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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Mount Felix Hospital and War Graves


Guest Marnie

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Morning, my name is Marnie and I have just joined. I was reading through this web site whilst staying up at my mums new house in Lincolnshire.

I noticed 2 messages from gillb and Bepposapone about Mount Felix and the New Zealand Soldiers that were there. I was born in Walton-on-Thames and was christened at St Mary's Church where the war graves are. I dropped my son at school this morning and took the digital camera with me to the graveyard and took some photos, which I will post at some point in the other topic board. (somehow!) lol All the time I was there a little robin was sitting next to me as I took photos.

As you go into St Marys graveyard about 6 ft in are two big monuments on either side of you. At the bottom of this is a big burial plot bordered with marble all around. In the plot are small squares with numbers on them. I think there were about 6 of them. On the actual monument were all the soldiers names along with one nurse. Their burial number was written by the side of their name. The one to my left was unreadable and I think needed some sunshine on it. I will have to go down there again. I took some colour photos and some black and white of each grave to see which would come out best.

A mansion was built by Harry Rodney (father of Admiral Lord Rodney) c. 1715. This house was reconstructed in the Italian style by the 5th Earl of Tankerville in 1837-40. At the foot of the tower was a porte cochere - a porch through which a coach could be driven, enabling passengers to be picked up or dropped off under cover. The architect was Charles Barry and cost approx £80,000. The Earl gave his remodelled mansion the name "Mount Felix" . John Mason Cook, son of the founder of the well-known travel agency, bought the house in 1898 and installed the first telephone in Walton, but died in 1899. In 1905 a scheme for the local council to purchase the house for use as Council Offices was frustrated by the opposition of the ratepayers. After the declaration of was in August 1914 it was requistioned by the War Department, and initially used to house British Troops until May 1915.

The New Zealand War contingent Association took over Mount Felix in June 1915 and converted it for use as a military hospital, which opened at the end of July. In September 1915, responsibility passed to the Army Medical Services and MOunt Felix became officially the New Zealand No.2 General Hospital. Although run by the New Zealand military authorities, the hospital was partly staffed by V.A.Ds.

In January 1916 five timber and asbestos huts were erected on the land south of Bridge Street, between Oatlands Drive and the River Thames, to serve as additional wards for the hospital at Mount Felix. These wards each accomodated about 40 patients, and a footbridge and covered walkway were constructed to link them with the main buildings, north of Bridge Street. A new cook house was also established in the hutted area. The footbridge had painted in white large letters

No2

New Zealand General Hospital

across the middle of it.

There is also a picture of a photo of a New Zealand soldiers funeral procession. It was taken in 1917 and at the front are 2 colums of British Mounted unit. Behind them is the horse drawn hearse with New Zealand comrades walking either side of it. It says that there are 17 New Zealand soldiers buried in the graveyard.

Well thats a little bit of information for everybody who is looking for this topic. I hope it helps. I will try to post some photos, and will transcribe the New Zealand monument at some point as well.

Hope to hear from someone

Marnie

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  • 2 weeks later...

:D hi Marnie

Just got your e-mail and come straight in to have a look at your posting - fantastic - I never knew the name of the hospital but it is in exactly the right place. Its really great that you have taken the time to give us some background on this - I am off to read it and let my father know (it was his father that was at the hospital). I will get bak to you once I have digested all the info - but in the mean time Thanks V V much!

Gillb

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Hallo Marnie

My wife and I were married at St Marys and I often spent time looking at those particular graves,your post was very intresting thanks for the information.I look forwards to the photographs. My wife was born in 'Rodney' house, which was the name of the hospital on Rodney Road, Walton, in 1951, and she lived on Garden Road Walton until we married in 1972. Most of her family lived and were born in Walton on Thames, and were called 'Stanley'. We were wondering if you know anything about the name which was given to an area of land underneath the old Walton Bridge, the bridge which separated Walton from Shepperton. To locals the land was always known as 'The Cowie', and we wondered if this has a New Zealand ring to it, or if you know anything about it.

Another interesting fact which might be of use to anyone researching the area, my wife has a water colour print which belonged to her Grandfather, Alexander Franik Stanley, of a pub on Bridge Street called The Bear, it is from around the early 1900's time, and would probably have been frequented by many of the soldiers, her parents had their wedding breakfast there in 1945. Kind regards.

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Guest Marnie

For anyone interested in Mount Felix and the No2 New Zealand General Hospital here are some web-sites that I have found which might be of interest to you:

www.elmbridge-online.co.uk/walton/history.html

www.simonholdings.com/sh_clocktower2.html

www.mick-gray.co.uk/military_sites.htm

www.gallipoli-association.org/April%2025th%/202003.htm

www.waltonparish.org.uk/tour/st_marys_tour14.htm

www.surreyassociation.org.uk/sd/towers

//freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com.~villages/surrey/walton-on-thames.org

//freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~villages/newzealand.htm

I hope these links are typed correctly. I had a good look round the other evening and one of the sites provided quite a lot of old photos. Some of these contain alot about Mount Felix Hospital and the New Zealand soldiers.

Marnie

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  • 1 month later...

:huh: Hi Marnie

I have jsut realised it was ages ago that you went your e-mail on Mount Felix! I have seen your web site suggestions and will check them out. I was hoping to do more in May but unfortunately my Dad has not been too well so the research sort of went out the window.

I like the idea of the robin following you round the churchyard as if to say the place will never be left alone - there will always be someone there in whatever form. I hope to get the chance to look at the churchyard and take my father down - we had gone a couple of years ago around to Weybridge where he was brounght up but did not know where the hospital was. Did you have any success posting the photos you took?

Thanks

Gill

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  • 10 years later...
Guest JohnSmith

I am a server at St Mary's Church Walton on Thames and go to the ANZAC service each year for the 17 (+ two civilians) War Graves

(I've attended at least the last 30 years incl the 75 anniversary which was a huge service).

This year as it's one hundred years since Galipolli and the opening of the GH2 hospital at Mount Felix

(27,000 soldiers went through our town between 1915 - 1919 - we only were a small town of 12,000 then).

As one of the soldiers was related to the Commonweath War Graves commissionaire she always is in attendance as well as the High Commissionaire of New Zealand.

Last year, as this year also the Aust High Commissionaire are sending representatives.

This year we have the Maori Bishop of New Zealand coming to preach at our ANZAC day service

Many county & borough councillor's and our Mayor are usually in attendance..

We have had this service every year since 1919 when our Local British Legion was set up in or town.

We have many roads and building now with New Zealand names ie New Zealand avenue (built by the solders when they got well for recreation) , Adelaide Road, Wellington Court, The Wellington Public house (previous named the Kiwi).

We have Renu Red Wood covering the walls of our bell ringing tower in our church (given by NZ), NZ flag and monuments to ANZAC.

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  • 1 year later...

This post was full of memories for me. In 1940 my mother and I were located in a flat at mount Felix. Dad was a regular soldier and we had been accommodated at Walton house where he assisted in raising a 2nd line TA LAA Battery. when he was posted away we were moved into Mount Felix. There was a plaque in the wall opposite Oatlands Avenue dedicated to the New Zealand soldiers. My mother always laid a poppy wreath every 11/11th. During my time with the local Army Cadet unit I attended services at the local cemetery on Anzac Day. Sadly Mount Felix was destroyed by fire in 1966. I believe that the plaque mentioned above is in the Museum at Weybridge.

Tony P

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