Chapter XXVI: Nova Scotia Medical Services in the Great War (1)

BY LIEUT.-COL. JOSEPH HAYES, D.S.O., C.A.M.C.

“Men whisper that our arm is weak,
Men say our blood is cold,
And that our hearts no longer speak
That clarion note of old;
But let the spear and sword draw near
The sleeping lion’s den,
Our Island shore shall start once more
To life with armèd men.”

The medical men of this Province were no less ardent in their desire to serve their country in the War than all the other professions, trades and callings. It was a contagion in the air that got into the blood. Sooner or later everybody got it and responded to it according to their own notion of service or opportunity. Medical men were needed at home as well as abroad. There were recruits to be examined and young soldiers in training requiring medical and surgical attention and the country could not be stripped of medical service. No sooner were Units formed than there was a clamor for medical appointments. Some medical men even joined the combatant ranks, although they were soon returned to the medical service owing to the demand for medical officers. Also many Nova Scotia medical men went direct to England, or were already abroad, and joined up with the Royal Army Medical Corps. Many of these, with many regimental medical officers, owing to their isolation from the great body of medical men associated with Canadian Hospitals, will be overlooked in narratives of the doings of the medical fraternity.

Before describing in detail the medical work done by Nova Scotians during the War, it will be useful to give a brief outline of the activities of the Medical Service in war.

Medical attention is required all the way from the recruiting and training camps at home, and those in England and France and along the lines of communication, up to the front areas and fighting Units in the firing line, No Man’s Land and the hand-to-hand encounter in the enemy trenches. But perhaps the function of the Medical Service which calls for the greatest vigilance and most thorough care is the prevention and control of epidemic and contagious diseases.

The most strenuous efforts of the Medical Services are exerted to rescue the man who is wounded in action, and to give him such prompt attention as will prevent him, as far as possible, from bleeding to death or dying from shock or exposure and to hasten him to a place where the best surgical skill can be exercised to save his life and limbs.

The primary aid is under the direction of the Regimental Medical Officer who is assisted by sixteen stretcher-bearers and two orderlies whom it is his duty to keep in a constant state of efficiency by careful training, as unskilled men, during active operations, are constantly being added from the ranks to make up wastage. One Nova Scotia Regiment lost thirty-three per cent. of its stretcher-bearers in two hours in the Vimy Ridge engagement.

This little coterie goes into the trenches with the Unit. The Regimental Medical Officer selects a Regimental Aid Post (R.A.P.) well to the front and as far as possible out of the direct line of enemy fire, so that the wounded may be safely cared for and promptly evacuated. The stretcher-bearers are detailed four to each Company, and these go with their Companies into action and accompany them wherever they go. They are the most exposed men in an engagement; for while the combatants may advance in rushes and seek shelter as they go, the stretcher-bearer is constantly exposed, going back and forth to the relief of the wounded. As a result of the efficiency these men attain, their dressings, applied on the battle-field during action, often can go untouched until they reach the hospital.

At the Regimental Aid Post further treatment is given by the Regimental Medical Officer, food and hot tea or coffee are given and the wounded are rolled in blankets and made as comfortable as possible before being sent out. All cases are tagged, usually a white tag showing the man’s name, number, Regiment, the nature of his injury, and any special treatment or remedies that may have been given. In dangerous cases a red tag is used, which secures the right of way in rapid evacuation and immediate attention.

As soon as casualties are ready for evacuation from the R.A.P. they are handed over to the Bearer Section of a Field Ambulance to be carried to their Advanced Dressing Station. As it is practically never possible to establish the Main Dressing Station sufficiently far forward to convey stretcher cases to it in one relay, and at the same time have it accessible to motor ambulances, light railways and other means of rapid evacuation, Advanced Dressing Stations are set up as near the front as can be evacuated to the Main Dressing Station by horsed ambulances with reasonable safety by day as well as by night. The evacuation of the wounded up to this point must usually be done at night on account of enemy observation; though the walking wounded are often able to take advantage of lulls in the hostile fire and make their way out during the day. Usually arrows are put up along the route pointing the direction for “walking wounded.”

The Main Dressing Station of the Field Ambulance is provided with facilities for attending to cases requiring immediate operation as the only means of saving life. It must be remembered that this Unit is on the field of actual operations and within reach of the direct fire of the enemy. The sick and wounded are here sorted, classified and evacuated as soon as possible to the Casualty Clearing Station (C.C.S.). The few mild cases that can be returned to the line or sent to near-by rest camps after twenty-four or forty-eight hours are held at the Field Ambulance, it being necessary to conserve, as much as possible, the man-power for the line.

The Casualty Clearing Station affords the next relief. This is the first Unit completely equipped for urgent, formal major operations, and some have X-ray apparatus and electrically-heated operating tables. Although cases are not carried to a finality of treatment, and are only kept until fit to move after relief is given, practically all wounds are dressed at the C.C.S. After emergent operations wounds are often packed with dressings and hurried on to a general hospital in the Lines of Communication. It must be remembered that these Units are within range of enemy guns and liable to get short notice from the enemy, by concentrated high explosive shell-fire, to vacate, or they may have to advance with the advance of their own troops. Constant action is therefore necessary to maintain rooms for the steady stream of wounded which they must always be prepared to handle. It is only the most urgent operations that are performed, such as wounds of the abdomen, chest and brain, or such wounds as are liable to become hopeless through infection or complications before reaching the base. The C.C.S. is usually located at a rail head and has access to ambulance trains for evacuation. These trains are wonderfully equipped with an emergency operating room, kitchen, dining room for up-patients and Staff sleeping berths, dispensary, medical officers, nurses and orderlies.

Now comes the first real hospital treatment. All along the coast of France and at suitable places were hospital centres such as Calais, St. Omer, Le Treport, Le Havre, Rouen, Etaples and Boulogne, with General and Stationary and Special Hospitals. These centres were under an A.D.M.S., who was informed usually twice daily by the different hospitals what empty beds were available. From this information convoys (hospital trains) were dispatched from the C.C.S. to the different hospitals. These were notified by telegraph of the approximate time of arrival so that ample provision could be made to transfer by motor ambulance the patients from the train, on arrival, to the hospital.

These hospitals were all splendidly equipped with X-ray departments and pathological laboratories, and were well staffed with medical and surgical specialists, highly trained nurses and orderlies. When satisfactory progress had been made here, patients were transferred to England to similar, though more highly specialized, hospitals and convalescent homes, and finally, where necessary, were invalided home to Canada.

The difference between a General and a Stationary Hospital was only in size, the former being primarily about twice the size of the latter.

Nova Scotia contributed its quota to all these varied services, including three complete Medical Units.

NO. 1 CANADIAN CASUALTY CLEARING STATION.

COL. F. L. S. FORD, C.M.G.]

The first Nova Scotia Unit to be accepted and mobilized for Overseas Service with the First Contingent was a Medical Unit, No. 2 Clearing Hospital, which had recently returned from annual training at Sussex, N.B. Its headquarters was at Halifax and its Commanding Officer Major F. L. S. Ford, who afterwards became Colonel Ford, C.M.G., and was three times mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig’s despatches.

This Unit afterwards became No. 1 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station and had a most brilliant record, going through the whole war service of the Canadian Corps.

Immediately after Great Britain entered the War on August 4, 1914, Major Ford telegraphed to Ottawa offering his Unit for Active Service, and on August 10th its mobilization was ordered at Liverpool, N.S. On August 12th a recruiting meeting occurred in the Town Hall, Liverpool, which was one of the first, if not the first, public recruiting meeting held in Canada. This meeting was addressed by Major Ford, the mayor of the town, and a number of other citizens. There was a great deal of enthusiasm, and then and there the Unit was recruited up to peace-time strength, and in a few days orders were received to entrain on August 20, 1914, for Valcartier Training Camp, via Halifax.

When the people of Queens County saw this first draft of the flower of their young manhood march away in the King’s uniform for service on the battle-fields of Europe, they felt that the War was a real thing and had already reached their erst-while quiet, peaceful homes. The send-off was appropriate to the occasion and the people were proud of their noble sons who so promptly responded to the call of Empire and bore themselves splendidly as they marched away amidst the acclaim of their friends and comrades.

This Unit had always been recruited principally from Queens and Annapolis Counties, but had members on its strength from all over the Maritime Provinces and during the period of Active Service had on its roll men from all parts of Canada.

At 11 a.m., August 22nd, the Unit arrived at Valcartier with six officers and forty-one other ranks, who were soon mixed up in the moil and swirl and grind of military training in that big Camp with some thirty thousand others.

The officers, N.C.O.’s and men who went to Valcartier from Liverpool were: Major F. S. L. Ford, Commanding Officer; Capt. H. T. M. McKinnon, Capt. C. Harold Dickson, Capt. G. B. Peat, Lieut. H. A. Pickup, Q.M., Lieut. G. W. McKeen, Staff-Sergt. F. Burnett, Staff-Sergt. E. Dexter, Staff-Sergt. E. Hunt, Q.M.S. R. Robar, Staff-Sergt. R. Brown, Sergt. J. Fiendel, Sergt. McLeod; Privates—A. Crouse, J. Gardine, L. Keating, P. Joudrey, A. Morris, N. Neily, M. Reid, L. Frost, W. Joudrey, W. Murray, H. Harnish, E. Conrad, G. McGill, H. Rafuse, C. Fraser, C. Holden, E. McGowan, C. Robart, W. Bernadine, J. Hallett, W. O’Reilly, H. Oickle, C. Jollimore, S. White, A. Trefry, B. Smith, A. Joudrey, L. Brooks, H. Lantz, J. Downer, G. Conrod, R. Bell.

On arrival at Valcartier this Unit took over No. 2 Camp Hospital, and carried on as a Field Hospital. The Staff was kept pretty busy with the usual run of camp sickness among new recruits, camp diarrhœa, acute indigestion, fevers, camp accidents, and the usual P.U.O.’s and N.Y.D.’s thrown in.

While at Valcartier, the O.C., Major Ford, was gazetted Lieut.-Colonel. Capt. G. W. O. Downsley, Capt. C. E. Cooper Cole, and forty other ranks of No. 1 Clearing Hospital of Toronto were taken on the strength as well as Major H. A. Chisholm, Capt. R. H. McDonald and Capt. J. M. Stewart. Lieut. G. W. McKeen was transferred as Medical Officer to an Army Service Corps and Captain Cole was retransferred to No. 2 General Hospital.

At 4.30 p.m., September 25th, the Unit left by train for Quebec and embarked on the _S.S. Megantic_ at 6 p.m. The other Units to embark on this ship were: The 15th Canadian Battalion (48th Highlanders), Lieut.-Col. John Currie; The 1st Divisional Ammunition Column, Lieut.-Col. J. Penhole; No. 1 Canadian Field Ambulance, Lieut.-Col. A. E. Ross.

After lying in the stream for five days the ship weighed anchor at 10.30 p.m. on September 30th and proceeded down the St. Lawrence River to the rendezvous in Gaspé Bay, for there were thirty-one troopships in this grand fleet which was to convey the Canadian Army of thirty thousand safely over the ocean to Old Mother England.

As the good ship _Megantic_ glided quietly down the river the stars shone brightly, the silvery moon was high in the heavens, and the clear frosty tang of early autumn was in the air. As the shimmering waters of this great river glistened and danced in the moonlight all nature seemed to have an air of serene quietude and universal confidence. The scene might have been committed to canvas as an emblem of peace; but this was a first stage in the great adventure of war, the fullest bitterness of which many of that gay company were destined to taste.

At 3 p.m., October 3, 1914, this great flotilla weighed anchor and put to sea, led by _H.M.S. Eclipse_, immediately followed by the _Megantic_, containing the first Nova Scotia Medical Unit. There were a number of torpedo boat destroyers, and among the battleships were the _Queen Mary_ and the _Glory_. After an uneventful voyage of eleven days this great flotilla arrived at Plymouth on October 14th. The reception given the Canadian Contingent everywhere was wonderful. The sentiment back of it all seemed to reach every heart. A splendid army of sturdy Anglo-Saxons from a new and great country had come three thousand miles over the seas to join the forces of the Mother Land within two months from the time she had entered the War.

After lying in the stream for two days the _Megantic_ docked and on October 16th the 1st Canadian Casualty Clearing Station disembarked and marched midst cheering throngs through the streets of Plymouth together with the other Units, and entrained for the land of winter slush and mud at Salisbury Plains. At 2 a.m. on a pitch dark October morning the Unit detrained at Patney and Chirton Station and marched to West Down North, where they arrived tired and weary after a sleepless night and a long march, at 7.30 a.m., October 17th.

Major H. A. Chisholm was called for duty to the office of the A.D.M.S. Canadians shortly after arrival. Major Chisholm belonged to Antigonish, and was a member of the Permanent Army Medical Corps. He had a distinguished career Overseas and attained the rank of Colonel and was mentioned in despatches and awarded the honors of C.M.G. and D.S.O. He also held the important positions of D.A.D.M.S. 1st Canadian Division; A.D.M.S. 4th Division; A.D.M.S. attached to the office of the D.G.M.S. Canadians, London, and D.D.M.S., O.M.F.C., London.

The unusually heavy autumn rains of 1914 converted the rolling downs of Salisbury Plains into seas of mud, through which the Unit wallowed and bathed and boated in its efforts to follow field training. The troops were all under canvas at this time.

Lord Astor, then Major Astor, had a palatial residence and spacious grounds at Cliveden, near Taplow, Bucks, the grounds of which he offered for hospital purposes. In December No. 1 Canadian C.C.S. was sent to Cliveden to establish a hospital, and for six weeks the entire personnel was busy in these preparations. This hospital, established by No. 1 Canadian Casualty Clearing Hospital of Nova Scotia, ultimately developed into the great Duchess of Connaught Hospital, afterwards officially known as No. 15 Canadian General Hospital, upon which thousands of Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans and other Britishers can look back with grateful memories for the skilful and successful treatment and great kindness for which this hospital became noted.

A Casualty Clearing Station is a field unit, and consequently when the 1st Canadian Division was ordered to France this Unit received a move order and preceded the Division to France, landing at Le Havre at 10 a.m., February 3, 1915, on _S.S. Huanchaco_ from Southampton. On the same ship was another Canadian Hospital Unit—No. 1 Canadian Stationary, commanded by Lieut.-Col. Lorn Drum (now Colonel Lorn Drum, C.B.E., Inspector of Military Hospitals for Canada). These, however, were not the first Canadian Units in France, as they were preceded in November, 1914, by a No. 2 Canadian Stationary Hospital, which was commanded in its last days in France and brought back to Canada by the writer. This was really the first Canadian Unit of any description to function in France as a Unit and the only one in France in 1914.

After some six weeks’ stay at Le Havre the Unit was transferred to Boulogne, where it arrived at 9.45 a.m., February 26, 1915.

Motion was usually rapid in France and changes made at short notice. Within a week this Unit had orders to proceed from Boulogne to First Army Headquarters at the Town of Aire-Sur-La-Lys, where it arrived Saturday morning, March 6th. On arrival the Unit was assigned to Fort Gassion, which had been a French prison before the War but was now occupied by British troops as a rest camp, and there was also a Motor Ambulance Convoy billeted there. The work assigned to No. 1 C.C.S. was to take over this old prison and make it immediately ready for the reception of patients.

The old buildings were filthy and in a dilapidated condition, and required a great deal of work to prepare them for patients, and all the equipment had to be unpacked and placed. The whole Unit went to work with diligence and determination and within forty-eight hours they brought order out of chaos and on Monday morning admitted and comfortably housed fifty patients.

The Battle of Neuve Chapelle was in progress and was the source of most of the patients during the week.

Heroic work was done by the six nursing sisters who had been attached to and had come over to France with this Unit. They were:—Vivian Tremaine, M.V.O., R.R.C., Frances M. Frew, M. U. Riverin, Amy Howard, Minnie Follette.

Nursing Sister Follette, of Great Village, Colchester County, afterwards lost her life with the sinking of the hospital ship _Llandovery Castle_ by the Germans.

No. 1 Canadian C.C.S. was the only Canadian Unit in action during the Battle of Neuve Chapelle. It was one of six C.C.S.’s attached to the First Army. Before the War was over there were sixteen. This Unit showed such prompt action and capacity that it received the special commendation of Major-General Sir W. G. MacPherson, Director Medical Services, First Army, and in June the O.C., Lieut.-Colonel Ford, was awarded the C.M.G., the first awarded to Canadians in France.

During this engagement Capts. C. H. Dickson and G. W. O. Downsley and a party of twelve orderlies were hastily sent to Merville to assist a British C.C.S., and at the Second Battle of Ypres, Captain Downsley and Captain J. M. Stewart, of Halifax, with Nursing Sister Follette and twelve orderlies were assigned to duty at Hazebrouck to assist another British C.C.S.

There was heavy fighting throughout the summer of 1915 in the Bethune Sector, and No. 1 Canadian C.C.S. did a lot of heavy and trying work, and in addition detailed a section under Major W. T. M. McKinnon and Captain C. H. Dickson for duty with No. 2 British C.C.S., which was located at the Village of Choques.

This Unit continued its headquarters at Aire, and in May, June and September took its full share in the herculean task of evacuating the wounded from Festubert, Givenchy and Loos. During the battle of Loos over sixty thousand casualties were evacuated from the British Front by the various clearing stations in four days.

One of the outstanding distinctions of No. 1 Canadian C.C.S. is that, when His Majesty King George V was seriously injured near Bethune in August, 1915, by his horse falling and rolling over on him, one of the nursing sisters of this Unit, V. A. Tremaine, was selected by the Director Medical Services of the 1st Imperial Army for personal attendance upon the King. His Majesty was cared for in a chateau near Aire until he was able to be moved to England. Sister Tremaine and a second nurse who had been selected, Nursing Sister E. K. Ward, Q.A.I.M.N.S. Territorials, accompanied the Royal patient and nursed His Majesty through convalescence at Buckingham Palace.

When Sister Tremaine finished her duties the King conferred upon her the M.V.O. and personally presented her with the insignia of that Order and made a personal gift of an exquisite brooch of gold and enamel set with diamonds. Her Majesty the Queen gave her autograph copies of the royal photographs.

The Unit continued to operate at Aire until January, 1916, when it was transferred to Bailleul and opened up in a very fine pavilion of the Asylum for the Insane. This splendid building was subsequently destroyed by German shell fire and bombs. The Unit saw much strenuous work here, and had its first experience with gassed cases. Sixty of these out of eight hundred died within the first twenty-four hours after being brought in.

Major Edward Archibald, of No. 3 (McGill) Canadian General Hospital, was attached to the Unit as a surgical specialist, and Major W. A. McLean, of Glace Bay, N.S., was transferred from No. 1 Canadian General Hospital as his assistant, and afterwards succeeded Major Archibald. Major McLean was killed during the summer of 1917 while at work in a C.C.S. in the northern sector of the British line. He was considered one of the most brilliant surgeons in the British Army.

In June, 1916, Colonel Ford was appointed Deputy Assistant Director of Medical Services of the Canadian Corps and Lieut.-Col. T. W. H. Young succeeded to the command. Later Colonel Young was succeeded by Major C. H. Dickson, who was promoted to the rank of Lieut.-Colonel.

There was a great deal of activity on the Arras Front in the early spring of 1917, and preparations were being made for the drive for Vimy Ridge. At this time the Unit was transferred to Aubigny, behind Arras. Under the energetic administration of Lieut.-Colonel Dickson this Unit was very much increased in strength and did valuable work during the Battle of Vimy Ridge and throughout the operations on the Arras Front.

In the summer of 1917 the Unit was again moved to a position near Nieuport and arrived just as the Germans had broken through and made a nasty salient in the British line. Amidst this confusion, uncertainty and fierce fighting, the Commanding Officer, Colonel Dickson, quickly located his Unit and did such splendid work in the evacuation of the wounded that he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the D.S.O.

The Unit remained at Nieuport for a few weeks only when the position became untenable for hospital purposes, owing to almost constant shelling and nightly bombing. Lieut.-Colonel Dickson was called to London for Staff duty, the command was taken over by Lieut.-Colonel A. G. H. Bennett, O.B.E., and the Unit was transferred again to the Arras-Vimy Front.

During those anxious days of the early spring and summer of 1918, while the Germans battered themselves hopelessly against the impenetrable wall of steel erected by the Canadians along the Arras Front this Unit did fine work in caring for and clearing the seriously sick and wounded and also got many casualties from that memorable drive of the Germans against the 5th British Army in March, 1918, as all the Ambulance and C.C.S. Units in that area were quickly put out of commission.

When preparations were made for the final victorious Canadian drive which commenced at Amiens on August 8, 1918, this Unit was moved to that sector and followed the Canadian Corps through those strenuous days to final victory and accompanied the 1st Canadian Division on its victorious march into Germany. At Bonn No. 1 Canadian Stationary Hospital took over the famous St. Martin’s Hospital, which was located on one of the loftiest hills in Bonn, and but two weeks before had dukes and scions of the leading aristocracy of Germany as patients, for it had been one of the most exclusive hospitals in Germany. Now it became the haven of the sick Canadian Tommy.

It seemed like the realization of a fantastic dream to the medical Staff and nursing sisters, as well as the rank and file, to find themselves in a modern and well-equipped hospital with luxurious appointments and surroundings, as compared with four long years of mud and mire under canvas, in huts, and often broken-down buildings on the edge of the battle-fields of the Somme, Ypres, Vimy, Passchendaele, Amiens, Bourlon, Cambrai and Valenciennes, Mons, and then glorious victory.

The following is an incomplete list of the battle casualties of this Unit:—

KILLED IN ACTION.

Major Walter Maclean; Nursing Sisters Mae B. Sampson and Minnie Follette, both killed on Hospital Ship _Llandovery Castle_; Pte Proctor, Pte. Vere Mason.

WOUNDED.

Lieut.-Col. F. S. L. Ford, seriously, by piece of bombshell (fracture base of skull); Capt. E. C. C. Cole, seriously; Capt. R. H. MacDonald, Sergeant M. Neilly, seriously.

NO. 7 CANADIAN STATIONARY HOSPITAL.

(Dalhousie Unit.)

Dalhousie University was early inspired with patriotic fervor. Within a month after the outbreak of war between Great Britain and Germany, Dalhousie University offered to the Government the personnel of a Casualty Clearing Station. This offer was renewed in the spring of 1915. It was not known until later that this type of Unit was not in demand, and it was decided to offer the personnel of a Stationary Hospital.

COL. JOHN STEWART, C.B.E.]

So anxious was Dalhousie to have a definite, tangible part in the more strenuous service of the nation in this great struggle, that a delegation was sent to Ottawa on August 13, 1915, representing the Governors and Faculty of the University. So well were the claims of Dalhousie presented that the offer was now accepted of a Stationary Hospital, to be known officially as “No. 7 Canadian Stationary Hospital.” Definite authority for this was received on September 27, 1915.

When it came to the selection of a Commanding Officer everybody turned instinctively to that great outstanding factotum in Medicine and Surgery in Nova Scotia, Dr. John Stewart, whose name inspired enthusiasm, confidence and respect.

Halifax was taxed to its utmost in supplying accommodation for troops. All the old military barracks were full, the Armories were occupied by infantry Battalions, the sheds on No. 2 Pier were also occupied, and there was consequently some delay in finding accommodation for the mobilization and training of this Hospital Unit. Dalhousie University came to the rescue and gave the old Medical College building on the corner of Robie and College Streets, and Principal Kaulbach, of the Maritime Business College, gave the use of the dining room and kitchen of the Business College restaurant as a mess room. By November 1st the old Medical College had been converted into an adequate barracks and orderly room.

The selection of the medical and nursing personnel and the recruiting of other ranks then commenced in earnest and the response was wonderful. For a Stationary Hospital only twelve medical officers and twenty-seven nursing sisters were required: but thirty medical men and eighty nurses applied. The material was all so excellent that it was a delicate and difficult task to select. Preference was given, however, to Dalhousie graduates and those connected with the University; and among the nurses preference was given to graduates of the two outstanding Nova Scotia nurses’ training hospitals, the Victoria General Hospital, Halifax, and St. Joseph’s Hospital, Glace Bay, as these were the only general hospitals in the Province with the necessary number of beds to meet the requirements of the Military Service in the matter of training.

Just before orders were received to proceed Overseas in the latter part of December, 1915, the Unit was inspected by General Benson, G.O.C. of this Military District, Colonel A. H. Powell, D.A.A. & Q.M.G., and Colonel Grant, A.D.M.S. These officers were very generous in their praises of what the Unit had already accomplished in the way of training and establishing a snappy military organization. Their sturdy Commanding Officer, with his sixty-seven years of youth, had shown his magnificent qualities of body as well as mind and character. When Colonel Stewart set the pace on their route marches the youngest and most athletic had to let himself out. Colonel Grant, the A.D.M.S., referred to the splendid work already done in the service by members of the Staff, and mentioned particularly the work done by Major E. V. Hogan as Chief of Surgery at Cogswell Street Military Hospital and Major L. M. Murray as Chief of Medicine; and also expressed his regret at losing his Deputy, Capt. F. V. Woodbury, but congratulated the Unit on what it had gained thereby.

The time set for leaving Halifax for Overseas was December 31, 1915, via St. John, N.B. The departure at one time of so many professional men and women, who stood high in the confidence of the people of Halifax and Nova Scotia, was a poignant reminder of the serious proportions assumed by the Great War.

On the evening of the last day of 1915, when Dalhousie Unit entrained at North Street Depot, a large concourse of people were assembled, not only of Halifax but from many other parts of the Province. The bands of the 1st Canadian Artillery and 63rd Rifles, as well as the pipers, joined the citizens of Nova Scotia in a fitting farewell. Their train pulled out amidst music and cheers.

The Unit arrived at St. John at 6 a.m., New Year’s Day, and went aboard His Majesty’s Troopship _Metagama_. At noon the officers were entertained at luncheon by the medical profession of St. John at the Royal Hotel. The Unit sailed at 9 o’clock on the evening of January 1, 1916, with several other Units, with Col. H. C. Bickford as Officer Commanding troops.

Sea voyages are pretty much alike. There are those who like their beer and poker, or bridge, and those who like to laze and read and sleep and sleep and read and laze, or sit and think, or simply sit, while others wish they had taken the advice of the poet—“Praise the sea but keep on land.” A convoy of torpedo boat destroyers was met at noon on the eighth day out, and at 3 a.m. on January 10th the Unit landed at Plymouth and disembarked at 9 a.m.

The personnel on arriving in England was as follows: O.C., Lieut.-Col. John Stewart; Majors E. V. Hogan and L. M. Murray; Captains M. A. MacAulay, V. N. MacKay, K. A. MacKenzie, E. K. Maclellan, S. J. MacLennan, D. A. MacLeod, J. A. Murray, John Rankine, Frank V. Woodbury, Karl F. Woodbury (Dental Officer), Lieut. S. R. Balcom, Dispenser; Lieut. Walter Taylor, Quartermaster; Miss L. M. Hubley, Matron, and twenty-six Nursing Sisters; one hundred and twenty-three N.C.O.’s and men.

The officers, non-commissioned officers and men entrained at once for Shorncliffe, where they arrived in the evening, while the matron and nursing sisters proceeded to London and were temporarily quartered at Bonnington Hotel. They were afterwards distributed for duty between the hospitals at Westcliffe, Moore Barracks and Ramsgate.

On the 11th the Unit was inspected by Lieut.-Col. F. W. E. Wilson, of Niagara, Ontario, A.D.M.S. Shorncliffe area.

Billets were secured and the medical officers were employed on medical boards or as medical officers to various Units in the training camps, while the non-commissioned officers and men were assigned to various duties.

On January 17th Capt. F. V. Woodbury was stricken with that dread disease among troops, cerebro-spinal meningitis. For some days there was great anxiety on his account, but he made a rapid and complete recovery.

On February 5th Colonel Stewart, O.C. of No. 7 Canadian Stationary Hospital, was given command of Shorncliffe Military Hospital, with the forty subsidiary hospitals of the Dover area, in succession to Lieut.-Col. R. J. Blanchard, No. 3 C.C.S., of Winnipeg. He immediately recalled the nursing sisters and reassembled his Unit, and with his reorganized Staff manned Shorncliffe Military General Hospital and the Helena Hospital for officers. The Shorncliffe Hospital alone had 800 beds, and altogether there were some 10,000 beds in the hospitals taken over. Colonel Stewart and his Staff had a pretty busy time administering the hospitals of this large area. Sir Frederic Eve visited these hospitals periodically.

During this time there were some changes in personnel: Corpls. G. S. Mitchell and Eric Grant left to take commissions; Capt. S. J. MacLennan went to Westcliffe Eye and Ear Hospital. Capt. E. Douglas joined the Unit during the latter part of the period here and sixteen other ranks were taken on strength.

There was much excitement and anticipation when it was announced that the Unit was to proceed to France. The impression got abroad somehow that the Unit was to go direct to the Arras and Somme areas, where they would be in close contact with actual warfare. This was the source of a good deal of enthusiasm. The Unit left Shorncliffe and proceeded to Southampton on Sunday, June 18, 1916, embarked there on the _City of Benares_ and landed at Le Havre the same day. On arrival the Unit received orders to take over the Hotel des Emigrants at Le Havre from No. 2 Imperial General Hospital, which contained 400 beds. This was somewhat disappointing to the men after their anticipations of proceeding at once to the Front. However, all ranks settled down to steady work, and in a few weeks orders were received to establish a subsidiary tented hospital Unit at Harfleur, about six miles from Le Havre, to consist of 400 additional beds. This meant that the existing Staff had to man two hospitals of the same size, thus bringing a very heavy strain on the entire personnel, especially the nursing sisters and other ranks. Major L. M. Murray was placed in charge of the Harfleur Division.

The main hospital was used for German wounded prisoners being sent back from the forward areas and for local sick from various Imperial Units at Le Havre. The subsidiary hospital was used for camp sick and accidents from the Canadian Base and several Imperial Units.

As soon as these extensions were completed and in operation an urgent request was sent in for more men. Eventually a much larger number were sent than were required of P.B. men. (Permanent Base men are those who are no longer fit for service in the front areas.) These were with the Unit only a few days when orders were received to despatch to hospitals in another area a draft larger in number than the one received. This took away several old members of the Unit and left it shorter handed than ever, but the Unit “carried on” and did its work under difficulties.

Constant changes were taking place in the staff. Capt. J. M. Stewart, nephew of the O.C., came to the Unit shortly after arrival in France from No. 1 C.C.S., and in August, 1916, Capt. F. V. Woodbury, Capt. M. A. MacAulay, Capt. John Rankine and Capt. Edgar Douglas were posted to other duties. Capt. E. K. Maclellan was posted to another hospital in March, 1917. Numerous officers from other parts of Canada were detailed for duty with this Unit from time to time. One of the most popular of these was Captain Ireland, of Ontario, who afterwards received the M.C. and was killed in action.

On December 31, 1916, the hospital at Le Havre was handed over to the Royal Army Medical Corps and the personnel of Dalhousie Unit, which had been carrying on there, marched to Harfleur and joined the balance of the Unit. Once more the whole Unit was united and experienced a very general sense of satisfaction. Ample provision had been made for quarters, mess, dental offices and orderly room.

In January and February, 1917, the weather was very severe, with steady, keen frost and a good deal of snow, “But,” as Colonel Stewart puts it, “the bitterest memories are the indescribable mud, deep, tenacious and slippery.” As spring approached it looked as if the summer were to be spent in the beautiful Lezard Valley, in which Harfleur was situated, and consequently potatoes and other vegetables were planted, shrubs set out and other work done with a view to beautifying the grounds. It was beginning to seem quite like home here. All the troops coming to France en route to the Front came through this base, and many Nova Scotians were met and old acquaintances renewed. Also a good many Nova Scotia boys trickled in to the hospital, and when they did they were lavished with attention, and all the nurses and orderlies wanted to wait on them, and the pipers, too, would manage to make themselves heard and many a lad’s eye was made brighter when he heard again the skirl o’ the pipes.

There was no abiding place in France, and it was just as one got nicely settled down that he had to move, and at this very time the Unit got orders to proceed to the front areas and take over a hospital at Arques, which is a suburb of the City of St. Omer. Headed by the pipers the Unit marched off to the station Saturday evening, May 12th, but did not entrain until daylight the next morning when a special train was provided for the Unit and its hospital equipment.

The hospital at Harfleur was taken over by a Welsh Unit, the 40th Stationary Hospital, R.A.M.C.

The route was through Yvetot, Amiens, Abbeville and over the Somme, past the former battle-field of Crecy, through Boulogne and Calais to St. Omer and to the little suburban town of Arques, which was reached at 2 a.m., May 14, 1917. The rumble of the artillery could now be plainly heard, and the eastern sky was aflicker with the flashings of guns. The Unit was now within thirty miles of the trenches. A noble old French Chateau with spacious grounds, and a canal running through them, was to be the domicile of the hospital. This same chateau had been occupied by the Duke of Wellington after the campaign of Waterloo.

Tents were pitched on the grounds to supply the additional accommodations required, and the hospital equipment was soon unpacked and placed; but there was considerable delay in getting the necessary supplies for the erection of kitchens, bath houses, pavilions, and material for other necessary alterations and accommodations.

The first convoy was received on June 8th and consisted of wounded German prisoners of war. There were 13 officers and 379 other ranks. This was a large order for the first while not yet completely ready, and tested the resourcefulness and agility of the Unit. They rose to the occasion and handled the situation with great skill. Many of the men were only slightly wounded, and were soon discharged to prison camps.

From this time on everybody was kept busy. Wounded came by ambulances, hospital trains and hospital barges down the canal. There were Imperial, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, East Indian and Portuguese troops.

Dominion Day, 1917, will long be remembered by the inhabitants of St. Omer and vicinity. The Unit engaged a large field and advertised an athletic meet, and sent invitations to all the Units in the area. They all responded, for when July 1st came, bright and sunny, the whole countryside turned out, including the civilian population. A splendid programme of sports was carried out, and No. 7 carried off a goodly share of the honors. In the shade of the trees of the chateau grounds in the evening tables were spread and the Unit sat down to a “family party” and enjoyed a season of conviviality and good fellowship.

The next afternoon all patients who were able to be up, or to be carried out, were given a special tea on the lawn in honor of Dominion Day. While this was going on His Majesty the King with H.R.H. the Prince of Wales paid the Unit a surprise visit. His Majesty was particularly gracious in his felicitations to patients and Staff, by all of whom the honor of this visit was greatly appreciated.

During the summer the enemy aeroplanes were very active in bombing raids on the back areas, especially on moonlight nights. The first real bombing raid this Unit experienced was on September 30th. Enemy aeroplanes came over this area in great force shortly after sundown and began dropping numerous bombs. The loud swish of the bombs coming through the air followed by the fearful crash of the explosion was terrifying; but everybody, nursing sisters and all, “stood to” at their post of duty. Although No. 7 escaped there were serious casualties. Four men were killed and several wounded at the British Hospital just across the river, and four nursing sisters and sixteen men were killed at the Scottish Hospital in St. Omer, only two miles distant.

On October 8th H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught visited and inspected the Unit.

The first word of the terrific explosion at Halifax was received on December 8th, and many anxious days were spent awaiting definite word and to know just what had happened.

The Commanding Officer, Lieut.-Colonel Stewart, was called to the higher and more important duties of Surgical Consultant to hospitals in England and left the Unit, greatly to the regret of the entire personnel, on Thursday, March 7, 1918. The command of the Unit was taken over by Major E. V. Hogan, who was promoted to the rank of Lieut.-Colonel.

March and April, 1918, brought still more busy days to the Dalhousie Unit. Being so near the Front they received a very large number of wounded, many straight from the field of battle. Although this hospital had only 400 beds it frequently had 800 severely wounded soldiers to look after.

The final titanic struggles of 1918 had been ushered in when the fate of the world hung in a balance and men spoke hoarsely and with bated breath of the possible outcome. The Germans had smashed through the Fifth British Army in front of Cambrai and then hurled themselves against the Canadians on the Arras Front, only to be checked and beaten off. Then they sought a more vulnerable sector and attacked the Portuguese on the Bailleul Front. The Portuguese troops gave way and the enemy rapidly advanced towards Aire and got within less than three miles of this strategic point and were able to put shells into St. Omer, Arques and all sections of that hospital area, so that shelling became more or less constant and bombing raids were a nightly occurrence. There were a number of casualties among patients and Staff at some of the hospitals. Word was hourly expected that Aire had been taken and that the Germans were marching on Hazebrouck and St. Omer. It was therefore considered that this area was no longer tenable for hospital purposes and orders were issued for all hospitals to evacuate at once. Dalhousie Unit entrained on April 18th for Etaples.

The Unit had received orders to promptly open up a large tent hospital at Etaples; but these orders were subsequently cancelled, greatly to the disappointment of the Staff, and the entire personnel was posted to various other hospitals in that area.

The Germans seemed to have acquired a special fancy for bombing and shooting up hospital areas, and on May 18th subjected Etaples to a very severe aerial bombardment by sixty planes. Casualties among officers, nursing sisters and men amounted to over a thousand. Dalhousie Unit lost two men killed—Pte. F. W. Laidlaw and Pte. Takanayagi (Jap.)—and two others wounded, including the Commanding Officer, Lieut.-Col. E. V. Hogan, and Pte. W. G. O’Tulle.

Etaples had been a large hospital centre, but was now abandoned as such and the various hospitals were withdrawn to other places. The Dalhousie Unit was moved to Rouen, which was the largest base hospital centre in France. Here the officers and personnel were distributed and attached to various British Hospitals and had a further enriched experience, as there were very many casualties constantly coming in direct from the field of battle, owing to the demoralization of the hospital service in the front areas during the period of the German drive. Most of the nursing sisters had been allowed to go on leave, and some were sent to England.

A special Canadian Hospital was to be established at Camiers, between Etaples and Boulogne, and Dalhousie Unit was ordered, in September, 1918, to reassemble and proceed to Camiers and take over a hospital of 1,000 beds at a site formerly occupied by No. 42 British Stationary Hospital. In the five months that followed this hospital was crowded and the patients were all Canadians.

It was during this period that the Armistice came with its relaxing influences, its glorious sweets of victory, and happy dreams of home. Christmas also brought its good-cheer and was most pleasantly celebrated by the patients as well as the Staff with a splendid Christmas dinner and other festivities.

Early in February, 1919, the Unit received orders to hand over to the Nova Scotia sister Unit, No. 9 Canadian Stationary Hospital—the St. Francis Xavier Unit—and proceed to Le Havre en route to England and Canada. The Unit sailed from Le Havre on March 17, 1919, for Southampton, arriving there in the afternoon. The stay in England lasted only a month, but this was ample time for all the members of the Unit to visit different parts of the British Isles.

During its service the Dalhousie Unit treated some 60,000 sick and wounded, 10,000 in England and 50,000 in France.

On April 17, 1919, a happy group of Nova Scotians assembled on the docks at Liverpool and boarded the good ship _Belgic_ with 3,500 other Canadian troops for Home, Sweet Home. On April 23rd that goodly company landed in Halifax and were greeted by a people proud of their noble sons returned with the laurels of victory. That happy group of Nova Scotians now assembled on the pier at Halifax and were given an ovation and cheered to the echo as they marched through the streets to the Armories to be demobilized. These were they who had gone in the honored name of Old Dalhousie. Well did they guard the honor of that name, and long may Dalhousie and Nova Scotia be proud of the record and deeds of the Dalhousie Unit.

The following casualties occurred among the members of the Unit:

_Killed in Action_: Ptes. Wm. Beck, B. E. Fraser, J. F. McLellan, Horace Grant, S. J. Dick, F. W. Laidlaw, Sergt. F. J. Howley, Ptes. J. C. Sutherland, P. L. Findlay, C. P. Wright, C. J. A. Guymer, Takanayagi (Jap.).

_Died from Service Disability_: Pte. C. J. McCarthy.

_Wounded_: Lieut.-Col. E. V. Hogan, C.B.E.; Major D. A. MacLeod, Ptes. W. H. Chase, F. F. Choote, Dawson (twice), Bugler J. E. Doyle (twice), Sergt. P. D. MacDonald, Pte. W. G. O’Tulle (twice), Sergt. F. H. Pond.

The following Nova Scotia medical officers were at different times attached to the Dalhousie Unit: Gerald Grant, M.C.; J. M. Stewart, A. E. Mackintosh, A. H. McKinnon, F. B. Day, J. A. Munro, E. D. McLean, E. D. Douglas, M.C.; J. E. Ellis, Seymour MacKenzie, K. Blackadar, A. M. Covert, A. Ellis, J. I. O’Connell, Andrew Love, W. H. McDonald.

The following received commissions in the Field: H. B. Archibald, Wm Beck (killed in flying), R.F.C., G. Dawson, M.C. (wounded and awarded M.C.), Geo. Edgar (awarded commission, Embarkation Officer in Halifax), C. W. Holland, A. R. McPherson, W. H. Pool, D. H. Sutherland, M.C., J. D. Vair, Horace Grant, G. Wright, M.C., C. C. Armstrong, H. C. Lewis, C. F. Moriarity, J. C. Sutherland (killed), P. R. Tingley, A. W. Webber, C. Glennister, C. E. White, C. P. Wright, G. C. Beazley, J. F. McLellan, M.M., G. H. Morrison, H. B. Titus, T. H. Whelpley, C. J. A. Guymer, D. H. Windsor.

Promotions and Awards: Lieut.-Col. John Stewart became Colonel and received the C.B.E., and later was Surgical Consultant to Canadian Hospitals in England.

Major E. V. Hogan assumed command of the hospital on the promotion of Colonel Stewart. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, received the C.B.E. and was wounded in the Etaples raid.

Major L. M. Murray became heart specialist to Special Canadian Heart Hospital at Bushey Park.

Capt. M. A. MacAulay, promoted to Major, left the Unit and was in command of various Units and Field Ambulances. After his return home was in command of Cogswell Street Military Hospital.

Capt. V. N. MacKay, promoted to Major and was retained in England for special laboratory work.

Capt. K. A. MacKenzie, promoted to Major on leaving the Unit at Arques in the summer of 1917 and was detailed for duty at Colchester Heart Hospital as Heart Specialist. Subsequently he became Officer in charge of Medicine at Bramshott Military Hospital.

Capt. E. K. Maclellan, promoted to Major, afterwards returning to Canada where he became Officer in charge of Pine Hill Military Hospital, and later President Standing Medical Board. In winter of 1917, Acting Officer in charge Surgical Service No. 12 Canadian General Hospital.

Capt. S. J. MacLennan, transferred to Westcliffe Eye and Ear Hospital, on arrival in England, for special duty. Invalided home from England.

Capt. D. A. MacLeod, mentioned in dispatches, wounded at Passchendaele in September, 1918, promoted to Major, and on return to Canada became Registrar at Camp Hill Military Hospital.

Capt. J. A. Murray, promoted to Major, and on return to England from France in summer of 1917 became Officer in charge of Clarence House Canadian Convalescent Hospital.

Capt. John Rankine, left Unit in summer of 1916 and went as Medical Officer to No. 1 Entrenching Battalion. Was attached to No. 4 Field Ambulance, returning to Canada for duty in the fall of 1917.

Capt. Frank V. Woodbury went to one of the Entrenching Battalions and was later attached to the Staff of the 3rd Division, recalled to England for Staff duty. Received promotion to Majority and subsequently promoted to rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.

Capt. Karl F. Woodbury served continuously and returned to Canada with the Unit, with much credit to himself and the Unit, as Dental Officer.

Lieut. S. R. Balcom returned to England in July, 1917, became Quartermaster No. 12 General Hospital and promoted to Captain. He returned to Canada and took over duties as Officer in charge of Medical Stores, Military District No. 6.

Lieut, and Quartermaster Walter Taylor, promoted to Captain, served continuously with the Unit until recalled home at the time of the Halifax explosion in December, 1917, having had three children killed in the explosion and losing his property. Later became Quartermaster Cogswell Street Hospital.

Matron L. M. Hubley served continuously with the Unit until April, 1918, subsequently attached for duty to No. 3 General Hospital and No. 8 Stationary Hospital, and Westcliffe Eye and Ear Hospital, returning to Canada, March, 1919. On returning to Canada she was employed as Matron of Cogswell Street Military Hospital. In December, 1916, Matron Hubley was awarded the Royal Red Cross, 1st Class.

Nursing Sister S. A. Archard served continuously with the Unit, with the exception of a short time at a Forestry Corps Hospital. She was awarded the Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class.

Nursing Sister R. S. Calder, invalided to England in October, 1916, served with Canadian Hospitals in England during the rest of the War and was awarded the Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class.

Nursing Sister E. A. Cooke served continuously with the Unit in England and France, returning home with the Unit. She was mentioned in dispatches and was awarded the Medal of Queen Elizabeth of Belgium.

Nursing Sister A. M. Johnston, mentioned in dispatches.

Nursing Sister MacDonald, mentioned in dispatches and awarded the Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class.

Nursing Sister F. A. Rice, awarded Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class.

Sergt.-Major G. T. Brown, recalled to England in June, 1917, receiving a commission as Quartermaster of C.A.M.C. General Depot, later being promoted to captain’s rank and receiving the O.B.E.

Sergt. P. D. MacDonald was transferred to the R.C.R. and was wounded in action.

Sergt. F. J. Howley received a commission in service. While home on leave was killed in the Halifax explosion.

Sergt. A. F. McGregor, recalled from Shorncliffe to Canada to complete medical studies at McGill. On graduating received commission and later served again Overseas. He was promoted to Captain.

Sergt. F. H. Pond obtained commission with an Infantry Battalion and was severely wounded and invalided to Canada.

Sergt. T. H. Robinson succeeded Sergt.-Major G. T. Brown, being promoted to warrant officer.

Sergt. C. G. Sutherland, recalled from Shorncliffe to Canada to complete medical studies at McGill. On graduating received commission and later served again Overseas, having been promoted to Captain.

Corpl. E. McN. Grant left Unit in Shorncliffe, receiving commission in 13th Battalion. Later invalided to Canada.

Corpl. G. S. Mitchell promoted to Captain, later became Chaplain of the Unit. Invalided to Canada in October, 1917.

Bugler J. E. Doyle, transferred to No. 1 Field Ambulance, promoted to Sergeant, wounded twice and awarded D.C.M.