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Remembered Today:

help translating service records please


tamiwell

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Hello,

I was wondering if anyone could help me translate what the last part of this soldiers records meant?  John Reed (1167) was an Australian soldier who served with the 1st Australian Stationary Hospital on Lemnos.  After Lemnos he was attached to the 3rd Australian Auxillary Hospital (1ASH renamed as such) but he suffered from illness a couple of times, and in the end was sent home 'for change' post cerebro spinal meningitis.  This was the illness he was admitted to Tidworth Hospital for.  What do the entries following this mean?  Was he then taken to Hitchen (?) as a patient or was he serving in the medical unit there?  Then it mentions Weymouth...I'm not sure what those entries mean re his movements?  I would really appreciate help to understand this, thank you!

Pte Reed service page.png

service record Reed1.png

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I read

 

4.1.17  Admitted Titworth Hospital seriously ill

29.1.17 Transferred to Hitchin  (Hitchin [something] hospital)

16.7.17 Discharged to Weymouth

 

Looks like he was "progressing favorably on 17.1.17, declared  "convalescent" on 24.1.17, and returned back in Oz on 24.10.17

 

Hope that helps?

 

Edited by JWK
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27 minutes ago, JWK said:

(Hitchin [something] hospital)

 

I think that's (Hitchin Milty Hospital) abbreviated, Mil<i>t<ar>y.

 

 

Edited by seaJane
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6 minutes ago, seaJane said:

 

I think that's (Hitchin Milty Hospital) abbreviated, Mil<i>t<ar>y.

 

 

 

Ah yes, nów I see it too!

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Can anyone tell me about Hitchin Hospital?  I can't find anything online and I'm not sure why he would have been transferred there from Tidworth?  It seems odd that he was sick for so long (7 or 8 months!)

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And the last entry on that page (dated 22.7.17) states that the B213 report (which was the form about the effective strength of a unit) was from "No. 2 C D".  It would appear that No. 2 Command Depot for the ANZACs had been established at Weymouth (see for example weymouthAnzacs.moonfruit.com) so he does not appear to have been fit enough for active service at that time. 

 

David.

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1 hour ago, tamiwell said:

Can anyone tell me about Hitchin Hospital?  I can't find anything online and I'm not sure why he would have been transferred there from Tidworth?  It seems odd that he was sick for so long (7 or 8 months!)

 

It seems a long time to us but remember this is the pre-antibiotic age and convalescing took a very long time indeed, especially if you were "seriously ill" to start with. I haven't caught up with the rest of the thread but if Tidworth was a garrison hospital it probably couldn't afford to have someone blocking a bed long term. When it came to moving someone out I think they would have gone for the hospital with room and/or facilities, although 100 miles does seem a long way to send someone ...

 

I've had a cursory look online and found a postcard for sale on e-bay. It does have a somewhat convalescent-home look with the verandahs and balconies.

Hitchin.jpg

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More: looks as if it is now Pinehill Hospital, a private hospital on Benslow Lane, Hitchin, according to this link: https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/sites/northherts-cms/files/hitchin_register_of_buildings_of_local_interest__0.pdf

 

 

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John Reed was very very fortunate to survive a bout of meningitis. It is possible that the infection caused one or more neurological problems, depending on how many nerves were affected as they pass through the meningeal membrane. The effects of nerve damage could easily have taken many months to recover sufficient function to be discharged. He may have suffered from the general effects of blood poisoning associated with the meningeal infection. There are several scenarios that could have contributed to prolonged hospitalisation and rehabilitation.

 

Robert

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