Norwegian Matron on Indian Hospital Ship

[alf mcm]

I am currently reading 'Fifty thousand miles on a Hospital Ship' by 'Padre'. It was published in 1917, and I am reading it on Kindle.

The author doesn't give many dates. He joined the Hospital Ship, bound for India at Southampton, probably mid or late 1915 . The ship sailed to Boulogne to pick up Indian casualties, and then to Marseilles to pick up more. Some Boulogne patiens who had recovered enough were disembarked at Boulogne, to be returned to the front line.

There are no names mentioned in the book, but the author records the Matron was Norwegian. There were 5 other Nurses and the author describes them as being clad in red and grey, so they were not Naval Nurses. The 6 Doctors were all from the Indian Medical Service, and there were also 6 Dressers {one was Indian} and some Indian Sub Assistant Surgeons.

 

Can anyone tell me the name of this ship?

 

I would also like to know the names of all the medical staff, but especially the Norwegian Matron.

 

Would anyone know who 'Padre' was?

 

Regards,

 

Alf McM

Edited 1 October , 2017 by alf mcm
Additional question

[MaureenE]

The book is available on Archive.org where the author is catalogued as Charles Steel Wallis

https://archive.org/details/fiftythousandmil00wall

Wikipedia page  C. S. Wallis

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._S._Wallis

 

 Initially I thought the following article was about the book, but I now think it's not, as there are too many differences. 

This link says the ship was the Marama but seems to imply the author was Chaplain-Captain Read.  The  Marama appears to be a New Zealand Hospital Ship, which doesn't seem to fit in with the Indian Medical Service.

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WH19170514.2.77?query=marama

Wanganui Herald [New Zealand] 14 May 1917

 

Cheers

Maureen

Edited 1 October , 2017 by Maureene

[alf mcm]

Thanks Maureen,

  I am sure I got the book from archive.org {some time ago} but couldn't find it there again when I looked.

  I am certain now that Charles Steel Wallis is 'Padre'.

  He never actually reached India. The ship had to disembark all passengers at Alexandria, then return to England.

 

Regards,

 

Alf McM

[seaJane]

Couple of records for him here: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q=Charles+Steel+Wallis+chaplains+wo

The Museum of Army Chaplaincy may have more:

 http://www.army.mod.uk/chaplains/23363.aspx

[alf mcm]

Thanks Seajane.

 

Charles Steel Wallis was gazetted as a Temporary Chaplain, 4th Class on 21st May 1915, effective from 7th May 1915. This gives an earliest date for his military career.

 

Regards,

 

Alf McM

[frev]

Hi Alf

 

The hospital ship that Padre Wallis joined in 1915 was most likely the Goorkha - she was an Indian ship run by the Indian Medical Corps and her matron was Fredrikke Wilhelmine Christopherson, who was serving with the QAIMNS, but had been born in Lyngor, Norway.

 

Cheers, Frev

[alf mcm]

Thanks Frev,

  Excellent information. I have just downloaded the War Diary for Goorkha {called Gurkha in the diary}. Unfortunately none of the medical or nursing staff are mentioned by name. The Colonel, who signed the War Diary, appears to be Patrick Balfour Haig {christened Patrick James Haig}. His details appear on the Roll of the Indian Medical Services on Ancestry.

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/61103/46173_302022005561_1742-00328?pid=3687&backurl=http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc%3DZjC1205%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource%26usePUBJs%3Dtrue%26indiv%3D1%26db%3DIndianMedicalService%26gss%3Dangs-d%26new%3D1%26msT%3D1%26MS_AdvCB%3D1%26gsln%3DHAIG%26gsln_x%3D1%26MSAV%3D2%26uidh%3D9y4%26rank%3D1%26pcat%3D37%26fh%3D6%26h%3D3687%26recoff%3D5%2018%26ml_rpos%3D7&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=ZjC1205&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true

 

The Padre is not mentioned, but it appears that by 1917 the ship carried a Roman Catholic Chaplain.

 

Regards,

Alf McM