Stretcher Bearers

[RammyLad1]

Did infantry units supply men for stretcher bearing duties or was this solely under the remit of the RAMC. I'm sure that I have read that they did but I can't seem to find where I got this information from.

Duncan

[spconnolly007]

Duncan, like you, Im pretty sure ive read somewhere that units in reserve were used on stretcher duty, but we wil have to wait for one of the experts to turn up and confirm

Sean.

[squirrel]

Each infantry Company had its quota of stretcher bearers, usually members of the band but not always, and not usually Buglers, Drummers or Pipers.

RAMC orderlies were with the Medical Officer at the Regimental Aid Post.

[ss002d6252]

Most battalions would have men allocated as stretcher bearers - often the bandsmen. I would expect that support units would have standing plans in place to come to aid of front line units.

An example from the 9th DLI shows

[spconnolly007]

8 stretcher bearers for 714 men doesn't seem a lot! Would the DLI's have been in a quite sector at the time, or would this percentage be the norm? Regards Sean

[ss002d6252]

They were near ARMENTIERES at the time, they were taking 1-2 casualties per day on average I would guess. The 6th DLI were in the same area and they refer to it as 'situation normal' in most of the cases and took about the same level of casualties.

The page is dated 1 Sep 1915 which was the day they moved in to the trench line (there's an accompanying map) so presumably it was part of the battalions plan for their tour in the front lines and I'd guess that most of it was part of a standard plan.

[jhill]

Battalions were responsible for clearing their own casualties back to the Regimental Aid Post. That was the principal job of the Battalion Stretcher bearers. Experts may correct me, but I seem to recall that early in the War, battalions had about 16 bearers, but this was later increased. These were not RAMC (Royal Army Medical Corps) men, but were trained by the battalion Medical Officer. They could, I suppose, have been transferred to other duties within the Battalion, as could any one else.

There was also a bearer subsection with each of the three Field Ambulances of a Division. These would, among other duties, have cleared from the RAPs to the Advanced Dressing Stations. These would be RAMC men. Later in the War it would be common during operations for infantry units in reserve to contribute parties to help the Field Ambulance clear the field. These parties could amount to several hundred men on a Brigade front during some operations.

[RammyLad1]

Thanks for the replies, did the tradition of bandsmen being stretcher bearers continue after conscription came into force. Would these lads from units be unarmed as those in the RAMC were ?

Duncan

[Ron Clifton]

Duncan

Stretcher bearers would be provided with rifles and trained in their use - they were not obliged by the Geneva Convention to be unarmed and did not wear the Red Cross armband. I don't think they actually carried rifles, even slung, when about their rescue duties.

Ron

[Stoppage Drill]

One of the lesser-known poems of the War was "Stretcher Bearers" by Woodbine Willie. (Rev Studdert-Kennedy).

Quite touching - worth looking up.

[ss002d6252]

I don't think they actually carried rifles, even slung, when about their rescue duties.

I would agree, the practicalities of carrying a rifle with a stretcher would make the rifle an unneeded burden.

they were not obliged by the Geneva Convention to be unarmed and did not wear the Red Cross armband

I wonder if they sometimes did when required as I have reference in a war diary to stretcher bearers going out with Red Crosses (presumably armbands) to collect wounded. The difference may be that they were going out in full view of the Germans and needed all the help they could get.

[squirrel]

Officially, only RAMC orderlies/stretcher bearers werer authorised to wear the "Geneva badge" or red cross badge or armband. Photographic evidence shows that this was not always adhered to and battalion stretcher bearers did wear the red cross arm band. Some units also stretcher bearers also wore the "Geneva/red cross badge."

James in post #7 has the casualty evacuation organisation right IIRC.

[centurion]

Keeps on coming up

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=165570entry1610578

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=170382entry1656686

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1144entry6709

[Andrew Upton]

Stretcher bearers would be provided with rifles and trained in their use - they were not obliged by the Geneva Convention to be unarmed and did not wear the Red Cross armband. I don't think they actually carried rifles, even slung, when about their rescue duties.

Even those under the protection of the Geneva Convention were not obliged to be unarmed - see posts 11-14:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=141738

[Stoppage Drill]

Poem: Of it's time maybe, but this poem sort of does it for me due to family connections with medical services in both wars. (Including a regimental SB with 6/S Lancs who dow in 1918)

To Stretcher Bearers

Easy does it — bit o' trench 'ere,

Mind that blinkin' bit o' wire,

There's a shell 'ole on your left there,

Lift 'im up a little 'igher.

Stick it, lad, ye'll soon be there now,

Want to rest 'ere for a while?

Let 'im dahn then — gently — gently,

There ye are, lad. That's the style.

Want a drink, mate? 'Ere's my bottle,

Lift 'is 'ead up for 'im, Jack,

Put my tunic underneath 'im,

'Ow's that, chummy? That's the tack!

Guess we'd better make a start now,

Ready for another spell?

Best be goin', we won't 'urt ye,

But 'e might just start to shell.

Are ye right, mate? Off we goes then.

That's well over on the right,

Gawd Almighty, that's a near 'un!

'Old your end up good and tight,

Never mind, lad, you're for Blighty,

Mind this rotten bit o' board.

We'll soon 'ave ye tucked in bed, lad,

'Opes ye gets to my old ward.

No more war for you, my 'earty,

This'll get ye well away,

Twelve good months in dear old Blighty,

Twelve good months if you're a day,

M.O.'s got a bit o' something

What'll stop that blarsted pain.

'Ere's a rotten bit o' ground, mate,

Lift up 'igher — up again,

Wish 'e'd stop 'is blarsted shellin'

Makes it rotten for the lad.

When a feller's been and got it,

It affec's 'im twice as bad.

'Ow's it goin' now then, sonny?

'Ere's that narrow bit o' trench,

Careful, mate, there's some dead Jerries,

Lawd Almighty, what a stench!

'Ere we are now, stretcher-case, boys,

Bring him aht a cup o' tea!

Inasmuch as ye have done it

Ye have done it unto Me.

Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy

aka "Woodbine Willie"

[Muerrisch]

And I have located a copy of The Long Carry at long long last and it is winging its way to me.

The following [here I quote that well known authority, me myself moi] may be of interest regarding arms and the man. Subject is 2nd RWF.

If Red Cross, could be armed, if a patient, NOT a good idea to be armed.

Graves, in private post war correspondence, called Clegg-Hill ‘a real brute’. Clegg-Hill e was the central figure of an incident on 8 September 1914. Fifty wounded Germans were discovered in a building, still under arms, being nursed by French Red Cross Sisters. Clegg-Hill would have had them shot [and he had a case under the rules of war as understood at the time], but Geiger ‘as senior officer present’ prevented it. [As senior officer! He had two days seniority over Clegg-Hill. It is possible that 50 Germans owed their lives to those two days seniority]. There are at least three versions of the incident: Geiger’s [in which the enraged officer is not named], Frank Richards’ in OSND [in which he identifies only ‘the Major’ and calls him excitable, cursing and raving] and Dudley Ward’s in which Geiger is quoted, unequivocally naming Clegg-Hill.