Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Bangour War Hospital Edinburgh


Gaz Edwards

Recommended Posts

Help Please

 

I am researching my Great Grandfather, Pte A. Edwards 5697 12th Bn Manchester Regt.

 

He was wounded 29/30 Dec 1915, whilst at a rest camp in Busseboom, Ypres.

 

The only information I have after that date, is a post card from Bangour War Hospital Edinburgh.

 

Can anyone help please, does anyone have access to the admission records for Bangour War Hospital Edinburgh, or any medical information about him.

 

Thank you for 

Gary

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gaz,

   It probably means Depot {Manchester Regiment}. He would not be physically at the Depot, it's more of a clerical arrangement. They could look after his pay, location etc. easier than 12th Battalion.

 

Regards,

 

Alf McM

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, alf mcm said:

Gaz,

   It probably means Depot {Manchester Regiment}. He would not be physically at the Depot, it's more of a clerical arrangement. They could look after his pay, location etc. easier than 12th Battalion.

 

Regards,

 

Alf McM

Alf thank you 

 

I find this fascinating, but frustrating, the trail goes cold after he is wounded.  Did The hospital have a No as there is nothing on the name search in the war diaries?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's a record of him on FMP being admitted to 51st Field Ambulance Hospital on 22 Dec and being discharged on the same day to another hospital (name not specified).

51st FieldAmbulance.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are a very few records for Bangour War Hospital in the MH 106 file at Kew, though unfortunately your great-grandfather isn't included:

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q="bangour+war+hospital"&_sd=&_ed=&_hb=

Most of the wartime hospitals cleared their admissions records in the early 20s owing to the huge amount of material.

 

His Medal Index Card is here, downloadable for free at present: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D3439171

 

Here are some pages about the hospital:

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/the-evacuation-chain-for-wounded-and-sick-soldiers/military-hospitals-in-the-british-isles-1914-1918/bangour-war-hospital-1914-1918/

https://www.edinburghs-war.ed.ac.uk/WestLothian/Casualties-War-Hospitals/Bangour-Fauldhouse-Ward

https://www.broxburnanduphall.com/index.php/pictures/bangour

 

I see from Nicholas Murray's The red sweet wine of youth that another patient at Bangour was composer and poet Ivor Gurney.

 

sJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, seaJane said:

There are a very few records for Bangour War Hospital in the MH 106 file at Kew, though unfortunately your great-grandfather isn't included:

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q="bangour+war+hospital"&_sd=&_ed=&_hb=

Most of the wartime hospitals cleared their admissions records in the early 20s owing to the huge amount of material.

 

His Medal Index Card is here, downloadable for free at present: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D3439171

 

Here are some pages about the hospital:

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/a-soldiers-life-1914-1918/the-evacuation-chain-for-wounded-and-sick-soldiers/military-hospitals-in-the-british-isles-1914-1918/bangour-war-hospital-1914-1918/

https://www.edinburghs-war.ed.ac.uk/WestLothian/Casualties-War-Hospitals/Bangour-Fauldhouse-Ward

https://www.broxburnanduphall.com/index.php/pictures/bangour

 

I see from Nicholas Murray's The red sweet wine of youth that another patient at Bangour was composer and poet Ivor Gurney.

 

sJ

SJ

 

Thank you for all your help, much appreciated

 

Gaz

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Gaz Edwards said:

Alf thank you 

 

I find this fascinating, but frustrating, the trail goes cold after he is wounded.  Did The hospital have a No as there is nothing on the name search in the war diaries?

 Gaz,

  Bangour wasn't in a theatre of war, so there are no War Diaries. It was officially known as Edinburgh War Hospital, Bangour from May 1915. Previous to this it was the specialy built Edinburgh District Asylum, Bangour {opened 1904}. A railway spur was built to transport stone for the buildings, and this was probably a major factor in the Asylum becoming a War Hospital. Military patients would usually be shipped across from France in a Hospital Ship.Patients would then be put on an Ambulance Train and would get to Bangour later the same day. They would be offloaded at Bangour's own railway station and be transported to their wards {mostly in the Asylum Villas} initially by the male Voluntary Aid Detachments of Edinburgh and Bathgate, and latterly by the Detachments from Bathgate and Uphall.

  From May 1915 until November Bangour treated 32,981 patients. Off these, only 158 died, including 2 Officers. 6 men from various Battalions of the Manchester Reginment died at Bangour.

  Most of the buildings at Bangour still existed until earlier this year when 'developers' moved in. Previous to this anyone could walk around the grounds.  Alfred would probably have lived in one of the villas shown in this video of Bangour from a drone {courtesey youtube}.

 

Regards,

 

Alf McM

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...