A Casualty Clearing Station - Essay Example

A Casualty Clearing Station "A Casualty Clearing Station" is a primary source which first appeared in the year 1930 in the book "Everyman at War". It is a first-hand account of Dr John A. Hayward of the happenings in a medical camp in France where he was deputed in 1918 as a surgeon during the period of the First World War. It sheds light upon the nerve-racking conditions under which he had to work along with other people. Dr. Hayward narrated his experience so that he could provide an inside picture of the terrors of war and the difficulties that were faced by the medical fraternity during periods of war. Dr. Hayward has compiled his experience by beginning from the scratch and then going in depth of the period of war. He started by explaining how the conditions at war were not as one expected them to be but they were rather tougher and difficult to cope up with. To support this stand, he began his narrative by stating that he had worked for twenty years as a surgeon in the general hospitals in an area and he also had an exposure to war like situations as he had served as a surgeon at British Red Cross Hospital, Netley during the initial period of the War. But the author explains in his narrative that this familiarity with war like situations was in no way close to the experiences that he gained at the Casualty Clearing Station (C.C.S) at Crouay where he got posted upon his request in July 1918. This was because the C.C.S received patients directly from the war field and this was different from his working at the British Red Cross Hospital. Thus, Dr. Hayward provided an inside picture of the C.C.S by beginning his compilation from his normal days of work and ending it after his work at the C.C.S. The firsthand account of Dr. John A. Hayward is a text that provides historians with not only geographical evidence but also with historical and cultural evidence. From the geographical perspective, his writing narrates the war experiences of the different regions in France beginning with the Base Hospital at Trouville where he only dealt with minor injuries. This was followed by his work at the C.C.S at Crouay where he treated patients who were pouring in from the battlefield. Following this, the C.C.S was moved near Amiens in preparation of an attack due to which there was a large flow of patients. These different accounts at different areas can be related to the severity of the war by the historians during different periods of history. Also, Dr. Hayward mentioned of treating Australians at the C.C.S who were attacked by gas shells. This provides evidence that there were Australians fighting in France as well. Thus, a correlation between the historical events and the geography can be made by the historians on the basis of the writing of Dr. Hayward. The article also highlights different cultural perspectives. This is particularly seen when the author explained the thoughts of the injured Germans who were scared that they may be treated roughly at the C.C.S. This was proved wrong as Dr. Hayward said that the medical staff catered to all the injured in the same way. This shows the cultural difference where the Germans expected harsh treatment owing to their own similar attitude but they were dealt with like other patients by the medical teams. The writing of Dr. Hayward provides an inside perspective of the war. It assists in understanding the difficulties that were faced by the medical community during the period of the First World War as they had to work under strenuous conditions with shortage of staff. It highlights the fact how many lives that can be saved are lost during the war because of the huge influx of patients. Also, it explains that the presence of mind and the strength to take decisions at the right time is very crucial at the time of war and can be life saving. It also sheds light on the horrors of war and how innocent people are killed like the killings of the people who were present at a theatre where a bomb was thrown by the Germans. This source is a crucial historical writing which preserves the occurrences of the First World War. Primary sources and narratives of individuals present at the time of a happening in history serve as important preservers of information not only for the historians but also for the common man. They tend to assist in a thorough analysis of the events of a particular period. Dr. Hayward has done a very good job in his writing and an interesting thing that he has shared in his narrative is that despite of the difficult situation that he was working in, he still took out time for himself and went out for enjoying the pleasures of nature and hunting butterflies. This shows that life goes on and a person should strive for self maintenance in situations of crisis to remain stable. The author has done a great job in his narrative but there are certain aspects that are lacking in the narration. For example, he has not shared the opinions of the other working surgeons at the unit. The role of the military of France has also not been provided thoroughly which could have provided with a better image as to whether the functioning at the C.C.S was highly regulated or not. Despite of these shortcomings, the narrative fulfils all the criteria to be marked as a good primary source which can be read by historians as well as by military and medical personnel. It explains how medical care was provided in the toughest conditions with low economic resources. Hayward has delivered a narration with an all round perspective explaining the problems that result due to war and the mental trauma that occurs in such situations. He has summarized his journey beginning from his working in the hospitals to the Casualty Clearing Station to explain to the readers that it is only through firsthand experience that a person actually witnesses the terrors of a war. Read More