Friday, July 22, 2016

Canadian Nurse Clare Gass, July 22, 1916

Clare Gass


Clare Gass was a nurse with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in France. She kept a diary and the following is excerpted from the July 22, 1916 entry.

"Yesterday morning's explosions was from the destruction of the Ammunition Supply stores just ouside Calais in a little village which was practically blown to pieces. Nineteen bodies have been recovered but there are very many missing.

Fire aeroplanes appeared over the village about 11 PM & dropped bombs on the Ammunition sheds. The wires of the flash lights had been cut by spies & our guns could do nothing to the German airships which got away leaving the terrific work of explosion to go on late into the morning. The loss is about 5 million pounds worth of ammunition besides the village & a terrible toll of innocent lives."

From pages 132-133, The War Diary of Clare Gass


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