Did Families Visit the Wounded in Blighty?

[BaenandElspeth]

Did Army Hospitals in the UK allow or encourage family to visit?

[researchingreg]

Yes

When my uncle Reg, a pilot in the RFC, crashed at Spittlegate (Grantham) in March 1918 and was in the Belton Park military hospital there. The whole family came up from Cambridge, well his youngest brother, (my father), his parents and his younger sister (the other brothers were in the Army). He was in hospital for nearly 3 months and had fairly frequent visits. However when he first went into the hospital, some people thought he may die and nicked a lot of his personal stuff from the Hospital, which apparently happened quite a lot.

[Bob Davies]

Yes. If I may also add that when my Grandad, a private in the 5th Leicesters was wounded his mum had a telegram saying that she or another family member was able to visit him in hospital in France, from family stories I believe that one of his uncles did go to see him. He was wounded (GSWH) 1st March 1917 and was transported back over the channel 17th April 1917, to give you an idea of the time frame. I remember him telling me that he often had visitors while he was in hospital in England. Regards, Bob.