Hospital Ship Oxfordshire

[Hampson]

Cheers johboy hopefully I can get the picture up... I'm so glad I rescued it as it would have been lost forever

[Don]

I would love to see it as well please

Gerry

[Hampson]

Cheers johboy hopefully I can get the picture up... I'm so glad I rescued it as it would have been lost forever

[Hampson]

My grandfather is 2nd in from bottom left

[Don]

excellent,

Thank so much. It will add to the research I am doing re Wounded Soldiers in Dublin

Gerry  

[Hampson]

Any more info ré crew would be great too gerry and is there anyway of confirming its the Oxfordshire crew

Edited 15 August , 2018 by Hampson

[Hampson]

9 hours ago, Don said:

excellent,

Thank so much. It will add to the research I am doing re Wounded Soldiers in Dublin

Gerry  

Where can I view this

[Don]

Hi,

I have several word docs of Soldiers wounded in Dublin Hospitals for 1914

If you PM me I can send you a copy. It covers Soldiers who arrived in Dublin and then transferred to various Dublin Hospitals

Captain Harris captioned the Oxfordshire at that time

Regards Gerry  

[Don]

Here are samples

 

Curragh Military Hospital - CopyFinal.pdf

 

St Vincents Hospital 1914 final.pdf

Edited 16 August , 2018 by Don

[Hampson]

38 minutes ago, Don said:

Hi,

I have several word docs of Soldiers wounded in Dublin Hospitals for 1914

If you PM me I can send you a copy. It covers Soldiers who arrived in Dublin and then transferred to various Dublin Hospitals

Captain Harris captioned the Oxfordshire at that time

Regards Gerry  

Any other photos of crew etc.. How do you pm on this foram

[Don]

Try the message Icon at the top.I am not sure how many posts you need to have access.

 

[MKC]

I realise I'm very late to this thread, but the following may be of interest regarding Oxfordshire:

 

Hosp ship-Naval from 11 August 1914 to 13 Sept 1914

Hosp ship-Army from 15 Sept 1914 to 24 March 1918.

 

The ship must have continued duties as a transport on hire after that date, as it was engaged on a trooping voyage from Egypt to Australia in July/August 1919, arriving in Australia on 10 August. Passengers/troops were mostly embarked at Kantara and and included a small number of nursing staff who were 'on duty' for the voyage.

 

Mike

 

  

[Don]

Thank you Mike

Gerry  

[ZeZe]

Hi

Timeline for nursing staff H.M.H.S. Oxfordshire – additions/corrections welcome (the location periods above the date line are approximate).

Haven’t found any names for the short Royal Naval Hospital Ship period.

It is difficult to be precise with dates, some nurses have both 02.10.14 & 15.10.14 as the date of posting recorded in their files. To have two A/Matrons posted in October 1914 is odd, not sure how long Margaret Steenson was onboard, perhaps her role was Sister when on board - also cannot find who the Matron was for the Gallipoli period & early 1916 (before A/Matron Conway-Jones was appointed).

The first mention for H.M.H.S. Oxfordshire embarking wounded found is in War Diary, Lines of Communication, Boulogne Base: Deputy Director Medical Services WO-95-4010-1

St Nazaire

5th October 1914: ‘in dock loading.’

7th October 1914: ‘left with 6 Officers and 455 other ranks, British, sick and wounded, and 16 other ranks, German, sick and wounded.’

*    *    *

Typescript copy of the diary of Captain Brett, RAMC, on H.M. Hospital Ship Oxfordshire in the Dardanelles, Nov 1915-Jan 1916, written as a letter to "Katie": https://wellcomecollection.org/works/pet9mg2r/items

*    *    *

Trawling the newspaper archives its apparent that Brighouse near Leeds had a special relationship with H.M.H.S. Oxfordshire. On 1st Dec 14 it was reported that 18 ex. Brighouse St John Ambulance men (now enlisted R.A.M.C.) were serving board as orderlies and another six were to be added. News of Sgt-Major Thornton’s death reached the local papers in February 1917 giving his address 49 Thornhill Rd, Brighouse.

Like many old comrades the ex. R.A.M.C. Brighouse men held reunions, one mentioned took place in September 1925 when ‘The surviving members “H” Bearer Co., who served as ambulance men the hospital ship Oxfordshire during the war had their annual dinner at Brighouse on Saturday last, when company assembled under the presidency Mr. J. D. Pearson. During the afternoon the men marched to the Rydings Park, and Mr Arthur Coates, Brighouse, placed a wreath at the base of The Brighouse war memorial. After dinner at The Royal Hotel, Mr. I. D. Pearson, presided. The programme consisted mainly of vocal items, interspersed with which were reminiscences of service in the Oxfordshire, which made many voyages between and France, and went as far as South Africa. It was decided to hold next year's gathering at Sowerby Bridge.’ (Halifax Evening courier / Yorkshire Post & Leeds Intelligencer)

Best match for the original (embarked 02.10.14.) eighteen Brighouse men:

36701 Sgt-Major Arthur Thornton

36703 Sgt. Jonas Marsden

36704 Sgt. Harold Naylor

36705 Pte. George F Wellman

36706 Pte. Thomas Allen

36707 Pte. Crispin Briggs

36708 Pte. G Brockless

36709 Pte. Frederick Crabtree

36710 Pte. Archibald Crowther

36711 Pte. Albert E Clegg

36712 Pte. Harry Crabtree

36713 Pte. James H Deardon

36714 Pte. Willie Fisher

36715 Pte. William Harris

36717 Pte. Ernest Iredale, an account discribing what was probably HMHS Oxfordhire’s first trip (21.08.15.) to the Mediterranean published: The District News, Friday September 17, 1915.

36718 Pte. Edgar Iredale

36719 Pte. William Jackson

36720 Pte. James W Jackson

Best match for five of the additional six Brighouse men: 

47113 Pte. James Crossley

47114 Pte. Arthur Reside

47115 Pte. Walter Bowes

47116 Pte. William Kershaw

47117 Pte. Irving Walshaw

?

Also mentioned in newspapers, R.A.M.C. Pte. James Taylor & L/Cpl. T Lowe.

Regards ZeZe

T.F.N.S. A/Matron Katherine Conway-Jones (WO 399/10526) should read ‘proceeded to England 18.06.17.'

Edited 30 March , 2023 by ZeZe

[frev]

Hi @ZeZe

Aussie nurse E.M. Graham was Elsie May Graham, and serving with her on the Oxfordshire in 1916 was Eena Myra Copeman - both serving with the QAIMNSR, but sadly no service record found for either.

The Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 11 Jun 1919:

Anzac nurses, Sisters Elsie M Graham and Edith [sic] M Copeman, QAIMNS[R] are returning by the transport Roda.  Sisters at the Coast Hospital, they went away with the first batch of Australian nurses lent to the Imperial Government.  After nursing through the Gallipoli campaign, they were for 18 months on No. 1 Hospital Ship, Oxfordshire, carrying sick and wounded from Salonica, Malta, and France to England, Mesopotamia troops to Bombay, and from German East Africa to Capetown and Durban, and then at a casualty clearing station at Lindi, German East Africa.

Cheers, Frev

[alf mcm]

ZeZe,

From Maud McCarthy's War Diary;-

07.10.14
Telegraphed for Miss Stronach to replace Miss Wilkin on the Hospital Ship who is a bad sailor.

12.10 14
Rouen
Then went over the Oxfordshire and the Asturias. Saw the Sisters in Charge, Miss Steenson and Miss Stevens … who both expressed themselves completely satisfied with their nursing staff. Beautiful ships, beautifully equipped and thoroughly comfortable for everyone.

03.04.15
Boulogne
Wired Havre to instruct Miss Steenson to proceed to Boulogne from Carisbrooke Castle for Matron’s duties. Replaced her on Carisbrooke Castle by Miss Slater, QAIMNSR. This necessitated moving Miss Gambardella QAIMNS to 16 General Hospital, and replacing her by a Reserve also.

07.06.15

Captain Dill heard of his 2nd brother’s death Sunday – only went up Friday, killed Sunday. Wired to his Sister, Oxfordshire, giving 7 days leave.

09.03.16
Letter from Miss Becher, asking me to change the whole staff of the Oxfordshire. Replied would do it as soon as possible.

Regards,

Alf McM

Edited 31 March , 2023 by alf mcm
Additional items

[ZeZe]

Hi Alf,

Thanks for the info from Maud McCarthy's War Diary.

Do you think Maud McCarthy was muddled when she mentions Carisbrook Castle on 03.04.15. and really meant Oxfordshire? 

According to Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. Sister, Marianne Liddell SLATER's (WO 399/7634) file, she transferred to Oxfordshire on 11.04.15. - no mention of Carisbrook Castle. Slater’s record also notes A/Matron from March 1915. I checked Miss Gambardella’s file again - her record with Oxfordshire is as per the timeline. I think it likely that Miss Steenson was the A/Matron on Oxfordshire to April and Miss Slater is the missing A/Matron for the Gallipoli period. 

I’ve looked through Maud E WILKIN's (WO 399/8972) long file. I do not think she was the ‘bad sailor’ as St Andrew, dated 14.08.14 is on her record, so haven't indentified Wilkin.

Hi Frev,

Thanks for the info on the Australian nurses Graham & Copeman. They both disembarked ‘Oxfordshire’ at Dar-es-Salaam on the 2nd July 1917 therefore they would have joined the ship around Jan/Feb 1916.

*     *     *

An incident occurred on H.M.H.S. Oxfordshire whilst in port at Dar-es-Salaam which could have ‘blown up’. Abbreviated notes from the war diary:

04.06.17. Admitted from H.M.H.S. Neuralia Australian & New Zealand invalids, Officers 10, Other Ranks 232, ...150 of these patients were very obstructive and wanting in discipline. On two from each table being ordered to fetch dinner, bad language and threats were indulged in and they rose as a body and left the dining room …..

05.06.17. Notice boards were thrown overboard by Anzac patients…

06.06.17. On being ordered before the M.O. of their ward, 4 Australian & New Zealand patients refused to go, on order a second time they threatened to throw the Sgt Major overboard. This being reported to me (R.A.M.C. Major Robert Thornton Meadows), I did not order the arrest of the men knowing the turbulent state of these troops, fearing a refusal on their part and having no means to back up the order, a consequent loss of authority on my part, but reported to the DDMS asking for a guard. There is quite open talk amongst them as to what they are going to do when they get away from port…..

07.06.17 An armed guard of 2 Officers and 30 men also 9 Military Police embarked. Australian & New Zealand troops quite but grumbling at presence of guard.

Conference – Australian Staff Captain & New Zealand Medical Officer answering for the good behaviour of the troops if the guard was withdrawn, the armed guard was removed… Sailed for Durban.

08.06.17. Nothing of note. 50 Imperial troops (Convalescent) mixed with 150 Anzacs in “X” ward has good effect.

16.06.17. Cape Town. Disembarked all invalids …

H.M.H.S. Oxfordshire war diary: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/c89ff1ea8e62435da6f8b984f41ef908

*     *     *

I missed out Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. Staff Nurse, Ethel WAKELING from the timeline, no file found but her MIC states 02.07.16. - she served on Oxfordshire for a year.

Regards ZeZe

Edited 31 March , 2023 by ZeZe

[alf mcm]

ZeZe,

  Ethel's record is at WO/399/867, surname WAKELIN The first page of her record has 'WAKELING'!

  I think Miss WILKIN must be Maud Elizabeth WILKIN, as there are only 2 WILKIN nurses on the medal rolls. The other is F. WILKIN, Maud is the only one of the 2 to get a 1914-15 Star.

Regards,

Alf McM

Edited 31 March , 2023 by alf mcm
Miss WILKIN added

[ZeZe]

Hi Alf,

I’ve downloaded the ‘Wakelin’ file. Identification is made so much more difficult with the Matron-in-Chief only using surnames. An initial would nail it.

Regards ZeZe

[alf mcm]

ZeZe,

I can’t find any records showing naval nurses serving on ‘Oxfordshire’. However, some of the nurses who served on ‘Delta’ did not have the fact entered in their records. Therefore it is possible naval nurses did serve on Oxfordshire.

  The following naval surgeons are mentioned in the September 1914 edition of the monthly naval list;-

Fleet Surgeon Francis BOLSTER – 07/08/14

Staff Surgeon Arthur DAVIDSON – 07/08/14

Staff Surgeon Robert William Basil HALL {not mentioned in ADM-104-92, page 590}

Staff Surgeon Frank Wybourn SMITH – 07/08/14

Staff Surgeon Alfred Douglas COWBURN – 30/08/14

Surgeon R.N.V.R. Edward John STEEGMANN– 30/08/14

Surgeon R.N.V.R. David Duncan Fraser MACINTYRE– 30/08/14

Surgeon R.N.V.R. Walter Fedde FEDDEN– 30/08/14

Surgeon R.N.V.R. Frederick Stanley HEWETT {ADM-104-92, page 590 says ‘did not join – excused’}

  The entry in the navy list adds ‘Ship to be discharged’ and ‘These Officers will be discharged to ‘China’.

  ADM-104-92, page 590 refers to ‘Oxfordshire’ as Hospital Carrier No. 1’. It also adds that ‘Oxfordshire to be discharged from H.M. service 25/08/14’.

 

  Only one nurse, Marguerite May ABRAHAM QARNNS, is recorded as having served on ‘China’, from 12/08/16 to 21/11/16. {ADM/104/161/73}.

 

  However, the November 1914 navy list shows the following on ‘China’;-

Nursing Sister Jane J. BOWMAN QARNNS {ADM/104/161/110} According to record from 30/08/14 vice RENWICK.

Nursing Sister Beatrice SANDES QARNNS {ADM/104/161/111} According to record from 30/08/14 vice ABRAHAM.

Nursing Sister Winifred D. HOLMES-BROWN QARNNS {ADM/104/161/115} According to record from 30/08/14 vice HAROLD.

Nursing Sister Sarah E. LYMBERY QARNNS {ADM/104/161/124} According to record from 30/08/14 vice BERE.

Mabel Charlotte Rosalie BERE’s record shows that she was in Hong Kong between 03/01/14 and 17/07/15. It seems therefore that none of the nurses mentioned above served on ‘Oxfordshire’.

 

  The following naval nurses took passage on ‘Oxfordshire’ from Portland to Gibraltar from 16/10/15 to 19/10/15;-

Mrs Marion Stott BARTLETT, QARNNSR {ADM/104/162/07 & 162/26}

Annie Bertha GAGE, QARNNSR { ADM/104/162/13, 162/68 & 164/131-132}

Agnes Grant HECTOR, QARNNSR { ADM/104/162/09, 162/53 & 162/113}

Florence Susan JONES, QARNNSR { ADM/104/162/11 & 162/69}

Marion WROE, QARNNSR { ADM/104/162/5 & 162/179-180}

 

I am now wondering if 'Oxfordshire' never had an establisment of naval nurses as it was officially a Hospital Carrier.

 

Regards,

Alf McM

 

 

Edited 1 April , 2023 by alf mcm
Hospital Carrier highlighted

[ZeZe]

Hi Alf,

I too had a close look at ADM-104-92, page 590 but couldn’t draw any conclusion. 

Several web sites have the same info: ‘Commissioned on 11th August she (Oxfordshire) was sent to Scapa Flow as a base ship on 25th September but proved to be too large…’  http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Ships/HMHSOxfordshire.html

I think your last conclusion is possible and makes sense.

Regards ZeZe

[alf mcm]

ZeZe,

   An article on this page titled 'Nurse Mentioned in Despatches', which I can't manage to get a snapshot of, states Miss STEENSON was Matron on Oxfordshire until about 3 months ago, when she was transferred to 14 General Hospital in Boulogne. The newspaper, the Dumfries & Galloway Standard, was published on 26th June 1915.

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0000460%2f19150626%2f061&stringtohighlight=nurse hospital ship oxfordshire#######

  This ties in with comments from Maud McCarthy in a previous post, and confirms that 'Carisbrooke Castle' was an error by her.

Regards,

Alf McM

[alf mcm]

  From the Berwickshire News and General Advertiser of 17th November 1914. This shows that Mary Irene's surname was indeed 'WIGHT', and not 'WRIGHT' as 'corrected on the medal roll. I also can't find her service record.

  Images courtesy Fidmypat, medal roll courtesey Ancestry.

Regards,

Alf McM