Ww1 hospital in Lyme Regis ?

[Richard B]

One of the few things that my Grandfather ever said about his WW1 service was that he received a 'Blighty' wound whilst on the Western Front and was shipped back to England, where he was treated in a hospital in Lyme Regis. Looking online I've had absolutely no luck in finding such an establishment.

My Grandfather's service records were destroyed during the WW2 Blitz. I have checked with his old regiment (Durham Light Infantry) and also looked at the relevant battalion war diaries without any success.

Any information whatsoever would be greatly appreciated.

 

Many thanks.

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3 minutes ago, Richard B said:

One of the few things that my Grandfather ever said about his WW1 service was that he received a 'Blighty' wound whilst on the Western Front and was shipped back to England, where he was treated in a hospital in Lyme Regis. Looking online I've had absolutely no luck in finding such an establishment.

My Grandfather's service records were destroyed during the WW2 Blitz. I have checked with his old regiment (Durham Light Infantry) and also looked at the relevant battalion war diaries without any success.

Any information whatsoever would be greatly appreciated.

 

Many thanks.

Who is he and what was his service number ?

Craig

[Richard B]

Hi Craig,

 

my Grandfather was L/Corporal 28271 Alfred Bloomfield (sometimes misspelled as 'Broomfield').

 

I know that he originally enlisted into the 22nd Battalion D.L.I. in late 1915;  that he was subsequently transferred to the 18th Battalion D.L.I.  and ended the war in the 2nd Battalion D.L.I.

 

He did not mention where or when he was injured nor which battalion he was serving in when he sustained the wound.

 

Many thanks,

 

 

Richard.

 

[HERITAGE PLUS]

Richard

 

The hospital was probably  Uplyme VAD War Hospital, Rhode House, Rhode Hill, Uplyme, about 1.5 miles outside Lyme Regis.

 

The interior is shown on the cover of this document:

 

http://cms.prod.redcross.org.uk/~/media/BritishRedCross/Documents/Who we are/History and archives/List of auxiliary hospitals in the UK during the First World War.pdf

 

This is Rhode House today:

 

 

Dave

Edited 9 April , 2018 by HERITAGE PLUS
Additional text

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Newcastle Journal of 7 June 17 has him listed as a casualty with the DLI (no battalion shown).

Craig

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It looks like he was a Derby Scheme enlistment so probably not actually called up until June 1916 or slightly later.

Craig

[Richard B]

Craig,

 

many thanks for the information re. The Newcastle Journal. It has now given an approximate date for his injury which I never had (and probably would not have got close to getting). I will try and get a look at the paper archives myself.

 

As I mentioned earlier, my Grandfather served in three DLI battalions. He did say that he was demoted from the rank of corporal to private (for striking a sergeant who he claimed was a bully) and I presume that this may account for one of his transfers (?). Would I be correct in thinking that following his injury and recuperation in England he may have been moved again upon his return to France  ?

 

With regards to him being a Derby Scheme conscript I have often wondered about this. I believe that he joined up on or around that time however, as he was a Durham lad, would he have been lucky enough to be posted to his local regiment under the terms of the Derby Scheme ? I don't know if his army number signifies when he enlisted and unfortunately don't know enough about this to answer my own questions ! 

 

 

Dave,

 

thank you very much for the information regarding Uplyme hospital. Again, I would have struggled to get this information on my own.

It looks a truly magnificent building and no doubt would have left a lasting impression upon my grandfather if he was a patient there.

Do you know whether there would be any chance of local records about the casualties who use this facility still existing ? I cannot find anything online.

 

Thank you both once again,

 

 

Richard.

 

 

 

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As I mentioned earlier, my Grandfather served in three DLI battalions. He did say that he was demoted from the rank of corporal to private (for striking a sergeant who he claimed was a bully) and I presume that this may account for one of his transfers (?). 

Possibly, if a need to move men came up then it may have been seen as an expedient move.
 

Quote

Would I be correct in thinking that following his injury and recuperation in England he may have been moved again upon his return to France  ?

By that stage in the war that was most likely - earlier in the war men were sometimes sent back to the original battalion but this had petered off by 1916 (they didn't have time to hold a space for him coming back).

Craig

[Richard B]

Thanks Craig you've been a big help. It's much appreciated.

[kenf48]

16 hours ago, Richard B said:

I know that he originally enlisted into the 22nd Battalion D.L.I. in late 1915;  that he was subsequently transferred to the 18th Battalion D.L.I.  and ended the war in the 2nd Battalion D.L.I.

He did not mention where or when he was injured nor which battalion he was serving in when he sustained the wound.

 

 

 

 

He was in a Derby Scheme attested group of men (a/age 19) mobilised 21/22 January 1916.  The surviving records either side of him show ‘24th Battalion” (which according to the LLT was not formed).  In all probability he embarked Southampton with the main body of the 22nd Battalion on the 16 June 1916 disembarked Havre the following day. The 22nd Battalion as you are probably aware were Pioneers.  The war diary shows a few casualties owing to shelling from the 1st June 1917.

 

His MM gazeeted 21 October 1918 with 2nd Bn., general rule of thumb event occurred 3 months or so before Gazette date, so was back in France in the 2nd Bn around Summer 1918.

The 18th Bn was in the Middle East until  11 March 1918 when they landed in France. It therefore seems likely he was in the 22nd Bn when wounded in 1917.  It’s probable after recovering he was posted from the Depot in the U.K. to the 18th Bn but as often happened he may not have gone on active service with them but was posted to the 2nd Bn from the IBD in France.

12 hours ago, Richard B said:

 

With regards to him being a Derby Scheme conscript I have often wondered about this. I believe that he joined up on or around that time however, as he was a Durham lad, would he have been lucky enough to be posted to his local regiment under the terms of the Derby Scheme ?

 

 

One of the incentives offered for attestation under the Derby Scheme was an element of choice as to regiment, though not always honoured, especially on arrival in France.

 

Ken

[HERITAGE PLUS]

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Do you know whether there would be any chance of local records about the casualties who use this facility still existing ? I cannot find anything online.

 

Sorry I can't help on that one. Certainly not listed in the NA catalogue.

 

I can tell you that one of the Nurses at the Hospital was Isabella Lister a niece of the eminent Joseph Lister.

 

Dave

[Richard B]

Thanks very much Ken.

I'm in the position where I know a great deal about my Grandfather's service from 21st March 1918 onwards (as he said that he was

involved in an action at Morchies on The Somme front on the opening day of the Kaiserschlacht and that put him in the 2nd DLI , where he remained until after the Armistice) however I know next to nothing about his early service so hour information has been invaluable.

You are correct in your assumption of the time of his MM. It was for an action in the Ypres Salient on 14/7/18.

 

Richard.

 

 

Dave,

 

thanks also for taking the time to do more work on my behalf. You've been more than helpful and it is appreciated.

 

Richard.

[kenf48]

4 hours ago, Richard B said:

 

I'm in the position where I know a great deal about my Grandfather's service from 21st March 1918 onwards (as he said that he was

involved in an action at Morchies on The Somme front on the opening day of the Kaiserschlacht and that put him in the 2nd DLI , where he remained until after the Armistice) however I know next to nothing about his early service so hour information has been invaluable.

You are correct in your assumption of the time of his MM. It was for an action in the Ypres Salient on 14/7/18.

 

You're welcome.

I notice a number of references to the 2nd Battalion's 'Pioneer Platoon' in the diary. Perhaps he went there because he had a recognised skill as a Pioneer.

 

If you want to know about Pioneers in the GW, recommend 'Pioneer Battalions in the Great War' K.W. Mitchinson (there are a number of indexed references to 22 Bn DLI).

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pioneer-Battalions-Great-War-Mitchinson/dp/1783461799

(Bargain at £8!)

 

Ken

 

 

 

 

[Richard B]

Thanks again Ken.

Funnily enough he came from a mining family although he himself was an estate farm worker. He would have been used to hard manual work which I'm sure was a help in the type of work that the Pioneers did.

I'm sure that the majority of the Pioneers in the Battalion who actually came from Durham would have come from a similar background as my Grandfather.

I will try and get a copy of the book you mention to help expand my knowledge on the subject.

 

Richard.