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395
"CONVOYS OF EVACUATION."
By
MAJOR W. E. HUDLESTON.
Royal Army Medical Oorps.
THE term Convoys of Evacuation is employed in this article in
the same sense as it is used in Chapter V. of the "Geneva
Convention" of 1906.
They have played a-most important part in all military campaigns, whether between civilised belligerents or against a savage
foe. This fact was evidently realised when the Articles of the
" Geneva Convention" of 1906 were drawn up.
"Convoys of' Evacuation" are specially alluded to in "Field
Service Regulations," part II., section 78, paras. 7 and 8.
Colonel W. G. Macpherson, in his lecture. on "Removal
of Sick and Wounded from the Battlefield," makes the following
allusions to them : On page 15: "The use of ganeral service wagons returning
empty."
"It is on this that our present field medical organisation
depends."
And again on page 17: "The use of special units for removal
of sick and wounded."
"Very frequently the collection and preparation of suitable
transport material, the organisation of local transport resources
in personnel, &c., the improvisation of all kinds and means of
transport, and the formation of rest or refreshment .stations along
the route, are duties that will occupy the whole time and energies
of a special organising and executive body of the medical service."
Lieutenant-Colonel M, W. Russell, in his article on "The
ROle of the Clearing Hospital," also alludes to them as follows:-'Speaking of the officer commanding the clearing hospital: "He
should at once organise a convoy section from his personnel" ;
and again, " He should, without delay, arrange for the study of the
best methods of adapting local or other transport to medical needs,
and should set about collecting the necessary material and
instructing his men in its use."
Let us now examine certain factors which relate to theorganisation and working of " convoys of evacuation."
The Extent of the Evacuating Zone.-This cannot be measured
in miles, or days' marches, for the obvious reason that it is con"
kinually varying. However, as the paramount duty of the clearing
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396
"Oonvoys of Evac'uation"
hospital is to relieve the field ambulances of their sick and wounded
as soon as possible, and as the wagons of a field ambulance, when
sent back with sick and wounded, mURt always be able to rejoin
their own unit on the same day, it follows, therefore, that the
clearing hospital must be within at least half a day's march of the
rearmost field ambulance. This then will be the point from which
our convoys of evacuation will start, and the end of their journey
will be either at railhead or possibly at an advanced depot to which
a stationary hospital has been sent. It may fairly be conceded that
this will very frequently entail a journey of two or three days
for our convoys of evacuation before they reach the stationary
hospital or railhead. The organisation of these convoys will fall
chiefly on the officer commanding the clearing hospital and his
subordinates.
The Organisation of a Convoy of Evacuation entails : (1) The collection of the vehicles, horses and harness, and the
impressment of drivers.
(2) The adaptation of all and sundry vehicles to the requirements
of carriage for sick and wounded.
(3) The maintenance of vehicles and harness in serviceable
condition.
(4) Arrangements for feeding personnel (both civil and military)
and horses, to say nothing of the grooming of the latter, fitting
harness, &c.
(5) The detailing of medical personnel.
(6) Arrangements for the provision of potable water for the
sick, wounded, and personnel. The smallest convoy would require
one water-cart.
(NoTE.-No water-cart is provided in the equipment of a
clearing hospital.)
(7) The issue of medical and surgical equipment-viz., medical
comforts, cooking utensils, ordnance stores, including lanterns,
blankets, waterproof sheets, bedpans, in fact all the impedimenta
for the care of the sick.
(N OTE.-With regard to paras. 5 and 7, the officer commanding
the clearing hospital may hope to see his personnel and equipment
back in four to six days, always granted that his unit has remained
stationary during that period.)
The Use of Empty Wagons of Supply Columns and Parks.This method of evacuating Clearing Hospitals will not stand
analysis,
"Field Service Regulations," part II, section 42, para. 2,
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W. E. Hudleston
397
informs us that supply columns will fill up with supplies purchased
or requisitioned locally, and the same Regulations, section 43,
para. 2, say that. supply parks "extend the radius of action
of the supply columns, enabling local resources to be exploited
over a wider area of country, or a greater distance to be maintained
from the Line of Communication."
It is obvious, therefore, that empty wagons of supply columns
and parks will seldom be returning to replenish from the Line of
Communication.
To place any dependence on this means of evacuating a clearing
hospital is therefore impossible.
Further, the general service wagon is not at all suitable for lyingdown cases, its floor is too narrow to accommodate two stretchers.
Lying-down cases must therefore be placed on the floor of the
wagon on a bed of straw or hay. The process of loading and
unloading such cases will be slow, and difficult and fraught with
much pain and risk to the patient.
The Adaptation of Civil Vehicles for the Carriage of Wounded.This resolves itself into adaptation for lying-down cases. Those
vehicles which are easily adaptable for this purpose are usually
open to the grave objection of exposing the patient. The ordinary
closed vehicles of civil life are incapable of adaptation short of
almost complete reconstruction. Some omnibuses and the ordinary
furniture van may be exceptions. It would appear, therefore, that to
arrange for the carriage of lying-down cases will be a very difficult
problem under the present conditions.
The Geneva Convention, Chapter V., Art 17.-This has much
bearing on the working of "Convoys of Evacuation." The final
paragraph must especially be borne in mind : "The civilian personnel, and the various means of transport
obtained by requisition, including railway material and boats used
for convoys, shall be subject to the general rules of international
law."
The personnel of a clearing hospital will be found in section 2,
F., page 19, of the" Field Service Manual, Army Medical Service,"
and a list of its tentage, equipment, &c., will be found at the end
of this article.
The role of the clearing hospital is to be found in "Field
Service Regulations," part H., section 78, and m the lecture and
article above quoted.
Apart from the organisation and working of the convoys of
evacuation, the duties are arduous enough. The only parts of the
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398
" Oonvoys of Evacuation"
convoy of evacuation not liable to confiscation when captured by
the enemy are the military escort, the medical personnel and
medical equipment and ambulance wagons (if any). Therefore on
capture, our convoy, as far as the transport for the sick and wounded
is concerned, ceases to exist.
The remedy lies in one of two ways : (1) To give the clearing hospital transport capable of conversion
into ambulance transport, as in the Canadian field hospital in
South Africa. (Even with this, after despatching a large convoy,
the clearing hospital becomes temporarily immobile.)
(2) To organise, in time of peace, a sick and wounded transport
unit, as in the Japanese army. ('rhis is the ideal method, for
obvious reasons, and particularly because as a "mobile medical
unit" it would not be liable to confiscation when captured.)
The detail of personnel and transport of such an unit is shown
in tabular form at the end of this article, under the name of
"convoy division."
The transport has been so arranged as to make the unit capable
of accommodating 200 sick : 20 per cent. lying down = 40 patients = 10 ambulance wagons.
80
"
sitting up = 160 patients = 14*"
"
(* Note.-Thirteen wagons with twelve each, and one wagon with four patients.)
An innovation will be noticed in the table of transport, in that
ten ambulance wagons have only two horses each. These wagonr:;
are to be utilised for the lying-down cases, and it is assumed that if
four horses are sufficient for an ambulance wagon with twelve
patients, then two horses will be sufficient for one with four
patients, especially as the ambulance wagons will not be worked at
high pressure on any sort of roads, as in the case of the field
ambulances. The roads will be comparatively good and the pace a
steady 2~ miles an hour, with regular halts for rest and food.
Special personnel for "water duties" will be noted in the
detail.
Two artificer wheelers and a saddler will be required to mend
the civil transport and harness which may be requisitioned.
It is not suggested for one moment that the provision of one
medical convoy unit for 200 sick per division will suffice for all
requirements. It is maintained that the officer commanding the
clearing hospital will not have time to collect and organise a convoy
from civil sources; that his personnel and equipment are not sufficient if the requirements for convoys are imposed upon him; that
such a convoy unit would be capable of considerable expansion by
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W. E. H udleston
399
requisition from civil sources; that it would provide for the proper
carriage af lying-dawn cases (all its ambulance wagans might' be
used if required far lying-dawn cases, leaving civil vehicles far cases
able to sit, for which purpose no adaptation would be required);
that such an unit wauld be entitled,to respect. and protectian by the
belligerents; Chapter n., Art. 6, " Geneva Canventian," 1906.
If it 1.e granted then that the clearing hospital, as at present
organised, is unable to satisfy the requirements far its own evacrration, it is pertinent to examine its capabilities for the performance af
its other functians. These functians have been mast clearly defined
in the article by Lieutenaq.t-Colonel M. W. Russell above referred
to, and require no further recapitulation.
I think it may, fairly be admitted that absence of transport and
ambulance wagons renders the clearing hospital incapable af performing the functions allotted to this unit.
Again we must seek a remedy, and the remedy suggested is to
form an unit Galled a
CleaTing Ambulance.
This will consist of a receiving d,ivision and a convoy division.
While on the subject o.f the name af this unit, which is to.
replace the clearing hospital, I wauld like to submit that, the name
"haspital," for the present unit is misleadiQg. When a sick or
wounded man hears that his next destination is dignified by the
name of "hospital," he is naturq,lly apt to. anticipate some of the
camforts associated with the term, such comforts especially as a
bed to lie upon, regular meals, and some respite, if anly for two
or three days, from transport from place to place, &c. In the
present clearing hospital he will be grievously disillusianed, and far
this reason alone I think it is advisable to' avoid the misnomer
" hospi tal."
To return to the organisatian af aur "clearing ambulance." I
have endeavoured to tabulate the requirements or the "convoy
division" of aur "clearing ambulance" as far as personnel and
transport are concerned. '1'0 what extent will the present equipment
of a clearing hospital (see" FieJd Service Manual, Army Medical
Service") meet the requirements of the" receiving divisian ",? We see
under the heading" tentage," thirty-four marquees, each weighing
512 lb.; these, I think, are hardly suitable far a so-called mobile
unit, as a clearing hospital is supposed to be, they would certainly
be omitted from the praposed unit under discussian. The twenty
single bell tents will also be omitted. Bnildingsmust be utilised
27
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400
" Convoys of Evacuation"
and will nearly always be available within reasonable distance III a
civilised country.
Equipment.-Hospital panniers Nos. 1 to 4 might remain, No. 5
should be omitted; medical and surgical equipment, and medical
comfort panniers should be doubled; sta.tionery boxes and ordnance
stores. might remain the same; clothing and necessaries should be
Dmitted, except the following: ankle boots (for Royal Army Medical
Corps), razors, and greatcoats.
The changes above suggested would reduce the weight of the
new unit to about 40,000 lb., and it would therefore require between
thirteen and fourteen general service wagons for its transport as a
whole.
This number of general service wagons could still further be
reduced by utilising the ambulance wagons when the unit is advancing empty, to relieve the field ambulances.
The detail of transport for the "receiving division" has been
omitted, as the carrying capacity of an ambulance wagon for equipment is unknown; and the extent to which these wagons should be
utilised for carrying equipment must vary with the necessity for
their use for sick and wounded.
It is submitted in conclusion that a "clearing ambulance,"
.organised as suggested, would satisfy the need of the first unit in
the Evacuating Zone.]
CLEARING AMBULANCE (War Establishment).
Receiving Division.
Pe1·sonnel.
S.-Se~jts.
Detail
Officers W. Officers
Lieut.-Col.
Major
. Capt. or Lieut.
Warrant Officer ..
Nursing ..
JSteward ..
Compounder
:Berjts. , Pack Store
Clerk
..
General duty
Bugler
..
Corpls.- General duties
..
and
Serjts.
Buglers
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
l
4
1
Cooks
..
.
Pack stores
.PrIvates Nursing ..
General duty
Batmen ..
2
1
4
..
1
..
6
1
Total
Riding
horse3
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
4
1
2
1
1
rw'ru, .
Total, R.A.M.C.
Rank
and
file
7
7
20
4
20
4
39
..
51
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W. E. Hudleston
Detail
Officers W. Officers
401
S.-Serjts.
Buglers
and
Serjts.
Rank
and
file
Riding
horses
Total
Convoy Division.
Major
Capt. or Lieut.
Warrant Officer
fNursing ..
Cook
..
Berjts.
[paCk Store
General duty
Bugler
Clerk
..
Crpls.
General duty
.•
Cook
{paCk store
Privates Nursing ..
General duty
1
2
1
2
1
1
2'
1
J
1
1
2
1
10
18-
l
Total, R.A.M.C.
3
1
6
1
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
2
1
..
lOt
18
33
44
3
3
2
45
1
2
3
3
2
45
1
2
3
100
6
Attached transport.
Details, A.S.C.
Serjts.
Wheelers ..
Vehicles
( Spare horses
Drivers
1Spare
Batmen ..
3
..
Total, Convoy Division. .
3
1
9
1
86
* One Serjeant and four Privates for water duty.
t For serious cases.
TRANSPORT FOR " CONVOY DIVISION."
Detail
Carts
~Water
tForage
jG.s. (Med. station)
. G.S. (baggage) ..
Wagons
Ambulance (2 horse)
..
(4 horse)
( Spare horse
Drivers
1Spare ..
Vehicles
Drivers, A.S.C.
Draught horses
2
2
2
2
10
14
2
2
4
4
10
28
2
2
4
4
8
8
20
56
4
Total
104
54
32
CLEARING HOSPITAL.
The detail of personnel is shown in Sect. II., F., p. 9, of the" Field Service Manual,
Army Medical Service."
Clearing Hospital, Equipment, dc.
Tentage
Camp Space
Equipment
Thirty-four marquees, twenty single bell tents.
(Weight of marquee, 492 lb. (512) ; weight of bell tent, 83 lb.)
204 by 190 yards.
Hospital Panniers. (Appendix 24, Field Service Mannal) :No. 1 pannier, containing ward stores
No. 8.
2
stores for Sister's orN.C.O.'s
duty tent
" 2.
3
dispensary stores
, .. 2.
4
kitchen stores
" 2.
.. 5 . .
laundry stores
.. :J.
Medical and Surgical. (Appendix 4, Field Service Manual) :Medical companion and water bottle
No. 4.
Surgical haversack and water bottle
" 8.
Field medical panniers .,
Pairs 2.
Reserve field medical panniers..
2.
Field surgical panniers ..
.. 2.
Field fracture boxes
No. 2.
Antiseptic cases or reserve dressing boxes
" 10.
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''Convoys of Evacuation''
W. E. Hudleston
J R Army Med Corps 1911 16: 395-401
doi: 10.1136/jramc-16-04-04
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