adrianjohn Posted 8 December , 2009 Posted 8 December , 2009 Can anyone point me to specific information about 13 General Hospital, Boulogne? My great uncle died of wounds there in 1918 and is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery. There is a lot of detailed info. about 13 Stationary Hospital out there on the web, but I can find nothing comprehensive about the one I'm looking for! TIA Adrian
Jesse Posted 8 December , 2009 Posted 8 December , 2009 The American Harvard Unit Base Hospital No. 5 with Dr. Cushing took it over in November, 1917, and ran it thru the end of the war. Can give you better details when I get home from the road later today. Can anyone point me to specific information about 13 General Hospital, Boulogne? My great uncle died of wounds there in 1918 and is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery. There is a lot of detailed info. about 13 Stationary Hospital out there on the web, but I can find nothing comprehensive about the one I'm looking for! TIA Adrian
Jesse Posted 9 December , 2009 Posted 9 December , 2009 A formal takeover of No. 13 General Hospital was undertaken by the staff of the American Base Hospital No. 5 on Nov. 1, 1917. The hospital center point was the casino at Boulogne, and the staff found the hospital at capacity with about 650 patients. Previously used as an evacuation hospital, it was now decided to change it over to a heavy surgical unit because of No 5's surgeon and physician expertise. Four huts were set up on the casino grounds for medical cases. On Dec. 22, 1917, Boulogne had a severe air raid, and many of the civilian casualties were treated at the hospital. Christmas was very well observed with decorated trees in all wards, Christmas dinner, Plum Pudding, and the "horrible parade" to amuse patients. In early 1918, a movie theater was set up in the rev tent. In March, the German offensive filled the hospital with cases again, and in June another air raid did some damage and wounded several staff and patients. In late summer, a canteen was added with home made cakes and coffee, and in September and October some 70 staff reinforcements arrived. The news of the surrender brought wild joy to tyr hospital, and flags and bunting from the hospital were used to parade thru the city and back again and again. The flu epidemic came and went in November, and an even larger Christmas celebration was put forth with decorated trees, gifts, dinner, and plum pudding in every ward. In late January the hospital was emptied, and officially closed on Feb. 1, 1919.
adrianjohn Posted 9 December , 2009 Author Posted 9 December , 2009 Many thanks, Jesse. Following your earlier reply, I found the Base Hospital No. 5 History at www.ourhistory.info(etc). and it's very comprehensive. It would be good to find actual hospital records, but I guess that's a quest too far! Thanks again. Adrian
Sue Light Posted 9 December , 2009 Posted 9 December , 2009 Adrian The hospital has a unit war diary for the whole period of the war (Oct 1914 to March 1919) at The National Archives, ref. WO95/4082. It will be a day to day account of the general running of the unit, with little reference to patients, but many hospital war diaries do name those who died with cause of death. The diary is not available online. Sue
adrianjohn Posted 9 December , 2009 Author Posted 9 December , 2009 Thank you, Sue. I'll get onto it. I've enjoyed your blog and website, by the way. Totally fascinating and a great tribute to all those women who faced such daunting work. Adrian
Jesse Posted 9 December , 2009 Posted 9 December , 2009 Adrian, when was your great uncle admitted, and when did he pass on? Can anyone point me to specific information about 13 General Hospital, Boulogne? My great uncle died of wounds there in 1918 and is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery. There is a lot of detailed info. about 13 Stationary Hospital out there on the web, but I can find nothing comprehensive about the one I'm looking for! TIA Adrian
adrianjohn Posted 9 December , 2009 Author Posted 9 December , 2009 I just have that he died of wounds on 13th April 1918. The Guard's archive documents point to him having fought that day, from daybreak, in the area of Hazebrouck or at L'Epinette Farm. He could have been in the left post of 3 Company as all in that Company became casualties. At the end of the day only forty men of the 3rd Battalion survived. Adrian
Guest bonst925 Posted 7 February , 2013 Posted 7 February , 2013 I joined Great War Forum today - so I hope this post is appropriate. I'm looking for more detail of a great-uncle who died 10 Apr 1918 in 13 Gen Hospital Boulogne (admitted 5 April 1918 from 56 Gen Hospital Etaples). The New Zealand Archives have good detail on the headlines, such as recruited, marched in, proceeded overseas, disembarked Plymouth, marched in France, etc ... but is short on field detail like area of action, where wounded. Any pointers for my search please? TIA Stephen
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