Civilian Casualties

These were a constant problem as the peasants would not leave their homes and attempted to carry on their normal activities in the forward areas. At Atessa the nuns in the civil hospital held as many civilian cases as they could under conditions of gross overcrowding

– 515 –

and shortage of supplies. The patients were treated by the ambulances and then evacuated to the civil hospital at Vasto. They naturally added to the work of the ambulances and used up the medical supplies.