With the growth of the army, old ideas of the numbers employed and their organization into wieldy  formations become enlarged. The administrative unit was at one time the battalion, then the brigade and finally the division. Today military  people are thinking more and more in terms of corps.

A corps was formerly defined as consisting of two or more divisions, but with the general increase of numbers its minimum has risen to three; and to this are added certain other arms and troops which now figure in its organization. Some of these corps troops were originally divisional, but in warfare such as the present, where divisions come into, take over and move out of areas with a limited front, it would be improvident to tie up troops which might or might not become or remain necessary to a particular division, but if such forces are under the corps they can be placed at any point where their peculiar function may be most required. Thus divisions have been dispossessed of their cavalry squadrons, more lately of cyclist companies, and so 011, the necessary proportion being placed at the discretion of corps or army.

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From another point of view it may be noted that with the growth in importance of the corps it seems probable that army units such as casualty clearing stations may yet come under its jurisdiction.

In its present organization, there are, over and above the three or more divisions, such formations as heavy artillery together with the ammunition park; mobile repair workshops for the mending of various guns; corps cavalry with a cyclist company attached to it; water-supply column, which carries water to the refilling point of any division that may be in an area where the supply is insufficient; labor battalions for the repair of roads or which are detailed to work under railway or engineer construction companies; sanitary sections, together with other corps units that need not be here detailed. For the transportation of  supplies to all these there is the corps supply column, which in this case covers the whole distance between rail head and the various units.

As there is a divisional headquarters so there is the more important corps headquarters, which issues its orders to divisions, and is itself instructed by the army to which it belongs.

 

Representing the medical side of the corps headquarters is the office of the deputy director of medical services. As already explained, he is in direct charge of the medical personnel of corps troops and is also responsible to the director for the efficiency of medical units in the divisions which make up his corps. Coming under the former category are: 

1. Medical officers of corps units.
 

2. Sanitary sections.

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These are employed in the same way and have the same interests and obligations as the medical officers of divisional units, the on]y difference being that they are under corps, and so under the deputy director instead of the division and its assistant director.

SANITARY SECTIONS.

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These units were originally divisional troops, but it was found that the more or less frequent movement of divisions from one part of the front to another interfered with the efficiency
of their work. The corps being a fairly stationary arrangement, it was decided that they should become part of its organization and so remain fixed as area troops, each section being responsible  for its own sector of the front and the area behind it. These sanitary areas originally corresponded, and may still do so in places, with divisional areas; but owing to the expansion and con traction of  divisional fronts during offensives, they seldom entirely agree.
 

Each section is under the command of a medical officer, who must be well qualified in sanitary 

science. His section consists of 2 non-commissioned officers and men, who are also selected with a view to their specialized duties; together with 2 other ranks attached from the army service corps.

For disinfection of clothing, bedding, etc., he is provided with a Foden lorry, and for transport another lorry attached from the supply column.

This commanding officer, in his capacity as a sanitary officer, is the inspecting and advisory authority in regard to the sanitation carried on by units both in the trenches and in rest, to which must be added that of villages in the area occupied by troops. The personnel of his section are trained in sanitary duties, so that they may be detailed to instruct the sanitary men of units or supervise the work of men under the town major in villages.

In regard to the latter it may be explained that a town major is appointed for each village or town and is given a staff of "permanent base" men, the number of which will depend upon the size of the place. The town major is responsible for the billeting of troops in the village, and, under the direction of the sanitary officer, for its sanitation.

In all matters such as measures taken to prevent the spread of infectious disease from cases which occur; the procuring and protection of a good and sufficient water supply; the disposal of refuse; the construction of incinerators or latrines and many other important matters, the sanitary section will advise, coordinate and, where necessary, assist. 

This section, being an area unit, must also see that the work of one division is not undone by the succeeding division, but that it continue on the proper lines toward improvement and completion.

Returning to the deputy director of medical services, it will be remembered that in considering the medical arrangements of a division it was seen how he might decide in favor of a corps rest station and a corps scabies hospital, thus replacing such divisional establishments. Also that in preparation for an offensive he might decide to have a corps walking wounded station, and possibly a corps dressing station, so again relieving the division of certain medical activities. The result of the greater thus assuming -the prerogative of the lesser is that the deputy director, being without the necessary personnel, must borrow from his assistant directors, who are therefore called upon to contribute part or parts bf their field ambulances.

There is much to be said in favor of a rest station and scabies hospital administered by the corps. One division might, for example, have a large number or" minor cases requiring the care of its test station, which would then be overcrowded, while another might have but few and its station be almost empty. This disadvantage would be overcome by the corps establishment, which could average all these cases into comfortable accommodation.

The same is also true of a scabies hospital.

The innovation of corps walking wounded and corps dressing stations was largely due to the fact that the casualty clearing stations, which are 'nominally mobile units, became immobile and failed to keep pace with the advance during an offensive. The main dressing stations being then within the fire zone, and unable to hold patients for any length of time, other units were established further back, where suitable cases could be collected and detained before being evacuated to the casualty clearing stations. Useful though these innovations have proved on occasion, deputy directors are apt to forget that such units were organized for special emergencies and not to supersede the usual plan of divisional stations. Among their disadvantages is that of distance from the front line, for, except when the corps occupies a salient, it is impossible to make one point as convenient to all parts of the line as several points.

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1 War sanitation is fully dealt with by Lelean and others, and is here merely touched in passing.

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1 Permanent base men are those who have been lowered in category as unfit for general service, but are still useful for certain types of work.

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