Hello, I am searching for the war diaries of the 4th and the 9th Canadian Field Dressing Stations for the period second half of September 1944 - first half of October 1944. They doesn't seem to be online, so any help is very much appreciated. I discovered recently that another 11 Canadian casualties of the Battle of the Scheldt were buried here in Wommelgem near Antwerp, in a cemetery adjacent to Fort2. I know the Canadians used it as a hospital, so I am trying to find out what units occupied it after the Canadian fifth Brigade left it. Thank you, Niko.
Here are the LAC (Library and Archives of Canada) references for the war diaries. They are available in Ottawa. No. 4 Field Dressing Station, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps.1945/01-1945/09. File. RG24-C-3. Volume/box number: 15905. File number: 1367. Textual material. [Access: Open]. Government. Finding aid number: 24-60 No. 4 Field Dressing Station, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps.1943/01-1944/12. File. RG24-C-3. Volume/box number: 15904. File number: 1367. Textual material. [Access: Open]. Government. Finding aid number: 24-60 No. 9 Field Dressing Station, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps.1945/07-1946/01. File. RG24-C-3. Volume/box number: 15913. File number: 1554. Textual material. [Access: Open]. Government. Finding aid number: 24-60 No. 9 Field Dressing Station, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps.1943/10-1945/06. File. RG24-C-3. Volume/box number: 15912. File number: 1554. Textual material. [Access: Open]. Government. Finding aid number: 24-60
Thank you, but going around the world for them might be a little too expensive. Have to find a local somehow....
Start a conversation with me and I might be able to hook you up with a researcher in Ottawa, who will be able to photograph the war diaries.
Hi Niko If you are sure that it was either No.4 or 9 Canadian Field Dressing Station, then it had to be No. 9 Cdn F.D.S. Attached is an extract from "Official History of the Canadian Medical Services 1939 - 1945", page 264: "For the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division's Operation "Vitality" No.9 Canadian Field Dressing Station, with No. 5 Canadian Field Transfusion Unit and Nos. 8 and 9 Canadian Field Surgical Units attached, formed an Advanced Surgical Centre at Antwerp. Evacuation at first was only 2-3 miles but gradually lengthened as the operation was pushed forward. From this Advanced Surgical Centre casualties were cleared to the Antwerp Group of hospitals, Nos. 6 and 8 Canadian and Nos. 9 and 30 British General Hospitals." No. 4 Canadian Field Dressing Station was acting as a Divisional Recovery Centre over this time period, page 257, which is why I said that No. 9 was the correct F.D.S. This document can be downloaded from: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2009/forces/D61-21-1956E.pdf How did you come to know that No. 9 FDS was setup in Fort 2? Do you also know where No. 6 Canadian General Hospital was located in Antwerp? I am asking this because my father was with the 11 Canadian Field Ambulance and they were evacuating directly back to it when Operation "Vitality" commenced. Up to this time, I have been unable to locate this hospital. Also what is the name of the cemetery that you have mentioned. Is it Schoonselhof? I will be starting a conversation with you shortly on a related matter. I have attached a photo of the 11 Canadian Field Ambulance's, Advanced Dressing Station, when it was located to the West of your Fort 2, prior to moving forward to Cappellen (Kapellen) during Vitality. Bye Don
