First World War: transfer of wounded troops, France 1918

[doddie]

A couple more rather 'anorakish questions, I'm afraid.

1. My grandfather was transferred from his existing regiment to the Cameron Highlanders on the 31st March 1918. He was then sent to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force on the 13th of April 1918. On the 21st April he was posted to the 6th Battalion Cameron Highlanders who were serving on the Western Front. I just want to know if anyone can tell me what sort of things my grandfather would have been doing (and possibly where) between arriving in France as part of the B.E.F. and being posted to his battalion nine days later?

2. My grandfather was wounded while serving in the Arras sector in late June/early July 1918. His service record states that his last day spent on French soil was 4th July (he was sent from a hospital facility in Calais to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Southhampton). I am trying to establish a time frame by which I might be able to figure out roughly how long it would have taken for my grandfather to have been transported from the Arras area to Calais (and possibly how he may have been transported).

I know it is a bit sad to be interested in such details, but there we go.

Regards

Doddie

[StewL]

Hi Doddie
I would think he would have been undertaking training prior to being sent to the trenches. With a brief bit of R&R thrown in also, just to relax the troops.
Even though he would have had training back in the UK, there would have been some specific training to get him ready for the actual trenches. Along with getting all his affairs in order.

[doddie]

Hi Stewie, thanks for you reply. Good to get some feedback. What you mentioned is just what I imagined my grandfather would have been doing. How it was possible to train someone properly for the trenches, given the chaos that was occuring in them, is anyone's guess.

Regards

Doddie

[Currie]

Hello Doddie,

This page from The-Long-Long-Trail site has information on the treatment of wounded and sick soldiers. http://www.1914-1918.net/wounded.htm

Also training to be a soldier http://www.1914-1918.net/training.htm

There’s a huge amount of valuable WW1 info on the site. Just put whatever comes to mind in the search box and see how you go.

All the best,
Alan

[doddie]

Hi Alan, Thanks for getting in touch. I feel a bit foolish to be honest. I could've sworn that I had previously looked in detail at this website - Doh!, to quote Mr. Homer Simpson esq. Many thanks for guiding an intellectually bewildered soul in the right direction. On a more serious note, the combination of the training/treatment of the wounded information is spot on.

Regards

Doddie