Dr. Sophie Meiklejohn - French & American Red Cross

[alf mcm]

I am interested in finding out more about Sophie Jean Meiklejohn's war service. According to the Aberdeen University Roll of honour, she served as a Medical Officer with;-

The French Red Cross, between 1915 and 1917

Edinburgh War Hospital, Bangour, between 1917 and 1918

The American Red Cross, between 1918 and 1919

After the war she worked at Dunfermline Physical Training College.

In 1937 she went to Africa and founded a Hospital on Chilubi Island, in Lake Bengweula.

She left a few years later and established a Leper Colony in Northern Rhodesia. She died there in 1944.

If anyone can tell me anything about her service with the French and American Red Cross it would be much appreciated.

Regards,

Alf McM

[rolt968]

I think she was serving with the Scottish Women's Hospital. See this link:

http://www.scarletfinders.co.uk/139.html

I have come across one or two SWH women who are classed as serving with the French Red Cross on their Medal Rolls and Index Cards..

Roger M

Edit:

There is a Medal Roll entry for her under Jean Meiklejohn. It gives dates in theatre 1a (France) from September to November 1915. There may have been other dates which have not been listed.

[alf mcm]

Thanks for that Roger. I see from the link that she was at Royaumont from September to November 1915. I wonder where she went after that? Her sister, Isobel, also worked for the SWH.

Regards,

Alf

[rolt968]

There is an entry in the Dundee Evening Telegraph of 31 March 1916 saying that she had been "engaged in military hospital work in France" and had been granted a further six months leave of absence by the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust.

Her sister Isobel has a Medal Roll entry for April to September 1915 in theatre 2a, which is probably Serbia.

Roger M

Edit: Her father was factor of the Novar estates in Rossshire.

She also studied at Cambridge it might be worth looking to see if there is any more in Cambridge University Roll of Honour/Service.

She was actually appointed by the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust in March 1915.

(All from the Aberdeen Journal of 27 March 1915).

I wonder if there was a full obituary somewhere when she died?

[alf mcm]

Thanks Roger,

The reference to a further 6 months leave of absence would imply she had originally gone to France for a 6 month period. Her mother came from Dundee, which may explain why she was mentioned in the Evening Telegraph.

You're right about Serbia, Isobel served as an Orderly at Valjevo.

Regards,

Alf

[rolt968]

The obituaries in 1944 are a confused about 1914-1919. One correctly gives the service at the Edinburgh War Hospital as between her times of service overseas. Another suggests that she had a French Medical commission, which I think is confused about the French Red Cross.

The SWH dates both in Scarletfinders and on the medal roll are not necessarily complete.

Roger M

[alf mcm]

Roger,

I agree that something written in 1944 could easily be confused about something that happened in 1915. I have seen an obituary in the Arkansas Catholic newspaper saying she worked with the French Army.

The information in Scarletfinders may not be complete, but I noticed in thev book 'Angels of Mercy' {about Royoumont} that Sophie is mentioned only once, when she arrives. There is no other mention of her, and this implies to me that she may not have stayed long. Presumably she then joined the French Red Cross.

Regards,

Alf

[alf mcm]

I have just found Sophie's obituary in the Scotsman, 2nd March 1944 {under the name of Jean Meiklejohn}. It says she served in France in the last war in the American Red Cross Hospital.She then joined the Dunfermline College staff in 1918.

Regards,

Alf

[Guest]

Hello, I have just found this message after coming across several books of Shakespeare that belonged to Sophie Jean Meiklejohn from 1898. All the books bar one has been signed Jean Meiklejohn the other Sophie Jean. I am looking to gather any information I can on Jean or her family. If you could help in any way I would be grateful.

 

[alf mcm]

Hello Alison,

  These books must have been Sophie's when she was a pupil at Dundee High School. She is recorded with various forenames; Sophie, Sophia, Jane, Jean, etc. Prior to her death she was known as 'Jane of Chilubi'.

  I have quite a lot of information on Sophia which I am currently putting together. I will post it on the forum in a few days.

 

Regards,

 

Alf McM