Inland Water Transport Hospital Barge No. A 369

model This waterline model represents one of the twenty four Ambulance barges that were in use when the First World War ended, and proved to be of the greatest value as the severely wounded patients could be moved from the field ambulance to the stationary hospital with the minimum of disturbance. These barges were pre-war French and Flemish barges adapted and re-fitted. The model is 34in x 4.75in x 4in, and built to a scale of 1/48.

Inland Water Transport was a branch of the Corps of Royal Engineers, and was recruited from the waterways and harbours of Great Britain. It operated the French and Belgian canals and rivers of the area held by the British Forces. At first, only the northern waterways connecting Calais, Dunkirk, Armentieres and Bethune were utilized, but the value of the service became so apparent that in the summer of 1915, it was extended to the River Somme, and in September 1916, to the Seine. In July 1917, it was extended to the River Scarpe and eventually to a coastal service between Dunkirk and Le Havre, and a cross-channel service between Calais and Richborough. The tonnage moved by IWT increased from just under 200,000 tons in 1915 to over 2,800,000 tons in 1918. There were many different types of craft in use, ranging from tugs, to standard barges, both dumb and self-propelled, to many specialised barges, including Ambulance Barges. In addition to actually handling their craft, the IWT also did pumping, filtering and salvage work, and had a Constructional Section which repaired and improved the waterways.

See MOD 304 file for full caption. Inland Water Transport was a branch of the Corps of Royal Engineers, and was recruited from the waterways and harbours of Great Britain. It operated the French and Belgian canals and rivers of the area held by the British Forces. At first, only the northern waterways connecting Calais, Dunkirk, Armentieres and Bethune were utilized, but the value of the service became so apparent that in the summer of 1915, it was extended to the River Somme, and in September 1916, to the Seine. In July 1917, it was extended to the River Scarpe and eventually to a coastal service between Dunkirk and Le Havre, and a cross-channel service between Calais and Richborough. The tonnage moved by IWT increased from just under 200,000 tons in 1915 to over 2,800,000 tons in 1918. There were many different types of craft in use, ranging from tugs, to standard barges, both dumb and self-propelled, to many specialised barges, including Ambulance Barges. In addition to actually handling their craft, the IWT also did pumping, filtering and salvage work, and had a Constructional Section which repaired and improved the waterways.