Harefield Hospital

[Chi1]

We have recently unearthed some interesting family photos, many army based and this one amongst them. Unfortunately, many have no names/regiments or places written on them. Our family had some Australian connections and I believe one of our relations Reginald Stringer was very likely the connection to this photo as he was over here in the Great War. From what I can find it seems there were a few Australian hospitals here, though Harefield was the largest. Would be very interested to hear from anyone with more knowledge of the Australian hospitals over here at the time.

[moggs]

Hi Chi1 and welcome to the forum.

 

Can't help you with the photo itself but I have some information about Harefield.  My Grandpa, Ted Graham, was a bugler there for many months in 1917 as he recovered from a wound.  There is a history of Harefield House as a hospital during the war in the AWM resource centre.  You'd have to go there to access it.  It's very good.

 

All the best

 

Jonathan

[Chi1]

Hi Jonathan,

 

Many thanks for your reply and information, i'll definitely take a look at that.

 

Cindy

[frev]

Hi Cindy, and welcome to the forum...

 

Of the three Reginald Stringers that enlisted in the AIF in WW1, only one served overseas - that was Reginald James Stringer (6192) - born in Qld, the son of Henry Alfred - his service record here:

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8094628

He was never at the Harefield Hospital - but was at the 3rd of the Aussie Auxiliary Hospitals in 1918 - ie. the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital (AAH) at Dartford

 

The 3 Aussie Auxiliary Hospitals in the UK were:

1st AAH, Harefield

2nd AAH, Southall

3rd AAH, Dartford

 

Cheers, Frev

[Chi1]

Thanks Frev, I had just discovered that I could access them last night. Really pleased to find so much information. I've been digging around for photos of Dartford but can find no photos of interiors that look like this, will keep looking though.

 

Cindy

[frev]

In case you didn't find the interior photos in the AWM collection - they're here:

https://www.awm.gov.au/search/all/?query=hospital+dartford&op=Search&format=list&rows=20&search-check-all=1&section[0]=collections&filter[type]=Photograph

[Chi1]

Thanks Frev. Yes I had found them and had looked through all the possible hospitals including Hurdcott. I went to have a look at the original photo last night and discovered there's an embossed address within it from a Middlesex photographer who was based just a few miles from Harefield, so I'm still thinking that he must have spent some time there at some point..or was visiting someone there. It's a bit of a mystery.

 

Thanks for your help,

 

Cindy