Hospital/s near Kirechkoi-Hortakoi Military Cemetery in October 1918

[Clear Bell]

Any advice about tracking down which hospitals would have been able to use Kirechkoi for burials in the Autumn of 1918. The CWGC info suggests quite a few were up there because the area was relatively more comfortable than elsewhere, but I am, perhaps pointlessly, trying to track down a soldier from the 11 bn Worcestershire Regiment who was buried there in October 1918. I'll try and take a look at their WO when I get to TNA next week.

 

I know it is unlikely that I will find admission records for one individual soldier - but I want to give it a try. I can see the Director and Assistant Director of Medical Services records are down at TNA so might try and go through them. Has anyone consulted these? He died of dysentery so I am hoping there might be a specific set of records for a hospital for enteric conditions....anyone know about this?

 

Thanks as always.

[MBrockway]

See chapters II, III and IV of the Official History Medical Services: General History Vol IV - Medical Services in Gallipoli, Macedonia etc.

 

On-line here

Edited 2 June , 2018 by MBrockway

[Clear Bell]

Hi

Thanks.

 

Looks as if No.42 General Hospital is the most likely candidate -although perhaps be 48th/49th might be possibles. And there's was Convalescent depot on the road to Salonika "reserve from the enteric group of fevers".  I could see malarial cases peaked in October 1918 with many deaths and it seems influenza was gaining a foothold in the French troops...pretty awful month for illnesses it seems.

 

 

[apwright]

No.42 was miles away, down in the city. You should be looking at 60th, 61st & 80th General on the Hortiach Plateau.
Also maybe No.49 (Enteric & Infectious), which was in the general area, but 3 miles down a steep & winding road, so I'd guess it was probably easier to transport the dead from 49 downhill to Mikra than back up to Kirechkoi. (N.B. the map opposite p.98 in the Medical History shows 49 in the wrong location!)

 

Adrian

 

Edit: Just reread & noticed you said he died from dysentery, so No.49 is in fact more likely after all!

Edited 7 June , 2018 by apwright

[MBrockway]

Thanks Adrian - I was hoping you'd come along soon

 

Mark

[Clear Bell]

Thanks to everyone for help in narrowing down records to consult.

 

Am still working out what would be best way to follow up the research I did this week. Went down the TNA and consulted the 49th General Hospital records and, yes, it mentions the large numbers of those suffering from various kinds of dysentery and other enteric conditions but the diary rarely mentions individuals - which is entirely to be expected. Then I looked at the Field Ambulance records for 78, 79 and 80 FA - but they don't contain the kind of information that I need.

 

Then I consulted the 42nd General Hospital records (WO 95/4934) just on the off chance and, yes, found a record specifying the death of the soldier I am researching, 30177 Pte.Walter Robertshaw, who died on 12 October 1918.

 

There is no record of his admission to the 42nd and its entirely possible he was brought there from the 49th (don't know how to investigate this), but Lt. Col. E.W. Siberry (RAMC) - the writer of diary for the 42nd at this time - provides really clearly written entries (and a good plan of the hospital, labs, stores, and so on): he seems to have taken over command in June 1918 and he records the names of each death at the hospital (with their solider number and a statement of cause of death). Would be interested to find out more about this officer....

 

From war gratuity calculations I think Robertshaw was conscripted in June 1916, but as his service record has been lost, I can't be sure of when he arrived in Salonika and whether he fought in any of the operations there, any episodes of illness he might have suffered - apart from this last awful occurrence. As always, lots of leads to try and follow up...

[BGS]

Walter Robertshaw was an Bradford Grammar School Old Boy - I am engaged in a project to write biographies of all the Old Bradfordians who died in WW!. I will be happy to exchange with you what I have - I have just up-dated the biography I composed a couple of years ago.

My email is Nhooper1956@googlemail.com.

[Gardenerbill]

Hi BGS a word of caution; it's not wise to post your email address in an open forum best to send via a PM (see letter icon top right)