RAMC & FANY, ambulances & transport

Question 1

Why was it important to have medical facilities in the field?

Answer 1

The number of casualties and because the battle was miles away from towns and hospitals.

Question 2

The stages of treatment for the wounded, known as the ___, evolved as the war went on.

Answer 2

“chain of evacuation”.

Question 3

Who provided the majority of medical care on the Western Front?

Answer 3

The RAMC and FANY.

Question 4

RAMC =

Answer 4

Royal Army Medical Corps

Question 5

FANY =

Answer 5

First Aid Nursing Yeomanry

Question 6

What was the situation with medical workers on the Western Front?

Answer 6

• Initially, all medical workers were from the RAMC. The nurses (FANY) were ignored at first.
• Later, volunteers were allowed (e.g. FANY).
• The volunteers were mostly used for driving ambulances, cooking and cleaning.

Question 7

What was the underground hospital at Arras also known as?

Answer 7

“Thompson’s Cave”.

Question 8

The underground hospital at Arras was very close to the front line in the tunnels underneath the town. What was it like?

Answer 8

-Included space for 700 beds; an operating theatre and a mortuary. -It was supplied with electricity and running water.

Question 9

What were the problems with transport to and from the trenches?

Answer 9

• Initially, no motor ambulances were sent, and there weren’t enough horses to cope - in the muddiest conditions, up to 6 horses were needed per ambulance, and 4 stretcher bearers per injured soldier.
• Public appeal in Britain raised money for 512 motor ambulances.
• But the difficult terrain meant that, in some places, only stretcher-bearers and horse wagons could be used. The British reverted to using these.
• Many roads and railway lines had been destroyed by shelling and artillery fire, making progress for stretcher bearers slow and dangerous. Also made recovery of the injured very difficult.
• Using horse-drawn wagons instead meant men were shaken about, leading to worsened injuries.
• The slow progress meant ambulance workers and soldiers were often captured and taken prisoner by the Germans.

Question 10

Public appeal in Britain raised money for___ motor ambulances.

Answer 10

512

Question 11

What were ambulances like throughout the war?

Answer 11

• Initially, no motor ambulances were sent. Public appeal in Britain raised money for 512 motor ambulances.
• But the difficult terrain meant that he British reverted to using stretcher bearers and horse wagons.
• The first ambulance train arrived in France in October 1914, and had stretchers fitted down both sides of the carriages.
• As the war went on, trains were designed to even include operating theatres.
• There was a concern about overuse of trains as they were easy targets for the Germans, so sometimes canal barges were used instead.
• Barges allowed wounded men to bypass the base hospitals on the coast, and be taken straight back to Britain on transport boats.