Summerdown Convalecent Camp Eastbourne

[jean mcd]

Does anyone have any information concerning Summerdown camp convalescent home during World War 1 or how we would go about getting hold of the records for soldiers staying there?

Many thanks Jean

[sotonmate]

Jean

No hits in the NA Catalogue. I tried MH and WO prefixes and various spellings and shortening of titles. The actual spelling is SUMMERDOWN !

Our expert on such matter lives thereabouts (well ,Sussex !) I think if you PM SUE LIGHT she will know about it,and the book "Eastbourne's Great War 1914-1918"by Robert Elliston.1999. ISBN 1-85770-146-1.

Sotonmate

Edit: Just noticed that you need another post to make 10 before you can do a PM,so,think of something ! Also noticed that you spelt it right in the text,but not in the header !

[joanbelge]

Jean

No hits in the NA Catalogue. I tried MH and WO prefixes and various spellings and shortening of titles. The actual spelling is SUMMERDOWN !

Our expert on such matter lives thereabouts (well ,Sussex !) I think if you PM SUE LIGHT she will know about it,and the book "Eastbourne's Great War 1914-1918"by Robert Elliston.1999. ISBN 1-85770-146-1.

Sotonmate

Edit: Just noticed that you need another post to make 10 before you can do a PM,so,think of something !

If I can help with searches I live in Eastbourne I can take pictres of the present location if required

[Terry_Reeves]

Photograph of the camp here. You can find the site of the camp on Google Earth. Type in" Old Camp Road, Eastbourne" and you will see its location today

TR

[delta]

Capt Harold Mortimore was there as a patient in mid to late 1917; "Morty", as he was known, had commanded the first tank to go into action

[joanbelge]

Capt Harold Mortimore was there as a patient in mid to late 1917; "Morty", as he was known, had commanded the first tank to go into action

I have borrowed a book from my daughter about Eastborne and the Great War.....references to Summerdown Camp and couple of photos. Please PM me if more info required

Joan

[KSK]

I'm a new member and not sure if you're still following this topic, but my great-grandfather (Dr Joseph Kellett-Smith) was the Superintendant of Summerdown Camp during the war - I'm not sure of the exact date but I've posted a photo of himself and all the nurses in 1918. He was in the RAMC. He was in charge of electro-therapeutics, which sounds slightly ominous!

I do have a few stories from the camp, courtesy of my grandfather's memoirs, if you're interested.

Regards

Lara

[Ally Sloper]

Hello Jean, Unfortunately the admission and discharge registers do not appear to have survived for the camp. However you could try the Imperial War Museum who hold a Souvenir publication, no date [c.1919], of the camp, reference no. K11/984. They also hold a copy of The Summerdown Journal, The representative organ of the Summerdown Military Convalescent Camp, also undated, reference no. E89/-, (copies of this publication are also held at British Library, ref P.P.4039.wcg.(2.) and the Wellcome Institute Library, ref no. RAMC/847.

I hope this helps, Ally

[Eastbourne Heritage]

I'm a new member and not sure if you're still following this topic, but my great-grandfather (Dr Joseph Kellett-Smith) was the Superintendant of Summerdown Camp during the war - I'm not sure of the exact date but I've posted a photo of himself and all the nurses in 1918. He was in the RAMC. He was in charge of electro-therapeutics, which sounds slightly ominous!

I do have a few stories from the camp, courtesy of my grandfather's memoirs, if you're interested.

Regards

Lara

We would love to hear more about your great-grandfather and his time at Summerdown as we are starting a major project about the camp....please get in contact!