FRENCH VETERINARY SUPPORT DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR

Transcription

1 35 th International Congress of the World Association for the History of Veterinary Medicine Grugliasco (Turin), Italy, September 8-11, 2004 IV Congresso Italiano di Storia della Medicina Veterinaria Grugliasco (Torino), Italia, 8-11 Settembre 2004 FRENCH VETERINARY SUPPORT DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR EMMANUEL DUMAS RIASSUNTO IL SUPPORTO DEI VETERINARI FRANCESI NELLA I GUERRA MONDIALE Nel corso della prima guerra mondiale, i veterinari furono mobilitati assieme ad altri nove milioni di cittadini francesi. Prima della mobilitazione, l esercito francese contava su 552 veterinari militari, impiegati prevalentemente a supporto dei cavalli dell esercito.dopo poche settimane, ebbe inizio la lunga guerra di posizione. Con questa guerra di trincea la cavalleria non fu più ingaggiata nei campi di battaglia. La fine dell impiego della cavalleria in battaglia non significa la fine del ruolo del cavallo nell esercito. Nonostante l importanza del trasporto su rotaia e lo sviluppo delle auto, i cavalli rimangono essenziali per il traino dell artiglieria e la sussistenza dell esercito. L esercito francese impiegò cavalli perdendone Queste gravi perdite portarono alla creazione di ospedali militari da campo per ogni armata vicino al fronte. I veterinari militari furono impiegati nell acquisto e nel trasporto degli animali dall estero (Canada, Stati Uniti, Argentina). Veterinari militari di carriera e mobilizzati contribuirono al supporto veterinario degli animali impiegati dall esercito francese (colombi, cani); furono inoltre coinvolti nell approvvigionamento alimentare e nell ispezione delle carni nei macelli militari creati nei pressi del fronte per fornire carne fresca ai soldati. Dopo il 1916, alcuni veterinari parteciparono alla ricerca sui gas da combattimento. Durante la prima guerra mondiale, i veterinari francesi contribuirono con le loro competenze alla vittoria alleata, 139 di loro persero la vita nel conflitto. Introduction After a presentation of the organization of the Veterinary Service before the war, its evolution between 1914 and 1918, its traditional missions and those that appear during the war are presented. Organization of the Veterinary Service History and organization in time of peace French military veterinary surgeons were created in 1769, seven years after the creation of the Veterinary School of Lyon by Claude Bourgelat. Initially, they were non commissioned officers. The progress of science and their efficiency permitted them to obtain the statute of officer in In 1884, the ranks of the veterinary surgeons were assimilated to the other officer s ranks of the military hierarchy. 1 In June 1913, a post of Veterinary Inspector with the rank of Brigadier is created. At the beginning of the First World War, the 522 military vets had obtained all ranks from Second Lieutenant to Brigadier (Table 1). The high level posts were occupied by 23 Vet Principals. 2 The missions of the military vets were: health conservation and treatment of the horses of the Army; farriery control; forage inspection; butchery animals and meat inspection for troops. 3 Their main mission was to take care of the horses of the Army. In time of peace, military vets served in mounted troops: Cavalry is composed of 91 regiments with usually three vets. Artillery had 64 regiments of campaign artillery with three vets. There was a vet in each transport squadrons of the Army Service Corps and in the regiments of the Engineer Corps. 257

2 Other vets served in remounting depots and in military schools. The Veterinary Service of a regiment is usually directed by one of the 265 Vet Majors. 4 The management of the Veterinary Service depends on a veterinary department commanded by a Vet Principal. Eleven districts of the Veterinary Service existed since They are directed by a Vet Principal, controlling the Veterinary Service of one, two, or three Army Corps. The Veterinary Inspector had a permanent mission of inspection of the Veterinary Service. 5 Organization at the beginning of the war The soldiers of the Army were provided by a national service of three years for every young man. With the general mobilization at the beginning of the war, the French army increase of soldiers. The five campaign armies counted soldiers in 91 divisions (81 infantry divisions and 10 cavalry divisions). Cavalry, artillery and logistics required a great number of horses. Horses were rapidly furnished to the army by a system of registration and requisition of the horses of the whole country. In August 1914, horses were mobilized. During the war, the French Army will have, on an average, one million of horses. Civilian vets serving in the reserve army were mobilized too. During the war, 3200 of them served in the army. A great number of vets were necessary because of the number of horses: in December 1914, veterinary students of 4 th year are mobilized; in September 1915, veterinary students of 3 rd year are mobilized to serve as assistant with the rank of sergeant; in February 1916, veterinary students of 2 nd year are mobilized to serve as corporal in the Veterinary Service. 6 French Headquarters believed that the 258 war would be short. Army equipments were very lights to allow rapid movements that were supposed to be the key of success. Each Vet had just a box with 50 kilos of medicines, field-dressings and few surgical instruments. There was just a chariot with a stock of medicines for each army. 7 At the beginning of the war, the vets are dispatched in every unit with horses: cavalry squadrons, artillery field-batteries and artillery-park, supply and ammunition columns. A Vet Principal is in each of the five campaign armies to direct the Veterinary Service. He is assisted by two Vet Majors or Principal. These vets can serve in one of the army corps. The Vet Principal had to organize at the level of the army: a depot for wounded or sick horses; veterinary care and inspection of butchery animals following the army to feed the troops; horse depots to supply remount units. There were no vets and soldiers to do these tasks. They must be taken from other units according to the needs. At the level of the army corps, light wounded horses depots can be created. The vets for these depots must be taken from other units. 8 The first weeks of war caused the loss of a lot of horses because of the great moves of the armies from Belgium to the Marne. Exhaustion killed as much as fire. More than horses died in 1914, in less than 5 months of war. Artillery and machine-guns showed their superiority to cavalry and a long static warfare begun. 9 Cavalry units are progressively dismounted and their soldiers are employed as infantrymen in the trench war. Trench war was not the end of the use of horses. They were indispensable for guns traction and for food and ammunition transports. Supplying an army of more than 4 millions of men became the most important

3 problem. Horses, donkeys and mules remain necessary to the transport from railway stations to the front line. Evolution of the organization of the Veterinary Service Isolated vets without material were not sufficient to treat the great number of wounded or sick horses. With the stabilization of the frontline, a reorganization of the Veterinary Service is done. The depot for light wounded or sick horses is now at the level of the division and not at those of the army corps. More equipment allow to do surgical operations. A vet is posted at the headquarters of the division. A bigger depot for wounded or sick horses is now in each army corps. Vets work in army kennels too. When it s necessary, there is more vets in units with a lot of animals. 10 The lack of horses and the necessity of long treatments leads to the creation of bigger treatment facilities. In 1917, a new reorganization is done: Veterinary Ambulances are created in each army corps and Army Veterinary Hospitals are founded. The evacuation of horses is now of the responsibility of vets and done by veterinary evacuation sections.veterinary units are more independent. 11 Missions of the Veterinary Service Horse care and remounting Horse care remain the principal activity. On an average, French Army have one million of horses. During the war, more than six millions of horses will be admitted for treatment in the veterinary structures. More than 700 thousands of them will died or will be slaughtered because of the gravity of their wounds or of the length and cost of treatment. The statistics of the Veterinary Service give a idea of the main diseases and causes of death (Tables 2 and 3). War wounds are counted in external diseases. Contagious diseases were very important because of the large requisitions of horses at the beginning of the war. Glanders will be slowly eradicated with depistage by injection of malleine in the eyelid and systematic slaughtering of infected horses. It will be more difficult with epizootic lymphangitis imported with horses of North Africa. Scabies continue to increase during the war because of bad conditions of horses. In 1918, a treatment by sublimation of sulphur is experimented in Army Veterinary Hospitals and have good results. 12 It s important to remember that vets had not our efficient medicines, as antibiotics. At the beginning of war, there was not enough medicines because of the needs of the Medical Service. The French Army knew that the number of French horses was not sufficient. Since the first weeks of war, cavalry officers and vets were sent in Argentina and in the United States of America to buy horses. In 1916, there were 30 vets in the USA. During the war, horses were bought in these countries, of them in the USA. As there were a lot of death and sick horses during their transport by sea, in some boats, a vet travel with the horses. There was from 2 to 4 vets in each horse stations in the ports of arrival : La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Saint-Nazaire and Brest. Each station can have between 2 and 4 thousands horses. 13 Creation of the War Dogs Service At the beginning of the war, the French Army integrate about 250 sanitary dogs trained by civilian associations. As the stretcher-bearers of the Medical service are not used to work with these dogs, their efficiency is irregular. Their use is officially stopped after 6 months of war. 259

4 Tab. 1: Ranks and hierarchy of the 522 French Military Vets of the active army in Veterinary hierarchy Number of vets Military hierarchy Vet. Inspecteur 1 Brigadier Vet. Principal 1 st class 5 Colonel Vet. Principal 2 nd class 18 Lieutenant Colonel Vet. Major 1 st class 65 Major Vet. Major 2 nd class 200 Captain Vet. Aide Major 1 st class 233 Lieutenant Vet. Aide Major 2 nd class Second Lieutenant Tab. 2: causes of morbidity and mortality during WWI among French horses (Statistics of the Veterinary Service). Contagious diseases Internal diseases External diseases Cause of morbidity Cause of mortality 16% 24% 60% 20% 38% 42% Tab. 3: Cases of principal contagious diseases among French horses during WWI (Statistics of the Veterinary Service). Disease Year Glanders Scabies Epizootic lymphangitis

5 French soldiers discovered quickly the superiority of German patrols. This superiority is imputed to German sentinel dogs. The German Army has 6000 trained dogs as the French Army has just few dogs in some regiments. The creation of a War Dogs Service is decided in December Three categories of dogs are used: sentry dogs, patrol dogs to help patrols, link dogs to carry messages. In 1918, carrier dogs are created. This Service has a complicated organization with: 8 recruiting kennels, a quarantine kennel in Paris, 10 preparation kennels around Paris for a first training of ten days, a Central kennel in Satory near Paris for a training of three weeks where the dogs get used to the sounds of guns, Field Army kennels for a training of two weeks with the master of the dog. A Canine Veterinary Hospital is opened in the quarantine kennel of the Acclimatization Garden in Paris. All new dogs are examined and identified in this kennel. As most of the preparation kennels are around Paris, five canine hospitals are created near Paris and behind the front line. All canine hospitals are well equipped with the gifts of an English Charity Association: the Blue Cross. According to the number of dogs, one or two vets work in army kennels. Dogs of infantry regiments are treated by the nearest vet. As a lot of dogs of different origins are regrouped, the vets have to treat a lot of distemper diseases with a high rate of mortality. Other main diseases were scabies and enteritis. About French war dogs will be used during the First World War of them will died of disease or on the battlefield. 14 Meat inspection and food hygiene Since 1882, military vets are in charge of butchery animals and meat inspection for the Army. In 1901, a specialized laboratory is created by the Commissariat to control canned beef and other tinned foods. 15 The chief of this lab was a veterinary surgeon. Other military labs directed by vets were created in During the war, with 8 millions of soldiers to feed, these labs have a great development. 16 Vets work with the Commissariat and inspect meat for can fabrication. They verify that canning factories apply military regulations for sterilisation. 17 Behind the front line, the vets supervise the slaughtering of butchery animals for the troops. They inspect the meat of slaughtered animals. As there were no refrigeration, the animals are slaughtered the day before the consumption. There was no slaughtering facilities at the beginning of the war. During the war, modern slaughterhouses will be built behind the front. The meat is transported in wagon or in trucks to the wheeled kitchen just behind the front line. These wheeled kitchen allow to prepare soups or basic meals for the soldiers. Twice a day, soldiers have to bring the meals to the first line trenches. A lot of soldiers on cookhouse duty died during this mission because of artillery fire. Because of the difficulties to feed soldiers in the trenches, the use of canned food will increase, especially canned fruits and ready-to-eat meals in cans. This was a good solution to hygiene problems and allow long storage everywhere. Food supply is a logistical daily challenge. For 1 million soldiers, you have to provide 2000 tons of food and 1 million litters of wine. Bread has a large place in French alimentation. There is a mobile bakery in each division. 18 Other missions Service in the Serbian Army. As the army of Serbia had not enough veterinary surgeons, the French Ministry of War accept in August 1916 to send 56 military vets. In fact, 54 French vets served in the Serbian Army. Two of them died during their missions

6 Participation to chemical warfare. Asphyxiating gases are used for the first time during the First World War. Vets specialized in toxicology, physiology and pathologic anatomy begin to work on gases in the Powder-Factory of Le Bouchet. Other vets try to treat gased horses and dogs and work on protection systems for horses. As horses were not in the first lines, non persistent toxic gases as chlorine were not a big problem. Yperite, the mustard-gas was more dangerous and cause cutaneous wounds that were difficult to treat. 20 Conclusion We can see that vets contribute to the defence of France. It s important to remember that 133 French vets died for their country during this war. For the collective veterinary action during the war, the three French Veterinary Schools received the legion of honour and the War Cross. The First World War is an important step in the evolution of the Veterinary Service in the French Army. It s the beginning of major evolutions: the development of food hygiene; the start of employ of military dogs; the participation in military scientific researches; the decreasing of the role of horses replaced by trucks and tanks. The Second World War will confirm these evolutions. NOTES 1 C. MILHAUD, J.L. COLL, Schéma général de l histoire des vétérinaires militaires français. Médecine et Armées 31 (2): , Y. SÉRAPHIN, L histoire des vétérinaires militaires français. Th. Méd. Vét. Lyon 1976, 12. pp VADE-MECUM DES VÉTÉRINAIRES MILITAI- RES. Berger-Levraut et Fournier, Paris, pp M. AUREGGIO, Communications sur les cadres des vétérinaires militaires Archives de l Inspection Technique des Services Vétérinaires des Armées (AIT- SVA). 5 Y. SÉRAPHIN, L histoire, cit. pp V. SCHOUTEETEN, Les chevaux pendant la grande guerre. Th. Méd. Vét. Lyon, 1994, 100. pp VADE-MECUM DES VÉTÉRINAIRES MILITAI- RES, cit. pp Ibidem 9 Y. SÉRAPHIN, L histoire, cit. pp C. BRESSOU, Le service vétérinaire d une division pendant la guerre Rev. Vét. Mil. 11: , Y. SÉRAPHIN, L histoire, cit. pp Ibidem 13 N. GAY, Etude sur le fonctionnement du dépôt de réception de chevaux étrangers de La Rochelle (novembre septembre 1916). Rev. Vét. Mil. 8, , N. GAY, Le chien dans la guerre de Th. Méd. Vét. Lyon; 1980, 73. pp ) C. MILHAUD, J.L. COLL, Schéma général cit. pp F. LEBERT, P. ACKER, Historique des Laboratoires des Subsistances et leur rôle en matière de contrôle de la qualité, de la sécurité et de la conservation des denrées alimentaires. Texte de la conférence réalisée à l Ecole Supérieure de l Intendance le 29 avril (AITSVA). 17 VADE-MECUM DES VÉTÉRINAIRES MILITAI- RES, cit. pp A. PORCHET, Plus de huit millions d - hommes à nourrir Le magazine de la grande guerre 3, 17: 50-55, D. DIVLJANOVITCH, Le personnel vétérinaire français dans l armée serbe au front de Salonique pendant la première guerre mondiale. Kultura, Belgrade, 1977, pp DAVESNE, Etude des gaz asphyxiants sur le cheval. Rev. Vét. Mil. 16: , 1932.