The Icelandic connection - 01.06.2014, Page 19

Vol. 66 #4
ICELANDIC CONNECTION
161
quoted as saying: “In severe action, a CCS
is very busy and I cannot imagine any place
where a skilled anesthetist would be more
useful. A CCS cannot, however, afford
to have much cumbersome apparatus as
when the army moves, it moves too.”7
Archie was transferred from No. 30
CCS to another British facility, No.16
General Hospital in Le Treport, a small
fishing port on the English Channel. Le
Treport was also the location of Canada’s
No. 2 General Hospital. Together they
comprised a massive tent city. A nursing
sister at No 16 General Hospital wrote to
Elisabet.
16 General Hospital
B. E. E April 10th. 17
Dear Mrs. Poison
I am indeed sorry to tell you that your
son, Pte. Poison of S. Can. M.G. Coy. has
been admitted to this hospital wounded. His
wounds are serious & we hope that he will
make satisfactory progress. He came here two
days ago & I am pleased to tell you that he has
improved greatly.
I will write again in a few days then
perhaps can give you some idea when he will
be able to travel to
England.
At present
he cannot write
himself as his
right arm was
amputated before
reaching here.
I don't want
you to worry. I
have every hope
that he will
recover.
Promising
to write again &
with my sincerest
sympathy and
best wishes. He
sends his love and
GEORGE METCALF ARCHIVAL COLLECTION / CANADIAN WAR MUSEUM
Surgery being done at a Casualty
Clearing Station in France, World War
One. Little effort was taken to maintain a
sterile operating room.
he is such a good patient.
With best wishesYours sincerely,
V. G. Bach. Sister
It did not take long for Archie to
hear from George Bradbury, the former
Lieutenant Colonel of the 108th Battalion
and the Conservative M.P. for Selkirk.
The tone of Bradbury’s letter is
EDWARD KIDD / LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA
Wounded soldiers in the Admissions area, Le Treport, France, 1916.
Note that the rows of stretchers extend into the adjoining tent.