No. 2 Australian Stationary Hospital, Egypt

[Mat McLachlan]

Probably a bit of a long shot, but does anyone have any information about the No. 2 Australian Stationary Hospital in El Arish? I've found some info in the Official History, but any other information would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Mat

[Andrew P]

Probably a bit of a long shot, but does anyone have any information about the No. 2 Australian Stationary Hospital in El Arish? I've found some info in the Official History, but any other information would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Mat

Hi Mat

I've got a copy of a diary of a chap who was in the 2nd ASH from formation through Gallipoli and was with them till around mid 1916 when he transferred to an artillery unit going to the Western Front.

This may be a bit early for you though if you are after information on them being in El Arish?

Regards

Andrew

[Mat McLachlan]

Andrew,

That might be a big help mate. I'm looking for information from about January 1916 onwards. The 2nd ASH was set up at El Arish for the Gaza fighting in March 1917 but I'm interested to know its operations before then.

Anything interesting you can tell me from January 1916 onwards?

Mat

[Guest steveb21]

Mate,

I know this hosp was raised in Western Australia and served at Lemnos Island during the Gallipoli fighting.

I have a nominal roll of all soldiers that served in the Hospital during the war but unable to give any movement details after 1915.

But I think the main hosp remainded in Cairo but detachments of the 14 AGH moved behind the front to El Arish but weather the 2 ASH did I am unsure.

S.B

[Andrew P]

Andrew,

That might be a big help mate. I'm looking for information from about January 1916 onwards. The 2nd ASH was set up at El Arish for the Gaza fighting in March 1917 but I'm interested to know its operations before then.

Anything interesting you can tell me from January 1916 onwards?

Mat

Hi Mat

I'll check out the diary tonight and let you know.

Cheers

Andrew

The photo is of Colonel White who raised the 2nd ASH. He was later 2nd in charge of medical services for the 3rd Division.

[Andrew P]

Hi Mat

A short run down on Ernest 'Reg' Evans diary

At Gallipoli the unit was initially split between various tasks such as beach parties at Anzac & Helles, working on hospital ships, transferring patients between shore and ship & working in hospitals at Lemnos. Finally the unit was concentrated at Lemnos.

By New years eve 1916 most of the patients had been evacuated from Lemnos. In early January 1916 they were still on Lemnos where the hospitals staged several dances and sporting events.

They sailed for Alexandria on the 17th of January. Sunday the 23rd the unit left Alexandria for 'Gabarri A Camp' for a short stay before getting the train to Tel-el-Kebir. It seems like a lot of leave was then granted to Cairo.

In early February Reg Evans makes a request to transfer to the 5th Division but when this was knocked back he then asked to be paraded before the ADMS to have his application heard

In early March the unit was still in Tel-el-Kebir when Evans was posted to the 24th Howitzer Bde.

There doesn't seem to be much more info after that on the 2nd ASH. Sorry but it doesn't help you to much I guess. Evans didn't write much at all about Tel-el-Kebir.

Regards

Andrew

[domsim]

Mat

There are a lot of photographs of the unit on the Australian War Memorial site. You might get some dates etc. from the captions.

Home page:

Australian war memorial

Hit collections search to get to search engine then type in 'stationary hospital' and you get about 120 hits. They also include diaries in the collection which might help.

Cheers

Dominic

[Chris Best]

Dominic

Thank you so much for introducing us to this site - just at the time I'm to prepapre a lecture on medical support on the Peninsula and for a tour there later this autumn.

When will the Brits catch up?

Chris

[Guest CGI]

Mat,

Found the following in an overview of all hospitals that took wounded from Gallipoli :

No.2 Australian Stationary Hospital – Originally located at Mena Camp in Egypt, where it was concerned with the treatment of venereal diseases. Later it moved to East Mudros on the island of Lemnos, then to West Mudros on August 1915. The hospital originally had 624 beds, but later expanded to 1,200 beds.

CGI

[Chris Best]

Matt

Can you access Butler's OHG of the AAMS 14-18 Vol I?

P 110 - 17/4/15 - unexpected order, 2 ASH to be sent to Lemnos at once.

P489 - Jun 16 - on Canal in sp of Lt Horse.

P557 - MKar 16 - 2 ASH remains in Egypt, with others, to sp rump of forces fol departure of AIF for France.

P 646 - Aug 16 - unit reserved for mounted tps and moved to Port Said.

P 757 - 1917-18 - Transit Camp at Suez - Dec 17 - Jun 18, 53 VD cases sent direct from transports to 2 ASH.

P 772 - 1916 - 1919 - a discussion and stats on VD rates and use of 2 ASH as a VD centre.

777 - 1919 - 14 AGH takes over responsibility for VD. In Apr, 2 ASH clkeared cases to Cairo and closed down.

P 827 - Mar 15 - Staff: OC, Lt Col A T White, Majs G W Barber, B T Zwar,

; Capts A R Haynes, V O Stacy, E J F Deakin, W C Sawers; ands QM Capt A E Clarke.

P 61 - Jan 15 - Disembarking on 22nd, sited adjacent to 2 AGH (at Mena) and allocated responsibility for VD. On 26th 151 cases admitted and armewd gd posted!!By 30th, hospital full with 300 cases and 150 more awaiting admission. Medics get tough!

P 86 - Mar 15 - Mena, 4th March, warned for overseas ops; unit closed by 6th awaiting orders.

P 98 - Apr 15 - Mena, 2nd Apr, Birdwood's MovO received. Shortly after, 2 ASH moved to Zeitoun where it remained packed awaiting detailed mov instr.

P 102 - 5 Apr 15 - SG Birrell proposed that 2 ASH (with others) be deployed to LEMNOS.

P 173 - circa 204 Apr + - appears that 2 ASH (or elements of) had been placed aboard the HINDOO which was to serve as a hosp ship in sp of the landings. In the event, HINDOO was 'lost' for a couple of days. @discovered' lying of Helles on 29th Apr. ". . . the two sects of 2 ASH were transferred to 2 selected transports. On the foirst (the DEVANHA) at a few hours notice wounded arrived continuously till May 2nd, when she sailed for Egypt."

P 173 - 4 May 15 - B Sect 2 ASH placed on GLOUCESTER CASTLE which left [theatre] on 7th May withg 765 [casualties]. . . .

P 192 - May 15 - . . ./ . andarrived [in Egypt] on 9th May with the last wounded from the landing op.

P 217 - 24 May 15 - 2 ASH, with 2 BGHs, aboard 18,000 ton FRANCONIA as a floating hosp in Mudros Bay.

P220 - Jun 15 - during 1st week, units from FRANCONIA estb ashore at Mudros beside 1 AGH and Indian Fd Amb.

P 225 -by 31st Jul 15 - 2396 admissions.

P 285 - 3 Aug 15, Mudros - DDMS LofC orders expansion of hosps, 2 ASH from 200 beds to 1000 'without addition to staff'!!!

P 286 - 3 Aug 15 - 1 ASH take over from 2 ASH who prep for mov to West Mudros on 4 Aug 15.

P 336 - 6 Aug 15 - opened Lemnos, received 100 cas. Treating 763 by 13th Aug 15.

P 386 (note) - Aug 15 - expansion of 2 ASH by British 'B' class infantrymen under orders of nursing sisters and trained orderlies.

P 388 - Oct 15 - Lemnos - 2 ASH occupied 60 large marqees. Staff incl 25 nursing sisters making some 130 Aus nurses now on the island.

P446 - 20 Jan 16 - 2ASH arrives Egypt.

P 474 - 29 Jan 16 - Opens with400 beds at Tel el Kebir.

P 600 - 14 to 21st May 16 - 33 heat casualty admissions 921 on 16th alone).

P 591 - 23 Dec 16 - Sinai Peninsula, operations against Turks. 2 ASH at Mahemdia with 800 beds.

P 618 - 10 Mar 17 - 2 ASH estb at El Arish in prep for Battle of Gaza.

P 653 - Sep 16 - Oct 17 - "For a time 2 ASH - throughout the campaign at the disposal of British HQ - was used on the LofC. This was transferred from Port Said to Mahemdia near Romani - where for 4 months it had little to do - and in March 1917, was moved to El Arish, where the unit acted as the principal clearing centre for all fmns in the First and Second Battles of Gaza. Thereafter, for reasons relating chiefly to the requirements of Australian sick at the base, but entailing personal involvement that caused considerable feeling at the time, the unit was moved to Moascar, the Australian Trg Centre, where it serves as the camp hospital"

P 768 is table of admissions through 1919.

If I can't attach phjotos, I'' try to Email tomorrow.

Hope this helps

regards

Chris Best

[gerryl]

Dear Mat,

I have information on the x-rays used at 2 ASH. If you are interested drop my a note. Appart of the loads of information suplies so far I can not add anything. My information came from records at the Australian War Memorial: record AWM224 M55424 which is a report on x-rays, AWM41 440 a letter to Col. Butler about radiology at war.

Regards

Gerryl

[domsim]

Dominic

Thank you so much for introducing us to this site - just at the time I'm to prepapre a lecture on medical support on the Peninsula and for a tour there later this autumn.

When will the Brits catch up?

Chris

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Chris

Dpon't know if you've seen this but just been doing a trawl of Imperial war Museum stuff and found this which might be useful for you. Bit of a long quote!

"2003-06-03 EDWARDS JOHN MARTIN (PRIVATE)

Two albums containing 525 photographs and 4 loose prints covering the service of Pte J M Edwards with the Lowland Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance (RAMC) in the Gallipoli, Salonika and Palestine Campaigns during WWI.

Gallipoli material includes the Field Ambulance camp at 'C' Beach, Suvla Bay, the Ambulance's Advanced Dressing Station (ADS) near Chocolate Hill, and groups of officers and men of the unit (named officers: Major Beadles, Capt Findlater, Capt Hartnell, Capt Patterson, Lt Patten, Lt Rankin). There is also a photograph of the Ambulance's camp on Lemnos following the evacuation from Gallipoli. The unit's time in Macedonia is covered by views of their camps at Irikli and Uchantar as well as images of horse-drawn ambulance wagons and travois used to transport wounded. The terrain around Irikli is also covered as are buildings in the village of Petarch, the waterfront at Salonika and the local inhabitants. Covering their time in Egypt are numerous photographs taken around the camps at Abbasia, Ayun Musa, El Shatt, Geneffe, Mena, Mustapha (near Alexandria) and Sidi Beshr. Of particular interest are images of the Suez Canal defences and the interior of the YMCA canteen at Geneffe. There are also a number of group photographs (most individuals are named) taken in the camps at El Shatt and Geneffe and in the Nile Barrage Gardens, Cairo. Other subjects of military interest include two views of the memorial service for Lord Kitchener at Kasr el Nel Barracks, Cairo (June 1916), the Field Ambulance's move by rail from Abbasia to the Suez Canal (18 March 1916), a training march into the Sinai Desert in 1916, camel cacolets used to transport the wounded, Chatby Military Cemetery and Mena House Hospital. The collection also contains general views of streets and local inhabitants in Alexandria, Cairo, Ismalia and Port Tewfik. Sites of archeological interest such as the pyramids, the sphinx and temples at Luxor and Thebes are also covered. For the campaign in Palestine there are a number of images of Turkish POWs and captured equipment, the latter including an ambulance wagon taken at Rafah, horse-drawn transport at Huj and an ADS north of Beersheba. There are also scenes taken at the British camps at Ascalon, Belah, El Ferdan and Fara. One album also includes a small number of photographs taken around Gaza in March 1918, these show shell damage to buildings in the town, the British tank 'War Baby' knocked out during the 2nd Battle of Gaza and the reservoir at Wadi Ghuzzeh. Finally, there are group photographs of the Field Ambulance's personnel taken at the village of Annaby (again the majority of men are named). 3 First World War"

Cheers

Dominic

[Chris Best]

Dominic

Dpon't know if you've seen this but just been doing a trawl of Imperial war Museum stuff and found this which might be useful for you. Bit of a long quote!

You're a star. I travelled down to Camberley, overnighting in a mate's pad and using his PC. I have an appointment in Pall Mall at 1100 hrs and my original plan was to set off at 0700, drive to TNA Kew, park up then train to London, returning after appointment for a long pm in TNA.

Then I thought, "To Hell, haven't been to IWM for 4 years, I'll train up to town from Camberley and spend pm in IWM."

Picking up your note at 0345 hrs has confirmed my scheme of manouevre. IWM, here I come.

Cheers

Chris

[Chris Best]

Picking up your note at 0345 hrs

Ah, I see the GWF's on ZULU time. Is there any other time to be on?

[Stretcher Bearer]

Although this post is many years ago, I am slightly puzzled. Lt. Col Hugh Stanley Beadles was OC 4th London Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance (with Findlater and others) at Gallipoli August 1915 to end October 1915. Lowland or London?

Chris - do you by any chance have the photographs of the men, C Beach and Chocolate Hill? Would you be happy to share some? I am looking into Baedles for his grandson.

[Guest]

Mate,

 

From what I have the 4th (London) Mounted Bde was part of the 2nd Mounted Div arrived Suvla Aug 1915

It had London Yeomanry from County and City Regts (1/1st City and 1/1 County and 1/3 County)

Sorry I have no details on it Field Amblance

S.B