Netly Hospital (Royal Victoria)

[Guest Daz39]

Hi, could anyone help me. My great grandfather was a private in the RAMC, serving at Netly. What would he have done? Would he be given any medals? Would his service records be available? Can anyone shed any light?

There is a picture of him here:-

http://www.freewebs.com/darryldanielle/robertjamespatten.htm

With what little info I have on him.

Thanks

Darryl Milner

[DirtyDick]

Hello

You may be able to get his service papers from the National Archives (late PRO) at Kew. However, only about 25% of soldiers' papers survived The Blitz of WW2 intact, but there are also disjointed scraps of salvaged papers in a 'Burnt' series.

If he remained in the UK throughout the War he would not be entitled to any campaign medals; in the case of the Army these were only awarded to people who were in a theatre of war or else went overseas on garrison duties etc.

As well as being a General Hospital, it served to house some of the psychiatric injuries inflicted by the War. He could have been anything from a nursing orderly in direct contact with patients to a clerk, porter or storeman. Given his age and civilian background I would have thought the latter would be most likely.

I know the Netley site in the Royal Victoria Park near Southampton rather well, having walked it on many occasions. I assume you know that the pier in the photograph at the bottom of your Site is the one that allowed hospital ships to unload wounded men from Southampton waters and ferry them to the appropriate wards etc. via a light railway? There are still traces of this track left behind - I think some has been appropriated as a miniature railway system used in the summer, and a few lamposts. The cemetery, adjacent to the Hampshire Police training college, is still well tended.

Hope this helps.

Richard

[Mark]

All that remains of the hospital now is the old chapel which was in the middle of the building. There is an excellent exhibition in the chapel depicting what life was like at the hospital from the early days of the Crimean War up to closure. From memory there was quite a lot of information about 1914 - 1918. Well worth a visit as well as the nearby military cemetery.

Netley Military Hospital

Netley Military Cemetery

[Simon_Fielding]

You might like to read Philip Hoare's book 'Spike Island' which is a blend of autobiography and a history of Netley - great read. Also, the 1966 BBC film of 'Alice in Wonderland' was filmed there while it was a gothic ruin. The film is available from the BFI.

[Guest Daz39]

Thanks gents, that site is very interesting. Sadly I used to live in Eastleigh after graduating, but long before I started my research. Now living in East Yorkshrie, its a heck of a trip to S'oton!