These hospitals were all splendidly equipped with X-ray departments and pathological laboratories, and were well staffed with medical and surgical specialists, highly trained nurses and orderlies. When satisfactory progress had been made here, patients were transferred to England to similar, though more highly specialized, hospitals and convalescent homes, and finally, where necessary, were invalided home to Canada.
The difference between a General and a Stationary Hospital was only in size, the former being primarily about twice the size of the latter.
Nova Scotia contributed its quota to all these varied services, including three complete Medical Units.
NO. 1 CANADIAN CASUALTY CLEARING STATION.
COL. F. L. S. FORD, C.M.G.
The first Nova Scotia Unit to be accepted and mobilized for Overseas Service with the First Contingent was a Medical Unit, No. 2 Clearing Hospital, which had recently returned from annual training at Sussex, N.B. Its headquarters was at Halifax and its Commanding Officer Major F. L. S. Ford, who afterwards became Colonel Ford, C.M.G., and was three times mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig’s despatches.
This Unit afterwards became No. 1 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station and had a most brilliant record, going through the whole war service of the Canadian Corps.
Immediately after Great Britain entered the War on August 4, 1914, Major Ford telegraphed to Ottawa offering his Unit for Active Service, and on August 10th its mobilization was ordered at Liverpool, N.S. On August 12th a recruiting meeting occurred in the Town Hall, Liverpool, which was one of the first, if not the first, public recruiting meeting held in Canada. This meeting was addressed by Major Ford, the mayor of the town, and a number of other citizens. There was a great deal of enthusiasm, and then and there the Unit was recruited up to peace-time strength, and in a few days orders were received to entrain on August 20, 1914, for Valcartier Training Camp, via Halifax.
When the people of Queens County saw this first draft of the flower of their young manhood march away in the King’s uniform for service on the battle-fields of Europe, they felt that the War was a real thing and had already reached their erst-while quiet, peaceful homes. The send-off was appropriate to the occasion and the people were proud of their noble sons who so promptly responded to the call of Empire and bore themselves splendidly as they marched away amidst the acclaim of their friends and comrades.