Private Joseph Allasia

Private Joseph Allasia served on the front lines of the First World War, helping care for wounded soldiers during some of Canada’s most defining battles.

The First World War

The Canadian Expeditionary Force

Canadian Army Medical Corps, No. 8 Field Ambulance

Joseph Allasia was born on August 14, 1886, in Turin, Italy. He immigrated to Canada and was working as a grocer when, on January 5, 1916, he enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, No. 8 Field Ambulance, part of The Canadian Army Medical Corps. He listed his brother Barney as his next of kin, and they resided in the Eau Claire neighborhood near downtown Calgary.

Prior to the completion of the Mewata Armoury in 1917, Calgary men enlisted and trained at several temporary locations, most notably Sarcee Camp (now Sarcee Training Area), Victoria Park, the old drill hall on Centre Street and 12th Avenue SE, and the Rundle Ruins (former General Hospital).

Pte. Allasia’s original unit, the No. 8 Field Ambulance, proceeded to the front lines in France in May 1916 as part of the 3rd Canadian Division. The importance of The Canadian Army Medical Corps and the men from Alberta who served cannot be understated. The unit saw 14 separate battles throughout the war, including multiple mass casualty battles involving mustard gas attacks, and was present at some of the greatest battles in Canadian history, including the Battle of Vimy Ridge (2,000 casualties in a single day in April 1917) and Passchendaele (3,300 casualties in October 1917).

Pte. Allasia set sail for England aboard the S.S. Baltic, disembarking in Liverpool on May 29, 1916. Once overseas, he was transferred from the Canadian Army Medical Corps training center to the Military Hospital in Shorncliffe, England. Further transfers included the 15th Field Ambulance and later the No. 6 Canadian General Hospital.

The No. 6 (Laval University) Canadian General Hospital was a First World War medical unit organized in Montreal in September 1915 by the staff and faculty of Laval University. Originally commissioned as a stationary hospital, it was later converted into a general hospital operating in France at Troyes in 1917 and Joinville-le-Pont in 1918. At one point, the hospital contained up to 1,400 beds before disbanding in 1920.

Despite being located behind the front lines, general hospitals were often situated near railways for rapid evacuation and were occasionally subjected to aerial bombardment. Personnel were required to maintain hospital operations under extremely high-stress conditions. Soldiers such as Pte. Allasia were part of the larger medical teams that treated countless wounded soldiers passing through Canadian hospitals, helping stabilize patients and prepare them for further treatment or evacuation to England if conditions became too dangerous.

In February 1918, Pte. Allasia was awarded the Good Conduct Badge in recognition of his service during The Great War. He also received the British War Medal and Allied Victory Medal.

Joseph was discharged in June 1919 and returned to Canada, where he resumed civilian life and raised a family. He passed away in 1959.

Above: A First World War medical corps cap badge as worn by Pte. Allasia, featuring a central rod of Asclepius (snake-entwined staff) within a maple leaf wreath, surmounted by a Tudor crown. These badges were often made of brass for other ranks or silver/gilt for officers. Private collection.

Sources

• Canadian Great War Project

• Can J Surg, Vol. 60, No. 5, October 2017

• Find a Grave

Researched and compiled by Allan Ross and Indra Teekasingh