Appendix C
OBSERVATIONS ON HOSPITALIZATION AND EVACUATION SYSTEM, FRENCH EXPEDITIONARY CORPS, ASSIGNED FIFTH ARMY*
Each infantry battalion has one medical officer (Lt.) and one auxiliary (Medicine Auxiliare).The latter is usually a medical student. The medical officer remains at the aid station while the auxiliary supervises and assists aid men in care of wounded on the field.
The next link in the chain is the regimental aid station (Poste de Secours). This station is manned by a Captain, M.C., and a Dental Officer. The number of enlisted men is the same as in the corresponding U. S. detachment. Wounded and sick are sorted and treated. The minor cases of sick and wounded are retained, the serious ones are evacuated via the collecting company to the division clearing station.
At the clearing station, patients are treated and sorted in much the same way as in our Army. Beside the station is located the Formation Chirurgicale Mobile. This unit, with 20 beds, is organized to care for the non-transportables. Operating rooms are established in converted trucks. The transportable cases are evacuated from the clearing station to the evacuation or field hospital. The latter two units perform the same, functions and are used interchangeably.
Surgical Group. This type unit consists of personnel grouped into surgical teams. Its functions are the same as those of the U. S. auxiliary surgical group. The surgical group differs from the surgical formation in that it has no bed capacity and no organic transportation.
Triage is effected between the clearing stations and evacuation and field hospitals under the supervision of the evacuation officer of the Corps d`Armee. This officer informs the clearing stations each morning as to the number of vacant beds in each mobile hospital in rear of the division. Bed credits are also established at each hospital for certain types of cases from each division, such as head, chest, abdomen, orthopedic, and ordinary sick. In this way all cases needing the care of specialists are guided to the hospitals where such specialists are available.
Patients are evacuated directly from the mobile hospitals of the corps to a fixed or convalescent hospital in the medical base at Naples.
All French hospitals in Italy are under control of one medical officer, because they are in the same line of evacuation. The next segment in the chain is between Italy and Africa and control is being assumed wholly by
* Reproduced from ETMD Rpt, Hq NATO, 1 Jun 44 (for May), pp. 6-7.
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the U. S. Army. The Service de Sante, Hq. French Army, Algiers, assumes responsibility for patients on their arrival in Africa.
French Evacuation Officers desire that patients being evacuated to French base hospitals by air, train, or sea be classified as follows:
Wounded.
Fractures (total litter and total ambulatory)
Eyes and Face
Others
Disease
Tuberculosis
Mental
Others
Prisoners of War
Total Patients
Litter
Ambulatory
This system allows planning of transportation in advance and facilitates triage of patients from airfields, railroad stations, and ports directed to hospitals caring for each type of case.
Hygiene Sections. These organizations are normal components of the Army or independent Corps. They are primarily bath and disinfestation units and each is organized as follows:1 Officer, 24 EM (must be attached for rations and quarters), 3 vehicles and 2 trailers with showers. Each unit can bathe 1000 men per day.
Reviving and Blood Transfusion Section. (Section de Transfusion et Reanimation).This organization handles the French blood bank in Italy and controls the distribution of blood and plasma to hospitals. In turn it is supported by the Centre de Transfusion du Sang which is located in Algiers. The training of all personnel in the treatment of shock and the technique of preparation and administration of blood and plasma is supervised by the Centre de Transfusion du Sang.
Ambulance Service. Corps ambulance evacuation is provided by Compagnie Sanitaire #531. This organization consists of 4 sections of 20 ambulances each. Two sections have male drivers, the other two, female drivers. Ambulance units are a component of the "Train" (Transportation). The personnel are non-medical. Repair and maintenance of vehicles are provided by auto repair companies (Compagnie de Reparationd`Autos) of the Corps or Army. From a functional standpoint, ambulance companies are under the jurisdiction of the Medical Department.
Laboratory. A laboratory is equipped with American material from T/E 8-610. The personnel consists of 14 officers and 35 EM. There are no
600
vehicles. The functions are the same as those of the U. S. Medical Laboratory T/O 8-610.
Medical Supply. This unit is modeled after T/O 8-661 and functions in the same manner.
