52 replies to this topic

[gerryl]

I would like to know more on the more than 20 hospitals stationed in Salonika during ww1. I wish to find out of their equipment, staff, and operations. I have some photographs myself.

[Canadawwi]

Hi!

I just posted this article written around 1921 by an officer who served at No. 4 Canadian General Hospital in Salonica.

Much of the article dwells on his impressions of the region, however, he does describe when the hospital treated the Irish 10th Division in December 1915.  

The book was a collection of articles written by members of Toronto's Trinity Methodist Church.  Although the work may be outdated, and not up to date with modern research, one does get an impression of the spirit of the men.  The author of the Salonica piece is initially apologetic - indicating that he understands that most of the public was interested in what was going on at the Western Front, and didn't understand the value of the work done at Salonica.

The book is quite rare, and I am currently transcribing a number of the stories as the church parishioners served in quite a range of units.

Marika

Link to article - Salonica - No. 4 Cdn General Hospital

Picture posted is the author of the article.

Attached Files

•  MARLOW_Capt_Fred_C_No_4_Cdn_Gen_Hospital_Salonica_TWB_1921.jpg   0bytes   0 downloads

[MartinWills]

Can I suggest you try and find a copy of the Toronto University roll of honour. It's not expensive to find, surprisingly and it has quite a bit on info about the Canadian Hospital Units at Salonika nad useful background to their establishment and support.

Martin

[Canadawwi]

Martin has made a good point.

The University of Toronto Roll of Honour has a chapter on No. 4 Canadian General Hospital - their contribution to the war effort.

[Dimitri]

Hi there-
   There is a chapter on the medical services in Salonika and the hardships the medical orderlies faced in the book "Under the Devil's Eye: The British Army in Salonika, 1915-1918", by Alan Wakefield and Simon Moody, published by Suttons. I would recommend this as a starting point for further, in depth, research. If you have more specific questions both authors are members of this forum and I am sure, are more than willing to answer any queries. Hope this helps, all the best

Dimitri

[Kate Wills]

I'll add to this list as and when I find more.


Scottish Women's Hospital

General Hospitals:
29th
37th
41st
43rd
48th
49th
52nd
67th

Stationary Hospitals
21st

[gerryl]

Hi!

I just posted this article written around 1921 by an officer who served at No. 4 Canadian General Hospital in Salonica.

Much of the article dwells on his impressions of the region, however, he does describe when the hospital treated the Irish 10th Division in December 1915.  

The book was a collection of articles written by members of Toronto's Trinity Methodist Church.  Although the work may be outdated, and not up to date with modern research, one does get an impression of the spirit of the men.  The author of the Salonica piece is initially apologetic - indicating that he understands that most of the public was interested in what was going on at the Western Front, and didn't understand the value of the work done at Salonica.

The book is quite rare, and I am currently transcribing a number of the stories as the church parishioners served in quite a range of units.

Marika

Link to article - Salonica - No. 4 Cdn General Hospital

Picture posted is the author of the article.

Thanks marika,
I found the article most interesting. I knew that one of the radiologists on a Canadian hospital was Gordon Earle Richards who was from the Toronto University, became Professor and later Dean, but did not know which hospital that was and did not know that the whole crew of that hospital was from the University of Toronto.

Thanks again

Gerryl

[gerryl]

Can I suggest you try and find a copy of the Toronto University roll of honour. It's not expensive to find, surprisingly and it has quite a bit on info about the Canadian Hospital Units at Salonika nad useful background to their establishment and support.

Martin

Good point Martin. I will try and get hold of it. I might have problems since I am based in Ahtnes Greece.

Thanks for the input.
Gerryl

[gerryl]

I'll add to this list as and when I find more.


Scottish Women's Hospital

General Hospitals:
29th
41st
43rd
48th
49th
67th

Stationary Hospitals
21st

Dear Kate, The list I have got is the following:

5th
20th
28th
29th
43rd
47th
60th
61st
66th
67th
68th
68th Field Ambulance
Indian General
Scottish Women's Hospitals
Australian Army Nursing Service
4th Canadian
5th Canadian

However, I have very little information on them. I will read the devil's eye book and see what I can find. Thanks!

[gerryl]

Hi there-
   There is a chapter on the medical services in Salonika and the hardships the medical orderlies faced in the book "Under the Devil's Eye: The British Army in Salonika, 1915-1918", by Alan Wakefield and Simon Moody, published by Suttons. I would recommend this as a starting point for further, in depth, research. If you have more specific questions both authors are members of this forum and I am sure, are more than willing to answer any queries. Hope this helps, all the best

Dimitri

Dimitri, I have ordered the book. Thanks for the information.

Gerryl

[Kate Wills]

Hello Gerry,

The Field Ambulance you mention is one of many. Each brigade had its own FA, carrying the same number as the Brigade it served, hence there were three with each division. They were not hospitals, but evacuated the wounded from the frontline to the Casualty Clearing Stations and other medical posts.

Can you tell us more about the information you wish to find? Are you hoping to identify your photographs?

PS I've just put a couple more on my list above.

[gerryl]

Hello Gerry,

The Field Ambulance you mention is one of many. Each brigade had its own FA, carrying the same number as the Brigade it served, hence there were three with each division. They were not hospitals, but evacuated the wounded from the frontline to the Casualty Clearing Stations and other medical posts.

Can you tell us more about the information you wish to find? Are you hoping to identify your photographs?

PS I've just put a couple more on my list above.

Hi Kate,

I must admit that I knew liitle about the Salonica campaign until recently despite the fact that I am Greek and often visit Salonica. Over the last months I came acorss a number of books in greek that do not mention much, however I have found lots of photographs. Therefore, I am trying to identify the units, their location, the kind of services provided, even if they were equiped with x-rays or not. I am also interested on the hospitals on the island of Lemnos but for this subject I have already found a lot.

regards

gerryl

[Kate Wills]

Hi Gerry,

There were also hospital ships in the Harbour.

As for locations, 49th GH were at Hortiach from May 1917.

Can you post a sample photograph here to see if any of us can identify it?

Good to have a member from Greece on the Forum. Welcome!

Kate

PS Perhaps, if we do get to Salonika later this year, we can meet up?

Are you a member of the Salonika Campaign Society?

[Dimitri]

Gerry Kalos eirthes!
  
   De vlepoume kai pollous Ellines se touta ta meri!!

Regarding the hospitals it would be nice to see a couple of the photos you mentioned.
  
You are correct as to regards books in Greek. Almost all Greek texts I have seen focus on the Greek involvement in WW1 or are concerned with the political shenanigans between the Allies and the Greek governement. If you are looking to find out more about the British involvement in the Salonika campaign then there are quite a few books that deal with the subject. There are also a couple of books written in other languages, such as Bulgarian, French and Italian that I am aware of and which focus on the involvement of their respective forces in the campaign.

All the best

Dimitri

[stenoyab]

Hello,

New to the forum, so forgive me any mistakes.

I came across this thread, while not having a direct interest in Salonika Hospitals, I did have the good fortune to pick up a small number of photos and letters to a British Doctor who served in Salonika. His name was Capt.E.H.Roberts, RAMC who was appointed aspecialist in Operative Surgery at No.82 General Hospital, 10/6/1918.

Capt Roberts from the letters appears to have joined up in Sept 1914, and been in France as part of the BEF in Dec 1914, transfering to Salonika in 1918.

1)I have an envelope posted from England to No.82 Hospital, Salonika 23/7/18
2)An official Post Office card ('Postmasters No.65') Indicating Capt Roberts mail should be sent to 'Base Post Office Salonika'. 4/12/1918
3)Greek Telegraph Envelope to 'Capt Roberts 82nd Hospital'
4) 2 Eastern Telegraph Company telegrams (Greek revised form) to Capt Roberts 82nd Hospital dated 18/5/1919 and 9/4/1919
5)Clerical copy from commanding officer 82nd General Hospital to the pay master regarding Roberts 26/6/18
6) Draft letter 6/10/1917, seeking further medical studies when his enlistment ends.
7) Draft letter 7/11/1917, seeking further medical studies when his enlistment ends.
8) Letter from Scottish Medical Service Emergency Committee certifing Roberts as registered to serve with the RAMC, 14/11/1917
9) A letter from War Office to Roberts 19/5/1919, thanking him for his service in the RAMC.
10) Clearance Certificate (officers) Expeditionary Forces 1/5/1919
11) Officers DeMob booklet (AB 471)
12) Small sheet 'Instructions for Officers Dispersed through officers dispersal unit, 26, South Eaton Place, London, SW
13) Envelope from War office containing 9,10,11 and 12 above.
14)A few envelopes letters for other service,
15)2 travel pases to 'Royal Infimary Edinburgh'  26/2/1917 and 15/1/1918
16) I have A number of hand written case notes for  'A Case of Cerebro-spinal fever simulating acute nephritus'. But I think this was for a case in France as he signs them 'Tempt Lt RAMC i/c 12th Brigade RFA'

Finally I have around 20 photos, some showing Capt Roberts in France, then a few showing what must be the voyage out to Salonika, and some shots of what I assume is Salonika hospital and harbour. They were taken with a number of different cameras, so prints are very small and quality is lacking, many being faded or blured. But I've attached pictures of the two nice ones which I think must be Salonika.

Let me know if this is of interest and I will try to provide more details,

Best regards,

Jeff Hayes

[gerryl]

Hello,

New to the forum, so forgive me any mistakes.

I came across this thread, while not having a direct interest in Salonika Hospitals, I did have the good fortune to pick up a small number of photos and letters to a British Doctor who served in Salonika. His name was Capt.E.H.Roberts, RAMC who was appointed aspecialist in Operative Surgery at No.82 General Hospital, 10/6/1918.

Capt Roberts from the letters appears to have joined up in Sept 1914, and been in France as part of the BEF in Dec 1914, transfering to Salonika in 1918.

1)I have an envelope posted from England to No.82 Hospital, Salonika 23/7/18
2)An official Post Office card ('Postmasters No.65') Indicating Capt Roberts mail should be sent to 'Base Post Office Salonika'. 4/12/1918
3)Greek Telegraph Envelope to 'Capt Roberts 82nd Hospital'
4) 2 Eastern Telegraph Company telegrams (Greek revised form) to Capt Roberts 82nd Hospital dated 18/5/1919 and 9/4/1919
5)Clerical copy from commanding officer 82nd General Hospital to the pay master regarding Roberts 26/6/18
6) Draft letter 6/10/1917, seeking further medical studies when his enlistment ends.
7) Draft letter 7/11/1917, seeking further medical studies when his enlistment ends.
8) Letter from Scottish Medical Service Emergency Committee certifing Roberts as registered to serve with the RAMC, 14/11/1917
9) A letter from War Office to Roberts 19/5/1919, thanking him for his service in the RAMC.
10) Clearance Certificate (officers) Expeditionary Forces 1/5/1919
11) Officers DeMob booklet (AB 471)
12) Small sheet 'Instructions for Officers Dispersed through officers dispersal unit, 26, South Eaton Place, London, SW
13) Envelope from War office containing 9,10,11 and 12 above.
14)A few envelopes letters for other service,
15)2 travel pases to 'Royal Infimary Edinburgh'  26/2/1917 and 15/1/1918
16) I have A number of hand written case notes for  'A Case of Cerebro-spinal fever simulating acute nephritus'. But I think this was for a case in France as he signs them 'Tempt Lt RAMC i/c 12th Brigade RFA'

Finally I have around 20 photos, some showing Capt Roberts in France, then a few showing what must be the voyage out to Salonika, and some shots of what I assume is Salonika hospital and harbour. They were taken with a number of different cameras, so prints are very small and quality is lacking, many being faded or blured. But I've attached pictures of the two nice ones which I think must be Salonika.

Let me know if this is of interest and I will try to provide more details,

Best regards,

Jeff Hayes

The photgraph at the bottom is definately not Salonika. It looks like Istanbul but I am not sure. Why don't you post some more of Salonika and I can let you know. Your collection is very nice but does not help me very much. I want to find the presice position of the allied hospitals in and around Salonika.

Regards

Gerryl

[awakefield]

Hi Gerry

Just to let you know that I've got copies of a couple of maps marking the positions of the hospitals/convalescent camps etc around Salonika - mainly on the eastern side of the city (Hortiach plateau etc). If you let me have your postal address I'll try to dig them out from my mass of Salonika paperwork and send you some copies.

ALAN

[gerryl]

Dear Jeff,

I asked a friend from Istanbul to confirm this picture. Here is the answer she gave me:

This is surely an old and very interesting picture of Istanbul. It shows the Dolmabahce Palace and Dolmabahce Clock Tower by Bosphorus with the military ships (cruisers, destroyer etc) off the shore, belonging to the occupation powers in Istanbul at 1920's after the ist WW.

Regards

Gerryl

[stenoyab]

Hello Gerryl,
Adds a bit more to my knowledge, I've enhanced the picture a bit. And added a few more that are of land. I think one of them is Istanbul as well based on your new information.
Could the others be Salonika, notice behind the officers is an Ambulance.
Best regards,
Jeff

[jimmie]

I am interested in finding out more about the sister of a woman I knew when I was young and she was old. The sister was a Miss Jessie Ritchie, born I think in 1863 or 1866 in Cargill, Blairgowrie, Scotland. She had a Birthday Book in which she kept for many years brief details of her life and people she met and I have the book now. I don't know when she became a nurse but she was one in 1892 in London and either before or after then at Dundee Royal Infirmary. She was nursing in 1902 in South Africa when on the 6th June of that year she met General Smuts at the Orange River Refugee Camp(his autograph is in the book) and she nursed in Salonika, as a Reserve in the  Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service where she died on 13/08/1916 and is buried in Lembet Road Military Cemetery.
Her book refers to a Private D. Black, 9221 D Coy 21 Stationary Hospital 1st. Batt. Salonika Force Royal Scots and she lists his 7 brothers, also of the Royal Scots, aged 22,36,16.5, 39, 18,24,15 of whom, she says, "All of them lost their lives fighting for their Country at Ypres, 1915".
Her book also mentions:
1) Corp. G Patton, 48th High. of Canada, Neuve Chapelle, Mar. 1915, Flanders(on Jan. 12th);
2) Pte. G H Paterson No. 11019 6th Gordon Highlanders, present at the attack on Neuve Chapelle on 10th, 11th and 12th March 1915(on April 11th).
3) Pte Ian Perry 9th Royal Scots Edinburgh(on 17th April).
4) "At 21 Stat. Hosp. Salonika 1916 L/Cpl. G Garden 2nd. Cameron (sic) won DCM & the Order of the Cross of St. George on the above date at Ypres 1915." Alongside is written "Halforth Cottage India(something) Inverness".
5) James Mc Gookin 8437 D Company 5 Batt. Royal Irish Regt.Salonika Force(on 8th November).
I hope this information may be of use to someone and if I can help further, I will. Any information anyone has I will be grateful for.

Jim Martin

[gerryl]

Hello Gerryl,
Adds a bit more to my knowledge, I've enhanced the picture a bit. And added a few more that are of land. I think one of them is Istanbul as well based on your new information.
Could the others be Salonika, notice behind the officers is an Ambulance.
Best regards,
Jeff

Hi Jeff,

the pictures are not from Salonika. It looks as if they were all taken at the same hospital. The last one seems to have been taken from the building at the back of the hospital as seen in the first picture.  But I am not sure because the quality is not very good. Will check with my turkish friend in Istanbul. On the other hand the hospital in the first picture reminds me of a hospital in Malta. Anybody can verify this?

Gerryl

[Kate Wills]

A few oddments for you Gerry

No 18 Stationary Hospital for Macedonain and Cypriot Mule Corps Lahana; 1918 moved to Lembet

No 21 Stationary Hospital was just to the north of Sarigol.

No 29 Staionary Hospital received POWs from 1916

No 33 Stat. Hosp. = 600 beds, at Sorovitch, near lake Ostrovo

36 & 37 General Hospitals at Vertekop, and 38 General Hospital at Kapudzilar were attached to the Serbian forces.

41 Gen Hosp at Shamli on the Monastir Road

[MartinWills]

With regard to the lady serving in the QAIMNS who is buried at Lembet Road, you should be able to find her service record at the National Archive at Kew. As I recall the QAIMNS nursing records are in something like WO/398/????? - certainly WO/39? are can be quite comprehensive.

[SimonM]

Hi Guys,

Don't forget No.1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital which was at Lembet in 1915-16 for a few months before being replaced by the Canadians. I am working up a short article on them presently. they also had to contend with the torpedoeing of the 'Marquette' en route too, when a number of nurses and orderlies lost their lives. Some are buried at Mikra Bay.

All the Best

Simon Moody

Ps thanks for the 'plug', Dmitri!

[stevebecker]

Mate,

I enclose the name of three AIF nurses that served in Salonika, if you care to check the Aust Archives site out for there service records it may tell you where they served.

Matron Christine Sorenson AIF served 60 GH awarded RRC 2nd class, MID and Medal de Epidemis by France,

Nurse Agnes O'Neill AIF served 50 GH awarded RRC and MID, and

Nurse Lucy Marchant AIF .

I think two if not all three are availible for free to check out on the Archive site.

Cheers

S.B