Report on the medical arrangements in the South African war / by Surgeon-General Sir W. D. Wilson.
- Great Britain. Army Medical Services
- Date:
- 1904
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report on the medical arrangements in the South African war / by Surgeon-General Sir W. D. Wilson. Source: Wellcome Collection.
39/490 page 23
![i ].—ARRIVAL OF Lorp Roperrs. ay yyy rT or Roberts landed at Calpe Town on J anuary 10th, and the re-or gainisa~ tion of ‘the force began at once. A new ‘division was formed, (the 9th) from the Highland Frigade, and a brigade newly formed in South Africa (the 19th). The 6th Division had. been sent to Naauwpoort to assist in General French’s operations immediately on disembarkation, and when the greater part of this division was ordered round, to the western dine, the 12th Brigade, was left behind atz :Naauwport, and its place . in the, division, taken by a second new brigade, the 18th, also formed in South Africa. Medical units had to be found for these two new brigades, the 18th and 19th, as time would not allow of thei supply from England. Only the akeloton of one bearer company;.the 17th, had arrived in addition to the field units detailed for the divisions formed in England, and its equipment had been used to replace that of No. 11 Bearer Company, which had been lost in the wreck of the transport ‘“Ismore.” F ortunately, there was no lack of equipment in ‘the country, while the increase of the’ Capé' Medical Staff Corps, which had been steadily maintained, Rabe some of he re Sary personnel. The 18th Brigade received No. 1 cata of ie Cine Field Beanie to ‘act ‘as’ a béater company, and the?19th Brigade was ‘furnished with a ‘similar ‘Unit forméd by thé Cape Medical Staff Corps.’ But the only way of meeting the démands fortield” hospitals wis’ by taking’ the' divisional: hospitals of the 6th and 7th Divisions for the 18th and 19th-’Brigaddés ‘respectively.-Phe result “of “this, the only’ possible arrangement, was that/the 6th, 7th, and th” Divisions were ‘without: their’ divisional field hospitals, while, as ‘will be séen, “thé utility ‘of the ‘units that were eee was ‘Sous alae impaired by the UleVoidsble: réduction of theéir-transport. = Wiilé these new brigades: ‘and a tiéw aititen? were being ‘formed, six'new regiments ‘of’ mounted infantry wére also’ raised’ from the mounted infantry companies of ‘various: régiments in South Afri¢a, and, with two which ‘had landed with‘the“Army Corps, were formed into two brigades: After Paarde- berg, the number of the brigades of mounted infantry was increased’ to four. Medical Officers’ had'to ‘be found for theseswhile thé first section‘of the New South Wales’ Ambulance ‘(a light; well-formed unit’ combining thefunctions of afield hospital with’ those ofa bearer company) was divided into two, and ohe half sent with ‘each brigade. ~~ These, however, were ‘only able to join their brigades ‘after Paardeberg, and ‘all ther the casualties were dealt with by the various hospitals of the force. * - °° — & colénial division; under Ceierai Brabiint, was fornietl from Eee ‘of the ‘colonial’ forces with, in’ thaasidgiees ‘various riéwly-raised corps of South ‘Africa “arid Sversea’ colonials, * Mariy -of' these had’ their? own’ regimental medical” arrangements which supplied all that’ was necessary at that date, while ‘Lieut.-Colonel Hartley, -'V.C., of the Cape Mounted Rifles, was appointed Principal Medical Officer’ of the ‘division. ‘The original scale “of transport ‘for the medical units,'as étathorised: big the “ Orgaiisation ard Details of Transport” (Cape Town,' 1899), was as follows :— Bearer company—Water cart... wis. + ae est CAS Buckwagons Us ae cs Set hg Ambulances ae ae Be era tt Ox cariac... on = tata Field hospital (corps troops and eerclec ork Water carts ice Scotch cart Buckwagons Ox cart bo he The divisional field hospital to have one water cart less, and one additional buckwagon. The loads of these vehicles are:—Scotch or ox cart, 1,500 lbs. ; buck- wagon, 3,000 lbs. ‘Ten per cent. of spare mules were authorised. It is specifically noted that “all units will draw aad organise their own regimental transport.”](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b32172874_0039.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
