 onward | |
| Dieppe Detention Hospital | Dieppe Apr 17 onward | |
| Hesdin Detention Hospital | Hesdin Jan 19 - Feb 19 | |
| Lahore British General | Marseilles Jan 15 - Apr 15 | See 35th General (renamed May 16) |
| Marseilles Stationary | Marseilles Aug 16 - Mar 19 | |
| Meerut British General | Orleans Oct 14 - Dec 14; Rouen Jan 15 - Aug 15 | See 25th General |
| Paris Detention Hospital | Paris Aug 16 onward | |
| Paris Stationary Hospital | Paris Jun 18 - May 19 | |
| Hopital Queen Alexandra | Malo-les-Bains | Operated by the Friends Ambulance Unit mainly for Belgian casualties. 120 beds |
| Rawalpindi British General | Marseilles Oct 14 - Dec 14; Wimereux Jan 15 | See 35th General (renamed May 16) |
| St Johns Ambulance Brigade Hospital | Etaples Jul 15 to Jul 18 then Trouville | 520 beds |
The Base Hospitals in France: listed by location
| 61 locations are listed in this table | ||
|---|---|---|
| Location | Great War history | Remarks |
| Abbeville | No 3 British Red Cross Oct 14 - Jan 16 | |
| Aire | No 39 Stationary May 17 - July 18 | |
| Amiens | No 7 General Aug 14 - Sep 14; No 1 New Zealand Stationary 11 July 1916 - 24 May 1917; No 41 Stationary Mar 18 and Dec 18 - Jan 19; No 42 Stationary Oct 17 - Apr 18 | |
| Angiens | No 5 General Sep 14 - Feb 15 | |
| Antwerp | No 6 Stationary Apr 19 onwards | |
| Arneke | No 10 Stationary Oct 18 | |
| Arques | No 4 Stationary May 18 - Nov 18 | |
| Bonn | No 47 General Apr 19 onward | |
| Boulogne | No 7 British Red Cross Oct 14 - Jan 15; No 7 General May 18 - Apr 19; No 7 Stationary Oct 14 - Apr 19; No 8 British Red Cross Jan 18 onwards; No 11 General Oct 14 - Apr 16; No 13 General Oct 14 - Feb 19; No 13 Stationary Oct 14 - Jun 16; No 14 Stationary Jun 19 - Jan 20; No 83 General Jun 16 - Apr 19 | |
| Bruges | Military Hospital Nov 18 - Jan 19 | |
| Calais | No 8 British Red Cross Oct 14 - Jul 15; No 9 British Red Cross Jan 16 - Mar 18; No 35 General May 15 - Dec 19; No 38 Stationary Jul 17 - Nov 17; Isolation Hospital Dec 15 - Dec 18; No 2 Anglo-Belge BRCS Hospital Apr 15 - Dec 19 | |
| Camiers | No 4 General Jan 16 - Apr 19; No 11 General Apr 16 - May 17; No 18 General Feb 15 - Jun 17; No 20 General May 15 - Apr 19; No 22 General Jun 15 - Jan 19; No 42 Stationary Apr 18 - Nov 18 | |
| Charmes | Detention Hospital Mar 19 onward | |
| Clerques | No 10 Stationary Jun 18 - Oct 18 | |
| Dannes-Camiers | No 25 General Aug 15-May 16 | |
| Desvres | No 39 Stationary Jul 18 - Aug 18 | |
| Dieppe | No 5 British Red Cross A Section Jan 15 - May 19; Detention Hospital Apr 17 onward | |
| Dunkerque | No 4 General Apr 19 - Nov 19 | |
| Duren | No 11 Stationary Mar 19 onward | |
| Etaples | No 6 British Red Cross Jul 15 - Jun 18; No 7 British Red Cross Aug 15 - Nov 15; No 23 General Jun 15 - Nov 16; No 23 General Jun 15 - Nov 19; No 24 General Jun 15 - Jul 19; No 46 Stationary Jul 15 - Jun 19; No 51 General (VD) Oct 16 - Oct 19; No 56 General May 17 - Apr 19; St Johns Ambulance Brigade Hospital Jul 15 - Jul 18 | |
| Etretat | No 1 General Dec 14 - Jan 19 | |
| Euskirchen | No 42 Stationary May 19 onward | |
| Fillievres | No 6 Stationary Sep 18 - Feb 19 | |
| Forges-les-Eaux | BRCS Detention Hospital Apr 15 - Apr 19 | |
| Fort Gassin | No 39 Stationary Sep 18 - Apr 19 | |
| Fouilloy | No 41 Stationary Apr 18 | |
| Frevent | No 6 Stationary Jun 16 - Aug 18 | |
| Gailly | No 41 Stationary May 17 - Mar 18 | |
| Gournay-en-Bray | BRCS Detention Hospital Feb 15 - Apr 19 | |
| Hardelot | No 25 General Jun 16 - Jul 17 | |
| Harfleur | No 40 Stationary May 17 - Nov 19 | |
| Hazebrouck | No 1 New Zealand Stationary 24 May 1917 - 14 Sept 1917; No 9 British Red Cross Sep 18 - Oct 18 | |
| (Le) Havre | No 1 General Aug 14 - Nov 14; No 2 General Aug 14 - May 19; No 6 Stationary Dec 14 - May 16; No 9 Stationary Aug-Sept 14 and Oct 14 - ; No 39 General - known to be present from Jun 16; No 52 Stationary Oct 15 - Jul 19 | |
| Hesdin | Detention Hospital Jan 19 -Feb 19 | |
| Langenfeld | No 83 General Apr 19 onward | |
| Le Mans | No 1 Stationary Sep 14 - Oct 14; No 5 Stationary Sep 14 - Dec 14; No 10 Stationary Sep 14 - Oct 14; | |
| Le Touquet | No 1 British Red Cross Oct 14 - Jul 18 | |
| Le Treport | No 3 General Nov 14 - Mar 19; No 10 British Red Cross Jun 16 - Dec 18; No 16 General Jan 15 - Feb 19; No 47 General Apr 17 - Mar 19; | |
| Longuenesse | No 4 Stationary Dec 18 onward; No 9 British Red Cross Mar 18 - Aug 18 | |
| Marseilles | Rawalpindi British General Oct 14 - Dec 14; Lahore British General Jan 15 - Apr 15; Marseilles Stationary Aug 16 - Mar 19; Section of No 39 General Hospital present from Jun 1916; No 57 General Jul 17 - Feb 20; No 81 General Dec 17 - Apr 19 | |
| Nancy | No 42 Stationary Nov 18 - Mar 19 | |
| Nantes | No 2 Stationary Sep 14 - Nov 14; No 9 General Sep 14 - Nov 14 | |
| Orleans | No 10 Stationary briefly in Oct 14; Meerut British General Oct 14 - Dec 14 | |
| Outreau | No 2 Stationary Nov 14 - Sep 15 | |
| Paris | Detention Hospital Aug 16 onward; Stationary Hospital Jun 18 - May 19 | |
| Paris-Plage | No 6 British Red Cross Apr 15-Jul 15; No 8 British Red Cross Sep 15 - Dec 17 | |
| Poulainville | No 41 Stationary Feb 19 - Nov 19 | |
| Pont Remy | No 41 Stationary Apr 18 - Nov 18 | |
| Remy Siding | No 10 Stationary Feb 19 onward | Also known as Lijssenthoek |
| Rotterdam (NL) | No 3 Stationary Apr 19 onward | |
| Roubaix | No 9 British Red Cross Oct 18 - Nov 18 | |
| Rouderbirken | No 3 General Mar 19 onward | |
| Rouen | No 1 Stationary Oct 14 -?; No 2 British Red Cross Sep 14 - Dec 18?; No 3 General Aug 14 - Sep 14; No 3 Stationary Feb 15 - Mar 19; No 5 General Aug 14 - Sep 14 and Feb 15 - Mar 19; No 6 General Nov 14 - Apr 19; No 8 General Aug 14 - May 19; No 9 General Nov 14 - Jun 17; No 10 General Oct 14 - May 19; No 11 Stationary Oct 14 - Mar 19; No 12 General Sep 14 - June 17; No 12 Stationary Feb 15 - May 16; No 25 Stationary Mar 15 - May 19; No 58 General Apr 18 - Mar 19; No 59 General Apr 18 - Mar 19; Meerut British General Jan 15 - Aug 15; No 2 Australian General dates tbd | |
| St Nazaire | Australian Voluntary Hospital Sep-Oct 14; No 3 General Sep 14 - Nov 14; No 4 General Sep 14; No 9 Stationary Sep 14 - Oct 14; No 10 General sep 14 - Oct 14; No 32 Stationary Sep 14 - Jul 16 | |
| St Omer | No 4 Stationary to May 1918; No 7 General Jun 15 - May 18; No 10 Stationary Oct 14 - May 18; No 58 General Aug 17 - Mar 18; No 59 General Jul 17 - Mar 18 | |
| St Pol | No 12 Stationary Jun 16 - Jun 19 | |
| Tourcoing | No 10 Stationary Nov 18 - Feb 19 | |
| Trouville | No 6 British Red Cross Sep 18 - Dec 18; No 72 General Dec 17 - Oct 19; No 73 General Feb 18 - Apr 19; No 74 General Mar 18 - Mar 19; St Johns Ambulance Brigade Hospital from Jul 18 | |
| Versailles | No 4 General Sep 14 - Jan 16 | |
| Wiesdorf | No 25 General Mar 19 onward | |
| Wimereux | Australian Voluntary Hospital Oct 194 - Jul 16; No 4 British Red Cross Nov 14 - Dec 15; No 5 British Red Cross Dec 14 - Jan 19; No 8 Stationary Mar 15 - Mar 19; No 14 General Oct 14 - Apr 19; No 14 Stationary; Oct 14 - Jun 19; No 32 Stationary Jul 16 - Dec 19; No 54 General Jul 17 - May 19; No 53 General Jul 17 - Feb 19; No 55 General May 17 - Mar 19; BRCS Auxiliary Hospital Dec 15 - Mar 19; Rawalpindi British General Jan 15 | |
| Wisques | No 1 New Zealand Stationary 14 Sept 1917 onwards | |
Paris hospitals under the jurisdiction of the BRCS
Hotel Astoria: (originally titled BRCS No 1, transferred to the French authorities Feb 15) Sep 14 – Feb 15;
Hertford British Hospital: Aug 14 – Apr 15;
Chateau d’Annel Compiegne: (treated French wounded) 14;
Chateau Laversine;
Rue de Chaillot;
Rue de Troyon.
Operating Centres
Abbecourt: Jan 18 – Mar 18;
Authie: Jan 17 – Feb 17;
Estaires: Oct 18 – Nov 18;
Harbarcq: May 16 – Jul 17;
Pozieres: Jun 16 to Dec 16 and Mar 17 onward;
Warloy: Apr 16 – Jan 17.