familyhistoryman Posted 9 March , 2018 Share Posted 9 March , 2018 I am trying to find the ship that was used to transport the injuried from Salonika to Malta on 27 Jan 1917. According to the notes my grandfather made (see below) he sailed from Salonika and arrived Malta on 31Jan. This may be a long shot but I there are some knowledgeable members on the Form Regards Tony George William SNAPE (1889 – 1967) Private East Lancashire Regiment 3rd Bn (No. 23082) Married 17 Jul 1915 to Nancy Alice Duxbury at Redearth Road Methodist Church, Darwen Enlisted Blackburn 10 Dec 1915 Home 8 May 1916 to 28 Sep 1916 Salonica 29 Sep 1916 Discharged 22 Nov 1918 British Ward Medal Victory Medal Silver War Badge Medical History as recorded by GWS 9 Jan 1917 Admitted into 68th Field Ambulance at SNEFKI 12 Jan 1917 Admitted into JANICE Casualty Clearing Station 13 Jan 1917 Admitted into 4th Canadian General Hospital 27 Jan 1917 Left SALONICA 31 Jan 1917 Admitted into St Patricks Hospita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pagius Posted 9 March , 2018 Share Posted 9 March , 2018 Hi Tony Looks like it was the RFA Maine . This page http://historicalrfa.org/ships-starting-with-m/1897-rfa-maine-3 says 27 January 1917 sailed Salonika with 1 patient 31 January 1917 berthed at Hamilton Wharf, Malta patient discharged So it would appear that your grandfather was that 1 patient! I notice he was sent to St Patrick's Hospital on arrival in Malta, so may I direct you to my cousin's photo album that I've posted to my family website. Mary Muscat nursed at the temporary tented hospital St Patrick's from start to finish (closed Apr 1917) and most of the 400+ photos are of St Patrick's. She names many of the soldiers she nursed. On a quick scan I can't see any Snapes but you may well find your grandfather in the album. If not , you will at least get an idea of what St Patrick's was like. I know roughly where St Patrick's was (NE of Naxxar) but haven't been able to work out the exact footprint. There are tantalising clues in the photos but haven't pinned it down yet. http://agiusww1.com/mary-muscat-2/ And this page tells of St Patrick's if you scroll down about half-way.... http://maltaramc.com/articles/contents/greatwar.html Did your grandfather leave any more detail about the trip from Salonika and his time in Malta? best wishes Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pagius Posted 9 March , 2018 Share Posted 9 March , 2018 I think it still had it's original name of HMHS Panama up to 1920. 25 July 1915 chartered by the Admiralty for service as a Hospital Ship name unchanged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pagius Posted 9 March , 2018 Share Posted 9 March , 2018 This thread on GWF from 2009! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyhistoryman Posted 9 March , 2018 Author Share Posted 9 March , 2018 9 minutes ago, pagius said: Hi Tony Looks like it was the RFA Maine . This page http://historicalrfa.org/ships-starting-with-m/1897-rfa-maine-3 says 27 January 1917 sailed Salonika with 1 patient 31 January 1917 berthed at Hamilton Wharf, Malta patient discharged So it would appear that your grandfather was that 1 patient! I notice he was sent to St Patrick's Hospital on arrival in Malta, so may I direct you to my cousin's photo album that I've posted to my family website. Mary Muscat nursed at the temporary tented hospital St Patrick's from start to finish (closed Apr 1917) and most of the 400+ photos are of St Patrick's. She names many of the soldiers she nursed. On a quick scan I can't see any Snapes but you may well find your grandfather in the album. If not , you will at least get an idea of what St Patrick's was like. I know roughly where St Patrick's was (NE of Naxxar) but haven't been able to work out the exact footprint. There are tantalising clues in the photos but haven't pinned it down yet. http://agiusww1.com/mary-muscat-2/ And this page tells of St Patrick's if you scroll down about half-way.... http://maltaramc.com/articles/contents/greatwar.html Did your grandfather leave any more detail about the trip from Salonika and his time in Malta? best wishes Peter Peter Many thanks for your reply and I would not believe the detail you have supplied. Like many men he never talked about his time in the War only that he was kicked by a mule. Once he returned to England he made some notes of the time in Salonika and Malta and his journey home. You can see them on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pagius Posted 9 March , 2018 Share Posted 9 March , 2018 Interesting... 31 Jan 1917 Admitted into St Patricks Hospital at MALTA 28 Apr 1917 Admitted into Ghain Tuffieha Camp 2 May 1917 Admitted into Imtarfa Hospital 2 Aug 1917 Left Imtarfa Hosptial 3 Aug 1917 Malta Harbour at 9am So that 28 Apr date is the one given for the closure of St Patrick's . He was then moved to another tented hospital , Ghain Tuffieha, before the solid building that is Imtarfa Hospital, near the Imtarfa Barracks where 3 of my g-uncles were stationed before going to the western front /Gallipoli. Imtarfa H is now a school but my aunt was a VAD there in WW2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyhistoryman Posted 9 March , 2018 Author Share Posted 9 March , 2018 27 minutes ago, pagius said: Interesting... 31 Jan 1917 Admitted into St Patricks Hospital at MALTA 28 Apr 1917 Admitted into Ghain Tuffieha Camp 2 May 1917 Admitted into Imtarfa Hospital 2 Aug 1917 Left Imtarfa Hosptial 3 Aug 1917 Malta Harbour at 9am So that 28 Apr date is the one given for the closure of St Patrick's . He was then moved to another tented hospital , Ghain Tuffieha, before the solid building that is Imtarfa Hospital, near the Imtarfa Barracks where 3 of my g-uncles were stationed before going to the western front /Gallipoli. Imtarfa H is now a school but my aunt was a VAD there in WW2. Peter I have notes my grandfather made of his journey from Malta back to England via France. As I am away from home I will post them as soon as I can. My grandfather was always a proud Darwener and whilst in Malta a nurse asked him where he was from but she had never heard of Darwen. The way he explained the location was to say that Blackburn and Bolton were suburbs of Darwen. He used the way of explaining the location of the town for the rest of his life. I wonder if that nurse could have been your relative? Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 9 March , 2018 Share Posted 9 March , 2018 Any chance the Ghain Tuffieha hotel was converted into the hospital? http://www.talhandaqnostalgia.org/gallery/displayimage.php?album=search&cat=0&pid=4978#top_display_media Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pagius Posted 9 March , 2018 Share Posted 9 March , 2018 (edited) 59 minutes ago, seaJane said: Any chance the Ghain Tuffieha hotel was converted into the hospital? http://www.talhandaqnostalgia.org/gallery/displayimage.php?album=search&cat=0&pid=4978#top_display_media Ghain Tuffieha hospital was a temporary tented hospital similar to St Patrick's . The photo on your link is the Farsons Brewery built in 1950 on the site of an earlier brewery. Still exists as a brewery.... Edited 9 March , 2018 by pagius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 9 March , 2018 Share Posted 9 March , 2018 13 hours ago, familyhistoryman said: 9 Jan 1917 Admitted into 68th Field Ambulance at SNEFKI 12 Jan 1917 Admitted into JANICE Casualty Clearing Station Hi Tony, SNEFKi is probably SNEVCE a village which is behind the lines in the Krusha hills sector of the line East of Lake Doiran, and JANICE is Janes or Yanesh not too far away from SNEVCE but further back from the front line towards Salonika, the 31st Casualty Clearing Station was at Janes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 9 March , 2018 Share Posted 9 March , 2018 Tony, Are you sure that your Grandfather was in the 3rd Battalion East Lancs, the 9th Battalion East Lancs were the only East Lancs battalion to serve in Salonika. On the 27th December 'D' Company attacked the Hodza Redoubt in the Butkovo valley, one soldier died in tha action, one officer and four other ranks were severely injured and 15 other ranks were slightly wounded. The wounded from this action would most likely have been taken from the regimenal aid post to the nearest field ambulance and SNEVCE was nearby, I think it is highly likely that your Grandfather took part in this action and was one of the wounded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retlaw Posted 9 March , 2018 Share Posted 9 March , 2018 The 3rd East Lancs was a Reserve Battalon stationed at Saltburn, 1000's of men went thro there, and hundreds if not more, although they had 3rd written on their papers if they had been wounded, and posted back to England for hospital treatment, were posted else where on recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyhistoryman Posted 10 March , 2018 Author Share Posted 10 March , 2018 Hi My grandfather’s army record has servived and it shows he joined under the Derby Scheme. He was first posted to the 3rd ELR (10th seems to be first written but crossed out). He was then transferred to the 9th when he sailed for Salonika. When he returned home, injuried, he was transferred back to the 3rd and was finally posted to Saltburn. As only 1 patient was sailed from Salonika on 27 Jan 1917 could it be that there was only one fit enough to travel or he was seriously ill they needed to transfer him to a better equipped hospital. Or am I reading too much into it? Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pagius Posted 10 March , 2018 Share Posted 10 March , 2018 Looking at the HMHS Panama record... 19 December 1916 arrived at Stavros, Greece 27 January 1917 sailed Salonika with 1 patient 31 January 1917 berthed at Hamilton Wharf, Malta patient discharged 2 February 1917 at Hamilton Wharf, Malta commenced embarking patients leaving for England - 11 patients and 7 passengers together with four prisoners of war - 3 Austrian and 1 German - all 4 being mental patients. Sailed Malta 6 February 1917 berthed at Gibraltar. Sailed Gibraltar 7 February 1917 at Sea. One of the Austrian mental patients at exercise on deck threw himself overboard. He had previously been fitted with a life jacket. A boat was lowered and the patient was recovered within 12 minutes 11 February 1917 anchored off Netley in Southampton Water. Patients discharged It would appear that the Panama had been temporarily diverted from cross-channel duty to do some ferrying off Greece. Then called home via Malta to collect some patients destined for England. So it looks like your grandfather was put on this boat to get away to convalesce in Malta. As far as I can make out, St Patrick's was was for the less serious cases (who would have gone to one of the permanent hospitals). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyhistoryman Posted 10 March , 2018 Author Share Posted 10 March , 2018 Many thanks for the information. I only found the notes my grandfather made after he died in the mid 1960s Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyhistoryman Posted 10 March , 2018 Author Share Posted 10 March , 2018 Details after arriving in Malta are 31 Jan 1917 Admitted into St Patricks Hospital at MALTA 28 Apr 1917 Admitted into Ghain Tuffieha Camp 2 May 1917 Admitted into Imtarfa Hospital 2 Aug 1917 Left Imtarfa Hosptial 3 Aug 1917 Malta Harbour at 9am 6 Aug 1917 Arrived (sic) Marsailes Stayed overnight on board 7 Aug 1917 Left (sic) Marsailes by Hospital train 9 Aug 1917 Arrived Le Harve Docks 10 Aug 1917 Left Le Harve Docks 11 Aug 1917 Arrived Southampton Docks 6am 11 Aug 1917 Arrived 2nd Western General Hospital, Sockport 15 Aug 1917 Arrived Timberhurst Hospital, Bury 22 Oct 1917 Had Medical Board at Manchester 7 Nov 1917 Left Timberhurst Hospital, Bury Have you any details of the ship he may have sailed on from Malta? Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 10 March , 2018 Share Posted 10 March , 2018 Hi Tony, I can't help with the ship details, but I have done quite extensive research on the 9th East Lancs, my Grandfather served with them, so happy to help if you need it. Also if you haven't already seen it there is a lot of information on the 9th East Lancs in the Salonika and the Balkans sub forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyhistoryman Posted 10 March , 2018 Author Share Posted 10 March , 2018 1 hour ago, Gardenerbill said: Hi Tony, I can't help with the ship details, but I have done quite extensive research on the 9th East Lancs, my Grandfather served with them, so happy to help if you need it. Also if you haven't already seen it there is a lot of information on the 9th East Lancs in the Salonika and the Balkans sub forum. Just to let you know that my grandfather, George William Snape, arrived in Salonkia on 29 Sep 1916 Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 10 March , 2018 Share Posted 10 March , 2018 There is a record in the battalion war diary dated 12th October 1916 that shows a draft of 154 men arrived from the 3rd Battalion. That ties in nicely with your service record that shows him arriving in theatre 29 Sep 1916 (at Salonika) the draft would have been billeted at Summer Hill a holding camp and it typically took about two weeks from arrival to joining the battalion at the front. The 9th EL had lost a number of men at the battle of Macukovo (13th/14th September) and this is the first draft of replacements. My Grandfather arrived a month later with the second draft of 96 men. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyhistoryman Posted 10 March , 2018 Author Share Posted 10 March , 2018 Many thanks for the additional information Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 26 July , 2019 Share Posted 26 July , 2019 I am trying to find a ships name where a royal welch fusulliers wife would have given birth while he was stationed in malta my grandfathers names was robert charles broadhurst (23rd Foot) his wife was kate broadhurst (pearce) the baby was my grandmother gertrude millicent broadhurst born on board this vessel ???? on 1 september 1897 any info would be greatly appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaureenE Posted 28 July , 2019 Share Posted 28 July , 2019 (edited) You could look at the FIBIS Fibiwiki page "Births, marriages and deaths at sea" for some information about available records https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Births,_marriages_and_deaths_at_sea If she was travelling with her husband at the time, there might be something in the National Archives record WO 379/11 Stations of regiments 1859-1900. These records are part of the WO 379 series "Disposition and Movement of Regiment, Returns and Papers (Regimental Records)" Cheers Maureen Edit There is some general information about the regiment in the link http://maltaramc.com/regmltgar/2nd23rd.html The 1897 birth is mentioned in the GRO Army Births Volume 1316, page 100 for 1897 Malta. You could request a copy from the GRO, fee applies, but whether it would give the ship's name I do not know. For more details, see the FIBIS Fibiwiki page Chaplains Returns https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Chaplains_Returns Edited 28 July , 2019 by Maureene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
familyhistoryman Posted 28 July , 2019 Author Share Posted 28 July , 2019 On 26/07/2019 at 12:54, vivienne said: I am trying to find a ships name where a royal welch fusulliers wife would have given birth while he was stationed in malta my grandfathers names was robert charles broadhurst (23rd Foot) his wife was kate broadhurst (pearce) the baby was my grandmother gertrude millicent broadhurst born on board this vessel ???? on 1 september 1897 any info would be greatly appreciated Hi You will find the birth registration on the Army Birth & Baptism Register that is on Findmypast at: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=BMD%2FOVS%2FREG1%2F000320&parentid=BMD%2FOVS%2FREG1%2F000320%2F041 If you apply for the birth certificate it may give you the name of the ship Regards, Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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