Tents were pitched on the grounds to supply the additional accommodations required, and the hospital equipment was soon unpacked and placed; but there was considerable delay in getting the necessary supplies for the erection of kitchens, bath houses, pavilions, and material for other necessary alterations and accommodations.
The first convoy was received on June 8th and consisted of wounded German prisoners of war. There were 13 officers and 379 other ranks. This was a large order for the first while not yet completely ready, and tested the resourcefulness and agility of the Unit. They rose to the occasion and handled the situation with great skill. Many of the men were only slightly wounded, and were soon discharged to prison camps.
From this time on everybody was kept busy. Wounded came by ambulances, hospital trains and hospital barges down the canal. There were Imperial, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, East Indian and Portuguese troops.
Dominion Day, 1917, will long be remembered by the inhabitants of St. Omer and vicinity. The Unit engaged a large field and advertised an athletic meet, and sent invitations to all the Units in the area. They all responded, for when July 1st came, bright and sunny, the whole countryside turned out, including the civilian population. A splendid programme of sports was carried out, and No. 7 carried off a goodly share of the honors. In the shade of the trees of the chateau grounds in the evening tables were spread and the Unit sat down to a “family party” and enjoyed a season of conviviality and good fellowship.
The next afternoon all patients who were able to be up, or to be carried out, were given a special tea on the lawn in honor of Dominion Day. While this was going on His Majesty the King with H.R.H. the Prince of Wales paid the Unit a surprise visit. His Majesty was particularly gracious in his felicitations to patients and Staff, by all of whom the honor of this visit was greatly appreciated.
During the summer the enemy aeroplanes were very active in bombing raids on the back areas, especially on moonlight nights. The first real bombing raid this Unit experienced was on September 30th. Enemy aeroplanes came over this area in great force shortly after sundown and began dropping numerous bombs. The loud swish of the bombs coming through the air followed by the fearful crash of the explosion was terrifying; but everybody, nursing sisters and all, “stood to” at their post of duty. Although No. 7 escaped there were serious casualties. Four men were killed and several wounded at the British Hospital just across the river, and four nursing sisters and sixteen men were killed at the Scottish Hospital in St. Omer, only two miles distant.
On October 8th H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught visited and inspected the Unit.
The first word of the terrific explosion at Halifax was received on December 8th, and many anxious days were spent awaiting definite word and to know just what had happened.
The Commanding Officer, Lieut.-Colonel Stewart, was called to the higher and more important duties of Surgical Consultant to hospitals in England and left the Unit, greatly to the regret of the entire personnel, on Thursday, March 7, 1918. The command of the Unit was taken over by Major E. V. Hogan, who was promoted to the rank of Lieut.-Colonel.
March and April, 1918, brought still more busy days to the Dalhousie Unit. Being so near the Front they received a very large number of wounded, many straight from the field of battle. Although this hospital had only 400 beds it frequently had 800 severely wounded soldiers to look after.