BASE HOSPITAL #8[/B]
In my grandfather's WWI photos are several pictures that he identified as Base Hospital #8, Savenay, France . . . . the photos remind me somewhat of the photos posted by Randy (polar bear) of the setting for Downtown Abbey . . . Here's an aerial view of Hospital #8 taken in 1918 and a short history of its roll during WWI . . . From the description below and my grandfather's photos, his unit, the 17th Engineers must have been involved in the construction of the additional wooden buildings mentioned in the history . . . . .
:smile2: Mike
BASE HOSPITAL NO. 8
Base Hospital No. 8 was organized in November, 1916, at the Post-Graduate Hospital, New York City. The unit was mobilized at Fort Jay, N. Y., July 18, 1917. After 10 days of drilling and equipping the organization embarked July 29, 1917, on the Saratoga. On July 30, shortly after midday mess, the Saratoga, while at anchor in New York harbor, was rammed by the Panama, and so badly damaged that all passengers were disembarked and transported back to Governors Island. The unit lost most of its equipment and personal property on the Saratoga, but after a week of reequipping embarked again on August 7, 1917, and sailed the same date on the Finland.
The unit arrived at St. Nazaire, France, August 20, 1917, and next day took station at Savenay, Department Loire Inferieure, base section No. 1. Base Hospital No. 8 was the first hospital to arrive at Savenay, and formed the nucleus of what was to be one of the largest and most important hospital centers in France. It occupied the normal school of Savenay, a large, white-stone building, which it transformed into a hospital. In addition to this a number of wooden buildings and storehouses were built by the engineers, so that the normal capacity of the hospital in November, 1918, was 2,460 beds. This hospital received both medical and surgical cases, but from August, 1918, was devoted entirely to the reception and preparation of cases for evacuation to the United States.
The first patients were received September 22, 1917; 35,244 sick and wounded were cared for during its activity. Base Hospital No. 69 relieved Base Hospital No. 8 January 31, 1919, on which date Base Hospital No. 8 ceased to function. The unit of Base Hospital No. 8 was broken up in March, 1919, and sent to the United States in charge of convoys of patients, and was demobilized April 28, 1919, at Camp Lee, Va.
PERSONNEL
COMMANDING OFFICER
Col. J. F. Siler, M. C., July 17, 1917, to November 4, 1917.
Col. W. E. Cooper, M. C., November 5, 1917, to October 10, 1918.
Lieut. Col. R. J. Estill, M. C., October 11, 1918, to demobilization.
CHIEF OF SURGICAL SERVICE
Col. Samuel Lloyd, M. C.
Maj. C. G. Heyd, M. C.
Maj. J. F. Connors, M. C.
Maj. H. W. Orr, M. C.
CHIEF OF MEDICAL SERVICE
Lieut. Col. R. J. Estill, M. C.
Maj. T. A. Martin, M. C.
