Etaples ?

[jue]

Hello all , Wondering if anyone can advise me ?
My grand-dad served WW1 , and looking through his military records ,during 1916 there are a few records of being wounded at Etaples , and being admitted to field hospital there .

I was under the impression that Etaples was a large field camp , that ferried men to battle , and returned them when injured ?
My question is , where abouts would grand-dad have been fighting ( to use Etaples field hospital ). ?
Any Advise ?
TIA
x

[jim1]

There were a number of General hospitals at Etaples
but no field hospitals as far as I'm aware.
Can you give his name, number & Regt.

[jue]

Thank You......
Thomas Rogers 22017 Manchester REG (23rd , i think )...joined 26.11.1914
Transferred to Machine Gun Corp 22.12.16 --Think his number changed to 75495 ?
Transferred to Tank Corp 22.9.17

23.3.1918 missing
1.6.18 reported POW

For all the time he spent in service , my information is sketchy to say the least.
Many Thanks

[ShaunJ]

Have you seen the photograph of his platoon on FindMyPast?

23rd (Service) Battalion. B Company, Platoon VIII

List:
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fmcb%2f23_b_8&parentid=gbm%2fmcb%2f00010604

Photo:
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fmcb%2f23_b_8_p&parentid=gbm%2fmcb%2f00010604

[jim1]

He was transferred to no. 23 General Hospital at Etaples.
This is what the LLT says about the 23rd.
23rd (Service) Battalion (8th City)
Formed in Manchester on 21 November 1914 by the Lord Mayor and City as a Bantam Battalion. Moved to Morecambe in December 1914.
June 1915 : moved to Masham and placed under command of 104th Brigade in 35th Division. Moved to salisbury Plain in August 1915.
January 1916 : landed at Boulogne.
Ceased to be a Bantam Battalion early in 1917.
16 February 1918 : disbanded in France.
You'll notice the 23rd. was a Bantam Btn. These were formed for men under the minimum height of 5' 3". They had a terrific reputation amongst the population.
In July 1916 they were involved in the Somme Offensive:
They were at Bus le Artios, Lealvillers, Bazincourt, Avelny Wood, Morlancourt and Happy Valley.Billon Wood and Talus Bois. on the 20th July they were in the action at Maltz Horn Farm south of Guillemont, later  Trones Wood
The 23rd. were in the trenches at Trones Wood up to the 25th. July when they were relieved.
They had suffered heavy shelling for several days.
It looks like he suffered in silence for a couple of days before being sent through the
medical chain owing to his shell shock.
He wasn't on his own, there were 7 in total.
The below map shows Maltz Horn Farm trench, your man was in the left sub-sector
which would place him pretty much between Trones Wood & Guillemont.

[jue]

Thank you both, so very very much ......That really brings the story to life .
Yep, he was only a little bloke , my grand-dad , BUT , after the war ,was a miner , and always called in the pub on his way home , "just to wash down the coal dust"---and he could start a war in an empty room !...I was 4 when he died . A real pocket rocket , guess he had to be ?
Thank You Again

[jue]

@ShaunJ , unable to access links

[AllanUK]

@ShaunJ , unable to access links

To access the links, you need to subscribe to Find My past. (I have just tried both links without any problems)

[jue]

Cheers x