Italy casualty evacuation chain

The British force in Italy established its casualty evacuation chain in the same general pattern as that in the other theatres of war and explained at The casualty evacuation chain. The various units along the chain had the same functions as described.

Imperial War Museum photograph Q25943. “Sergeants of the Royal Army Medical Corps setting their watches by an Italian sundial.”

Medical support for British heavy artillery in the Carso

In April 1917, four British batteries of heavy artillery were sent to Italy and became the first elements of the British Army to see action in this theatre of war: see The campaign in Italy for details. Each battery was provided with a small detachment of he Royal Army Medical Corps.

A small British hospital of 50 beds was established at Villa Freifeld near Gradisca, to support the artillery. Six ambulance cars provided by the British Red Cross Society carried sick and wounded men from the forward dressing stations to the hospital. Sooon, the Villa Freifelkd area having come under enemy fire, the hospital was relocated about four miles to Versa. At the time, there were no major British hositals in Italy, and the more serious cases had to be trasferred to Italian hospitals. Some RAMC personnel were posted to these hospitals for the purpose. In May 1917, Sir Walter Beckett offered a 50 bed hospital at Turin which he had set up: he continued to fund the equipment; the Red Cross staffed it; and Italy supplied its rations. A matron and ten nursing sisters arrived at Versa in August 1917. In October 1917, as a result of the great enemy success ain the Battle of Caporetto, the whole structure of the force in this area was evacuated westwards.

The Taranto to Cherbourg line of communication

In August 1917, the headquarters of the Mediterranean Line of Communication was moved from Lyons to Paris and control of a key railway line 1,400 miles long running from Taranto in southern Italy, up through France to Cherbourg, was taken into British control. It became a key evacuation route for casualties from the theatres of war in Egypt, Palestine and Salonika that avoided the longer and more risky sea route through the Mediterannean and the Bay of Biscay.

Taranto developed as a considerable place of focus for British medical facilities, with 79th General Hospital, 6th Native Labour Hospital and a small British West Indies Regiment Hospital all being established there.

Along the railway route, Italian and French medical facilities were established at various points, but the British also set up small “Halte Repas” stations along the way which also had limited medical capabilities. They were located at Bari, Foggia, Castellamare, Ancona, Parma, Torino, and Modane.

The British force is Italy is expanded

In November and December 1917, a significant British force arrived in northern Italy from France. It required the establishment of a full-scale medical evacuation chain from the Asiago and Piave sectors of the front.

The route of evacuation by rail from the front through Stationary Hospitals at Piacenza and Cremona to a cluster of base hospitals around Genoa, then on through the Riviera to Marseilles. The line passed through Arquata, north of Genoa, which was established as a key base for logistics and medical evacuation operations.

British medical units in Italy

Field Ambulances: those under command of the five British Divisions that served in Italy: 5th, 7th, 23rd, 48th (South Midland), 41st Divisions. Those with 5th and 41st Divisions returned to France with their Divisions.

Casualty Clearing Stations: 9th, 24th, 39th CCS all remained in the theatre after arrival from France; 37th and 38th CCS returned to France in April and March 1918 respectively. Their initial locations were:

  • 9th CCS went initially to Cannetto but soon moved to Montagnana
  • 24th CCS went to Istrana
  • 38th CCS went initially to Mantova but also soon moved to Montagnana
  • 37th CCS went to Padova area
  • 39th CCS went to Istrana
CCS locations

Motor Ambulance Convoys: 26th and 36th from France and 41st MAC from home.

Ambulance Trains: 18th, 39th, 43rd ATs all remained in the theatre after arrival from France; 15th, 21st, 22nd, 26th, 30th, 31st, 41st all returned to France in period January to July 1918. 41st AT then came back to Italy in July 1918.

Stationary Hospitals:

  • 29th came from Salonika in November 1917 and set up at Cremona. The former British Military Hospital at Turin became “B” Section of 29th on 15 April 1918.
  • 30th came from Salonika 10 December 1917 and also set up at Cremona but returned there 5 April 1918.
  • 38th came from France to Genoa in November 1917.
  • 51st was mobilised at Malta and arrived in Italy January 1918. It was located at Genoa, with a section at Arquata.

General Hospitals:

  • 11th came from France to Genoa in November 1917
  • 62nd came from Salonika to Bordighera November 1917
  • 66th came from Salonika to Bordighera December 1917 and returned there April 1918
  • 79th was the new name for former British Military Hospital at Taranto, renamed October 1917.

Convalescent Depots:

  • Arrived from France November 1917 and located at Arquata. It moved to Genoa in January 1918.
  • Officers’ Convalescent Home, established at Portfino July 1918.

Sanitary Sections: Numbers 4, 14, 36, 73, 75, 84 all came from France and then remained. Numbers 1 and 57 came from France but returned there in March 1918. Numbers 110 and 112 came from home in June 1917 and then remained in Italy.

See also the locations of “Halte Repas”, abve. Each had a small associated military hospital.

June 1918, Asiago sector of the front.

Sources

British Official History: Medical Services: Volume II by Major-General sir. W. G. Macpherson.

Links

The casualty evacuation chain

The campaign in Italy