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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Military hospital in Wimereux?


Guest Grahamp

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My ancestor private Thomas Cunliffe, 17114, 2nd battalion Grenadier Guards, was injured in the trenches in Vermelles in October 1915. He died from his wounds and is buried in Wimereux cemetery. I have copies of letters he sent his parents from the hospital in France after having his leg amputated. I also have a nwewspaper report from the Wigan Observer dated 13th Nov 1915 in which it states that he wrote from the Rawal Pindi Hospital, Wimereux, Boulogne. I am trying to find the exact hospital he was admitted to but there seem to be a couple that potential candidates - No 8 Stationary Hospital, Wimereux or the Rawal Pindi Hospital Boulogne. As he is buried in Wimereux is it more likely that he was in the Stationary hospital in Wimereux? There was also No 14 Hospital in Wimereux (in the Hotel Splendide) but was this just for officers? Were records kept of where soldiers were admitted and if so does anyone know where they can be found? Any help gratefully received!

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Rawalpindi British General Hospital was opened in Wimereux in two hotels, but I don't know which ones they were. It was entirely separate from other hospitals you mention (8 Stat., 14 General/14 Stationary). It does get referred to as both in Wimereux and Boulogne, but the same place.

In May 1915 a third building was taken as additional accommodation, referred to in my notes as 'the Chateau,' but must have been nearby. The hospital closed at the end of October/early November 1915 and some staff moved to Calais where they combined with No.35 General Hospital.

Rawalpindi BGH has a unit war diary at The National Archives (WO95/4096) which might well add names to the buildings and mention your relative - deaths often get noted in the diaries, particularly early in the war. The diary almost certainly comes into a group that won't be digitised in the immediate future (?ever) so needs a visit to view it, or someone to do so on your behalf.

Sue

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Sue, many thanks for your prompt and extremely useful response. My relative died on 23rd October 1915 so it seems like he was one of the last casualties to be treated there if you say the hospital closed late October/early November that year. I think the hotels used as hospitals were the Hotel Splendide and the Victoria Hotel. Many thanks again.

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Graham

While looking for something else, I've just found a note of the buildings occupied by the Rawalpindi General Hospital. They were the Hotel Continental and the Hotel de la Plage, and the third building noted earlier as 'the Chateau' was a house on three storeys in Rue Carnot.

Sue

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"Women as Army Surgeons" by Flora Murray being the history of the WOMENS HOSPITAL CORPS in Paris, Wimereux, and Endell street, sept 1914-october 1919

Regards John

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  • 1 month later...
Guest manxchris

Sue Light

Many thanks for your reference to the Rawalpindi Hospital and the Kew reference numbers it has given me such a filip in my research into the death of a relative.

The person I am trying to find out the circumstances of his death is Daniel Smith RAMC 32504

He drowned on the 5th August 1915 in the sea whilst bathing

His body was not recovered until 7th August.

There was a post mortem etc

More importantly there was a court of inquiry into the circumstances of his death held at 11am on the 8th of August at Rawalpindi Hospital

The Inquiry was chaired by Major GFT Leather

Is there anyway of getting a copy of the inquiry findings?

Thank you so much for your time

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  • 5 years later...

My grandfather, Frederick William Blute Reg No: 11646 was admitted to the 7th Stationery Hospital in Wimereux France on the 06/04/1918 suffering from the effects of Mustard Gas and Shell Wounds.

I have not been able to find out anything about this hospital and would be very grateful for any information relating to it.

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Christine

Welcome to the Forum

51 minutes ago, Christine Elliott said:

admitted to the 7th Stationery Hospital in Wimereux France on the 06/04/1918

That is what is in his wife's letter in his service file (here on FindmyPast). But I note the official document just before that suggests he was admitted 7/4/18 to  82?or does it read 32? Sty Hospital Wimereux and the wife was informed. Have you worked out which was correct ?

Charlie.

 

If you google 32 Stationary Hospital Wimereux you get lots of informative hits.

 

And have you trawled through this list on the LongLongTrail ?

 

Edited by charlie962
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  • 4 weeks later...

Poor old Sue very sadly missed:poppy:

 

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  • 1 year later...

The 14th Stationary Hospital at Wimereux was burnt down on21/22nd January1916 - it was the Le Grand Hotel. My grandmother was a VAD there at the time. Al escaped but the VADs, who lived in the top floor only had what they stood up in. The British Army took some time to agree to supply them with new uniforms as they were volunteers.  (Ref National Archives WO95/3989 Official War Diary of Matron in Chief with the British Expeditionary Forces)

Kath Woodley

My Nana _ Majorie Frances Speed-Mercer.pdf

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8 hours ago, Kath W said:

My grandmother was a VAD

Welcome to the Forum, Kath.

Thank you for sharing her story. Your illustrated write-up is very moving.

Charlie

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4 hours ago, charlie962 said:

Your illustrated write-up is very moving.

Yes indeed, thanks for sharing it.

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