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In his second weekly report as Commanding Officer of the Brigade Hospital in Étaples, Colonel Trimble states that they have received several important visitors including some Canadian members of Parliament as well as Mr Blaycott, the Captain of the Canadian Red Cross. According to Trimble, they were all extremely impressed with the Hospital. On 23rd July, Trimble also welcomed several American Officers to the Hospital who, were particularly keen to see the Electro-Cardiograph as they had never seen one before. Towards the end of the report, it is noted that the hospital received a large number of stretcher cases many of whom were very seriously wounded and that the hospital was practically full with just eight beds vacant.
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My Lord,
I beg to furnish the following brief report embracing
the 19th to the 25th July.
On Thursday the 20th Lord Northcliffe visited the
hospital and was accompanied by Major Black, Secretary to Sir
Arthur Sloggett, D.G.M.S. He arrived about 12.30 p.m. and
after introducing several of the members of the surgical and
medical staffs, I conducted him round the hospital. He was
afterwards entertained to lunch.
On Saturday the 22nd some Canadian members of Parlia-
ment who accompanied Sir George Foster, Financial Minister to
Canada, came to look over this hospital. They included Messrs
Dennis, Landry, Armstrong, Shepherd, Blaylock, Ross, Knowles and
Woods. It appears that Mr. Blaycock occupied the position of
Captain in the Canadian Red Cross. They were all unanimous in
expressing the most favourable opinion concerning the Hospital.
In fact, I think they were rather surprised to find such an
institution. Sir George Foster was in no way stinting in his
praise.
On Sunday the 23rd May Mr. Evelyn Cecil was motored over
by Lord Donoughmore and thoroughly examined the condition of
the hospital itself and those under which we work. No doubt
he will express the opinion he formed to you personally. It
was a very great pleasure to me to have the opportunity of
showing him round.
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On the same day Colonel Carr brought several American
officers belonging to the Army Medical Corps of the United States.
They included Colonel Francey, Major Lyster, and Major Ford.
These officers had been doing the found [sic] of the hospitals both in
England and France, and when they came here they were just anxious
to know if we could show them any special features in hospital
development. I think I was enabled to do this because up till
then they had not seen an Electro-Cardiograph; this was a depart-
ment quite new to them so far as Clearing Hospitals are concerned.
They were so interested after seeing the department above mentioned,
that they went round practically the whole hospital, and as Major
Francey said before going away, and I put it in his own language,
he declared the St. John Ambulance Brigade had got in France
“some Hospital”. I was very gratified these American officers
came to us because they appeared to know what they wanted and
how to see it. I offered them afternoon tea, which they accepted.
The following convoys were admitted since my last report
to you:-
Wednesday the 19th inst. 80
Saturday the 22nd inst. 123
Monday the 24th inst. 76
A very large proportion of these cases were received on stretchers,
and the number of badly wounded vary considerably. I think it is
customary to send to this hospital seriously wounded cases, and it
is particularly justifiable as we are in every way capable of
dealing with them. The hospital has been practically full, and
on one occasion I had only eight beds vacant.
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Two of the medical staff are on leave, Lieut. Beckett going
home on the 20th and Capt. MacIlwaine on the 21st.
So far as I can judge the work of the hospital is, proceeding-
ing quite satisfactorily, and you may rely upon my doing all in my
power to maintain the high standard to which the institution has
attained.
Yours etc.,
(Signed Charles J. Trimble.
P.S. I enclose photo taken on the 20th inst. of Lord Northcliffe
in plain clothes.
