The British sector of the Western Front Flashcards
Ypres
POISONOUS GAS
first battle of Ypres - 1914
germans launched an attack, 50,000 British troops lost, but held on to the town.
hill 60 - 1915
British tunnelled into the hill, planted mines, gaining it back.
second battle - 1915
first use of chlorine gas, used by the Germans
third battle - 1917
Ypres Salient, awful weather left the ground water logged and many drowned.
the Somme
HUGE CASUALTIES July-november 1916 400,000 allied casualties 450,000 German first use of tanks in warfare artillery launched from trenches to germans as they advanced
Arras
TUNNELLING 1917 British dug tunnels (electric lights,runningwater,railway system) easy ground to dig, joined with quarries created accomodation in the tunnels hospitals, 700 beds used as shelters 24000 men attacked germans from the tunnels 160,000 casualties
Cambrai
TANKS - easy to move over barbed wire, effective machine guns
late 1917
over 450 tanks used
effective, germans lost ground, but we couldn’t hold on to the ground captured, losing a lot
the trench system
3 rows of trenches
frontline trench, attacks launched
support trench, troops retreated from the frontline
reserve trench, troops stationed for counter attack
artillery replacements
dugouts were holes in the side of the trench for troops to take cover
trenches formed a zigzag pattern
trench construction
hurriedly dug by troops, often used existing ditches - easier
constantly maintained and improved, e.g. with drains added
terrain and transport in and around trenches
terrain varied
different places/weather conditions
difficult to move with deep mud/water logging, craters, holes from explosions
muddy and overcrowded in the trenches too
gas attacks
greatly feared BUT NOT a major cause of death temporary blindness, coughing,burns gas masks in July 1915 given out previously, cotton pads with urine were placed on their faces
head injuries
common
mostly by shrapnel
by 1915 soft caps replaced with Brodie helmets
reduced head wounds
shell shock
wide range of symptoms
including total mental breakdowns
some accused of cowardice
many treated close to front, others at base hospitals
trench fever
flu-like symptoms could last for months reoccurring caused by lice 1918, troops deloused, reducing cases
trench foot
caused by standing in waterlogged trenches
led to gangrene
treated with amuputation
given whale oil and spare socks, trenches drained using pumps, duckboards added, all to try and prevent it
bullets/shrapnel
bullets from rifles and machine guns could penetrate organs and fracture bones
shrapnel were responsible for most deaths and injuries, removing limbs and causing major internal injuries
specific Injury problems
some injuries rarely seen before
or on this scale
all weapons and explosions caused major blood loss
bullets/shrapnel located and removed
extensive head or face foods require facial recontruction or brain surgery
wound infection
major problem
the soil on the Western front had tetanus and gas gangrene bacteria
these could enter wounds during attack or before being collected
from late 1914, tetanus injections given
no prevention for gas gangrene though
RAMC
royal army medical corps organised and provided medical care rapidly increased to cope with scale of the war 1914 - 9000 men 1918 - 115,000 men responsible for keeping men healthy good sanitation treating wounded/sick
FANY
first aid nursing yeomanry
founded in 1907 by a soldier, hoping to be a nursing cavalry
500 women helped as ambulance drivers and nurses, not on horseback
they replaced Red Cross male ambulance drivers
transport problems
difficult terrain - only stretcher-bearers and horse wagons could be used
many roads/railways destroyed
constant shelling/artillery, recovery of injured difficult
initially, no motor ambulances, not enough horses to cope
public appeal in Britain raised money for 512 motor ambulances
chain of evacuation
(stretcher bearers) regimental aid post field ambulance casualty clearing stations base hospitals
regimental aid post - 1
close to front line
moved forward when casualties were expected
regimental medical officer helped by stretcher bearers for first aid
sent more serious injuries to the next stage
field ambulance - 2
mobile medical unit
staff set up dressing stations
a mile back from the front line, in derelict buildings, dugouts or tents
staffed by medical officers, orderlies and stretcher bearers, nurses from 1915
could look after men for a week
serious cases sent straight to the CCS
casualty clearing stations - 3
larger/better equipped buildings, several miles from front line staffed by doctors/nurses prioritised life threatening injuries, with a chance of survival most important place to reduce infection by 1918: hospitals had as many as 2500 patients operating theatres , laboratories, X-ray departments
base hospitals - 4
situated near ports on the coast
many medical staff
doctors who specialised in certain treatments
patients could stay for some time
them return to front line, or shipped home for further treatment
x rays
and their problems
1895 - discovered by Wilhelm Roentgen
tiny bits of shrapnel/bullets were located using X-rays, for quicker surgery
problems:
early stage, had to keep still for a long time
high doses of radiation, burnt/hair loss
large machines couldn’t be moved around quickly
