One of the joys of the nomadic lifestyle (?) is coming across places of interest that might have otherwise passed unnoticed. Imagine my delight, then, in discovering that the Camping and Caravanning Club site at Wolverley just outside of Kidderminster was the location of the U.S. 52nd General Hospital during the Second World War. Imagine, too, a hospital that treated 21,000 patients, including around 10,000 battle casualties, but that lost only four to war-inflicted wounds. Imagine also nurses working 16-hour shifts, and 40-patient wards being looked after by just three members of staff. Of course, the real question is, how did they manage without a biomed tech? (perhaps they did have one, who knows)?

I have also come across the site of another U.S. Military Hospital farther south in Worcestershire, near the idyllic village of Hanley Swan, just outside Malvern (but haven't found any web-link as yet). I believe that Frenchay, Stoke Mandeville and Musgrove Park (Taunton) hospitals all have a WWII heritage also (and that North Midd. has a proud history of service during the First World War).

Anybody know of any more (there must be dozens)?

Lincoln St George's Hospital ( now closed and site built on ) was another WWII hospital - sorry I can't remember off hand if it was USAF or RAF!

Canadian Hospital at Cliveden is one.
There used to be a sign at one of the entrance gateways indicating what it used to be up until fairly recently! It's some time since I've been past there so it may now have gone.

Harefield Hospital was used by ANZAC forces during both WW's.
There is a cemetary as you approach Harefield village where those who did not survive are buried which I've visited.

Some others include;

St.Bart's Hospital in London where many wounded were treated during the First World War also The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel.
Both sites have plaques commemorating the fact.

And finally, a list of WW1 UK hospital sites.

Yes Geoff, Musgrove Park's 'old building' is a WWII build. The corridors were designed to allow American jeeps to manouver around them.
Sadly though, or perhaps not, the buildings are to be replaced by our brand spanking new surgical build in the next few years.

Cheers
Mark

Thanks for those brilliant links, Gee Bee. Anything about the locations of U.S. WWII Military Hospitals in Britain?

Yes, Mark, I recall the old building with affection. I believe that the "spider block" layout remains an efficient architecture, and I doubt that the quality and longevity of the "new build" will be anything like the original. It amazes me how solid those WWII buildings were (are), especially when we remember the urgency with which they were constructed. Gypsum board and galvanized studding versus bricks and mortar? No contest! Please do what you can to keep a bit of the original building(s). How about enlarging your department by moving in?

Here's one I was alerted to by my good buddy Tony Dowman.

Luckily, there seems to be a fair amount of information on the wonderful worldwide web.

And, in passing, it seems that things are not so good for military medical facilities in the UK these days, as this short clip shows. Makes you wonder what's going on, doesn't it?

I am currently working at Royal Hospital Haslar. The MoD has just handed over management to Portsmouth Health Trust (PHT). It has traditionaly been a Naval Hospital for some 254 years (i'm sure some of the staff still work here). It has great history (the term 'up the creek without a paddle' derives from Naval patients being pushed up Haslar creek from their warships to the hospital, where they eventually die or get fixed to fight another day!!)and I feel this history will be lost by the NHS world.

No more UK based military hospitals left! Armed forces personnel now just join the queue along with the other tax dodgers and illegal immigrants. Although SPECIALIST MILITARY! wings are cropping up in various hospitals near you soon!!

Napier University (Tech College really) took over what was Craiglochart Hospital in Edinburgh. This was used during WW1 as a hospital for shell shocked officers (presumably it was easier and cheaper to shoot the poor erks!). Amongst the people treated there were the war poets: Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, see http://www.napier.ac.uk/warpoets/.

In the eighties, when stationed at RAF Cosford the hospital there still existed. It was used during the war and then immediately after for the treatment of returning POWs from the Far East.
Spectacularly the wooden creosoted huts were torched one day to clear the site. Don't know what that did for our carbon footprint!

We hear you, Simon. But this is Modern Britain, I'm afraid, Mate!

Thanks for that, Papa Doc. Meanwhile here's another link for those not yet versed in the lore of our War Poets.

The Princess of Wales Hospital in Ely is ex-military. I spent many a happy day wandering around the wards with my trusty screwdriver when it was an RAF Hospital. I believe it beacame an NHS Hospital in 1992 (Not certain as that was when and why I left the forces - I could see the writing was on the door for military Hospitals) Not sure if it was open during WWII though.

There was another place we used to visit called RAF Nocton Hall. This was definately WWII, with pictures on the walls of patients smoking their fags around a coal filled heater in the centre of the ward. Those were the days

Those were the days - the Union Flag proudly flying.

Cheers
Mark(true Brit)

...or is that the star-spangled banner I see there, Mark (and why are you wearing your dressing gown in the middle of the day)? Ha, ha.

See my earlier link for Ely, John, and try this one, and (sadly) this for Nocton Hall.

Meanwhile, Simon, here is the official line!

Pat Barker's book 'Regeneration' part of an excellent trilogy details Sasson's breakdown at Craiglockhart, and Doctor William Rivers' attempts to manage their breakdowns.
The book was also made into a pretty good film.

Anyone remember Netley near Southampton

Yes, Frank. A beautiful piece of architecture, to be sure, but a flawed design in hospital terms. It seems that Florence Nightingale and Lord Palmerston knew what they were talking about. This sort of thing carries forward to the present day, does it not? That is, the architect wants something clever or grand, when all we want is something that functions correctly!

Quoting from an earlier link:-

“Instead of adhering to newly-appreciated pavilion principles, involving the separation and cross-ventilation of wards, Netley followed the pattern of some recently-built garrison hospitals, comprising suites of small, poorly-ventilated rooms which opened off corridors. It was believed that corridors conducted germs from ward to ward, while detached blocks inhibited their spread.

Following much criticism, the Netley design was modified and the hospital opened in 1863. Throughout the remainder of the 19th century it was home to the RAMC school, which transferred from Fort Pitt, and despite its inherent defects it became a highly regarded military hospital. The massive Italianate structure, with its arcaded facades, remained a prominent landmark on Southampton Water until its demolition, following fire, in the 1960s. All that survives is a handful of out-lying buildings and the red brick chapel which once rose above the centre of the complex.”

Ah John, Happy days both my children were born in Ely in the 60s- definately not father friendly. However I did enjoy the drive across the fens in my DKW from Huntingdon.

Is Elgin any better than Ely?

You must like sleepy hollows...

The last time I was in Elgin was 20 years ago (servicing kit at some RAF Station nearby) Lovely part of the country.

Thanks for this Geoff, I was born in Nocton Hall, (scaley brat), but had never seen it prior to this, despite a few years in MDEMS, by which time however there was only Wroughton and Halton left and Nocton had been long closed!

Robert

Yes John all the detrirus from the Air Force seems to end up here after enjoying final postings.
Last posting Lossiemouth. Took early retirement in 89 - saw the way things were going. My colleague is ex Kinloss. I tried teach electronics to ne'er do wells in an ITEC - saw that these were no longer flavour of the month so took a job in Medical Physics at Raigmore with a drop in salary. Never looked back - loved the variety. Wondered why I'd never thought of this occupation 20 yrs before instead of servicing missile systems.
However all good things must come to an end. Get my pension in December to take up gardening/housework/jet-setting full time. So if if you feel like filling a vacancy in a sleepy hollow look no further.

Sounds Tempting PD,

Make sure you send us the Ad for your job. I won't be applying (Scotland is a bit chilly in the winter for me) but we'll put the job ad up FoC for you (as we we do for all NHS positions) good luck in your retirement.



Robert,

I used to service the Kit at Nocton Hall - I remember the mothballed wards full of brand new unused kit. What a shame that vandals burnt down the Hall.

… and so it continues! Did anyone else hear Simon Weston on Radio 4 visiting Headley Court (the British military's primary rehabilitation centre for amputees, where a number of casualties from Iraq and Afghanistan are currently being treated)? If not, you can hear it here. I recommend that you find the time (just a half-hour).

The heartening thing is that so many of the guys have been able to soldier on following their treatment. HM Forces still like to look after their own.

Meanwhile, check-out the PMRAFNS website. Notice Afghanistan (1919) and Iraq (1922). I’ll leave you all to your own thoughts about that!

Check out this link (note that it's an eight-page .pdf). It's all interesting, but Haslar gets a mention at the bottom of page 2. It looks like (except, supposedly, at the sharp end) the whole of what remains of REME Med & Dent is in "civvy" hands now, then?

Here are a couple of interesting links (that I came across by accident, as usual). They have to do with preparations by the US armed forces for the D-Day Invasion of Europe in 1944.

One
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