Hospital Ships Somali & Karapara, Gallipoli & 1916. Surgeon & War Artist Oscar Parkes

[ZeZe]

Hospital Ships Somali & Karapara, Gallipoli & 1916. Surgeon & War Artist Oscar Parkes

Hi

A time line for Medical Staff on board Somali & Karapara & a little about some of the officers.

My understanding is that from 22 April 1915 “Somali” was a Naval Hospital ship. Both “Somali” & “Karapara” were present at Gallipoli during 1915. “Karapara” at that time was staffed by R.A.M.C. surgeons and orderlies & Q.A.I.M.N.S. nurses? On 20th? Feb 1916 “Karapara” became Naval Hospital Ship to replace “Somali” – most of the medical staff working on “Somali” transferred to Karapara. “Somali” returned to troop transport duties. Any correction to this is welcome.

Browsing a photo album in the collection of the National Army Museum of New Zealand, came across these interesting group photos taken on board “Somali”: https://nam.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/2994#idx4822

I like matching names to faces. Left hand page, 4th photo, the transcription is wrong, ‘Surgeon Tarkes’ should read Parkes. When checking to find his first name, (Oscar given in the Temp. Surgeons list - TNA ADM 104/170 p. 239), I was surprised to see a comment left by Fleet Surgeon Sutcliffe ‘drawing and painting both exceptional’ – an unusual note, worth further investigation.

Oscar PARKES (1885 – 1958) was indeed an exceptional and very talented man, this Wikipedia page is fascinating:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Parkes

Oscar Parkes O.B.E. has been mentioned a few times before on the GWF mostly regarding his British Battleships book and that he was editor of Jane’s Fighting Ships for a period of time. He wasn’t a person that I had heard of, but then, I’m no expert.

Next obvious search was to find any paintings of HMHS Somali & Karapara:

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rn_Hospital_Ship_Somali_off_Cape_Helles,_1915_-_walking_cases_coming_on_board_Art.IWMART4006.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Smoke_Screen_-_Destroyers_throwing_a_smoke_screen_around_Hospital_Ship_%27karapara%27_after_Hospital_Ship_%27dover_Castle%27_had_been_torpedoed_by_an_enemy_submarine_Art.IWMART2775.jpg

Both dramatic paintings in the collection of IWM. (I haven’t upload the pictures as not sure of the rules)

* * * * *

There is an ‘extract from letter of a Sevenoaks Doctor on the R.N. Hospital Ship Somali’.

Sevenoaks Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser, 17 September 1915; on British Newspapers Archives/FindmyPast.

Thought at first it was written by A E Herman but now I’ve found Edgar Lionel ELLIOTT (1885 – 1958) was Medical Officer for No.7 District, Bayham Rd, Sevenoaks, I think the description matches him best. He went on after the war to practice in Stokenchurch – obituary here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2025904/pdf/brmedj03060-0053c.pdf

The author mentions two sisters on duty, I had expected four to be on duty at any one period (and that I had missed two), but it appears Frank & Crampton were on their own to start with. They worked hard and were ‘simply magnificent’.

Ashley Ernest HERMAN (1887 – 1957)

If you would like to know more about A E Herman O.B.E. and the operations he performed at his Tonbridge surgery; article link:

Page 21, http://www.tonbridgehistory.org.uk/archives/warders-medical-centre.pdf

Fleet Surgeon Sutcliffe’s assessment of A E Herman was: ‘stands out above all others as operating surgeon .. etc.. ability exceptional as is knowledge of surgery and medicine’

Albert Clifford MORISON (1887 – )

Unfortunately unable to find any further info apart from ADM 104/170 p.223. where it states he was awarded an O.B.E.

regards

ZeZe

 

[alf mcm]

ZeZe,

Very interesting, Oscar Parkes paintings are very good.

  Since all the Nurses are naval nurses, apart from Mabel Crook, and the officers are Naval officers then the orderlies would be naval Sick Berth Attendants.

  Sisters Frank and Crampton must indeed have been very busy from April to August 1915.

 It looks to me that Jane Johnston BOWMAN was on passage to Malta, 03/09/1915 – 12/09/1915 – ADM 104/161 page 110

 E.G. HANDFORD is Edward Joseph HANDFORD

Albert Clifford MORISON is Albert Clifford MORSON

Violet CRAMPTON should be Violet L. CRAMPTON {L. could be Laura or Louisa}

E.A. EDWARDS is Evelyn Alice EDWARDS

Josfida Dorothy Wilhelmina LEWIN should be Torfrida Dorothy Wilhelmina LEWIN

  I have to admit that some of the writing in the ADM records is difficult to read. On checking my records I noticed that I had copied some names wrong, I had Nurse Lewin as Torpida! Doctor's handwriting!

Regards,

Alf McM

 

 

 

[ZeZe]

Hi Alf McM

Thanks for the corrections – two pairs of eyes are better than one.

Now I have the name correct! have found a wiki page for Albert Clifford MORSON

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Clifford_Morson

I wasn’t too certain to include BOWMAN or not – I’ll leave her on with the existing note.

Did you read the letter? to quote: “The sick-bay staff also worked well – they were mostly St. John’s boys.”

Not really knowing a great deal on a subject that’s new to me, that was a little surprising, so last evening did a GWF search and found a post titled A History of the Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve with a link to:

https://archive.org/stream/JRNMSVOL9Images/JRNMS_VOL_9#page/n252/mode/1up

Reading the history, you are right, the orderlies would be naval Sick Berth Reserve, a good proportion of whom had trained with St John’s Ambulance Brigade.

Am I right in thinking this is where their records can be accessed?

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/royal-naval-reserve-service-records-1860-1955/

Who do you think staffed the Karapara from Aug 15 to Feb 16, were they R.A.M.C.  & Q.A.I.M.N.S.? – any names?

I’ll post an updated version with the corrections in a couple of weeks time, someone else may have some additions.

regards

ZeZe

[alf mcm]

ZeZe,

 Sick berth attendants will have naval records, the same as other seamen. I suspect they may have a special service number {perhaps with 'SBR' in it} but am not certain. I checked the Red Cross Volunteers {on Findmypast} using 'Karapara' as a keyword but got no results. Using 'hospital ship' as a key word got a lot of results. I checked some of the male results but hospital ship was mentioned in the context of unloading patients from hospital ships.

  Before the Navy took over Karapara doctors would have been R.A.M.C., along with the orderlies. Nurses would be QAIMNS, with perhaps some TFNS or CHR. Finding any of these for the Karapara is proving extremely difficult. I suspect there would be an A.D.M.S. or similar in control of hospital ships, whose war diary may at least show officer's names, but I am not sure exactly which war diary.

Regards,

Alf McM

[Kimberley John Lindsay]

Dear All,

Just for the record, I have the 15 Star Trio to Cecil Partridge, late Pte., RAMC (HS: Hospital Ship), who served at Gallipoli.

He subsequently reinvented himself as a 2Lt., later Capt., IARO.

I have yet to find his Image...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

[horatio2]

21 hours ago, ZeZe said:

Reading the history, you are right, the orderlies would be naval Sick Berth Reserve, a good proportion of whom had trained with St John’s Ambulance Brigade.

Am I right in thinking this is where their records can be accessed?

Although some sick berth ratings may have belonged to the RNASBR, they were not part of the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR). When mobilised for WW1 these ratings became part of the RN sick berth branch and they had Official Numbers with an 'M' prefix. 'Regular' RN sick berth ratings who enlisted between 1894 and 11907 will have Official Numbers in the range 350001 to 352000. All these records can be accessed at TNA here:-

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/royal-navy-ratings-service-records-1853-1928/

Edited 15 August , 2022 by horatio2

[ZeZe]

Hi horatio2,

Thanks for the link – I couldn’t find it, but I did a search on ‘Lot Archive’ DNW Medals ‘sick berth somali’ and result came up with J. H. Lord, Royal Naval Auxiliary Sick Berth Reserve M9554 so I knew the prefix was M and then could work out the ref was AMD188/.

since found two more relevant to this page:

Excerpts:

John Hartley LORD; Service No. M9554; occupation Weaver cotton.

M.F.A. Somali; 17/2/15 to 2/9/15

ref ADM 188/1037/9554

 

James LELL; Service No. M9208; occupation Carpenter

Karapara; 1/4/16 to 19/8/16.

ADM 188/1036/9208

 

George Alfred LYNN Service No. M9216; occupation Dairyman.

Somali; 28/8/15 to 31/3/16

Karapara; 1/4/16 to 28/6/17

ADM 188/1036/9216

regards ZeZe

[alf mcm]

ZeZe,

  I have a nurse for Karapara before the navy took over.

Staff Nurse Mary Josephine LYNCH Q.A.I.M.N.S.R.  – Her first posting was to the Karapara on 20/08/1915. She had severe attack of dysentery whilst nursing aboard H.S. Karapara and faced medical boards on 12/11/1915 at the Nursing Sisters Hospital in Malta, and on 20/12/1915 in London. At the times of these boards she was convalescing. Another medical board was held in Limerick on 29^th January 1916 {{Mary was convalescing at home} and she was found unfit for general service but fit for service at home. I would guess that Mary left Karapara in late October or early November 1915.

Another possible is Sister Katie Payne HODGE Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. – from 27/08/15 to ?. A note in her record says she joined the B.E.F. on 11/03/16.

  I also have 2 nurses who were on passage in the Karapara;-

Staff Nurse Minnie CROSSLEY – from 28/08/15 to ?, Left Karapara in Egypt.

Staff Nurse Olive Mary Ellen BEADLE Q.A.I.M.N.S.R. – on passage to Malta. Served on Grantully Castle from 13/12/16, and was in Folkestone on   25/7/17.

[ZeZe]

Hi Alf McM

That’s two, well spotted - Lynch is the first entry for Karapara in that period - I've added her on the timeline. I'll also add Hodge with a question-mark - I have just looked at her file and also cannot see any hint of where she served between Aug 15 & Mar 16. As you say (evidence from MIC) it's very possible she served on Karapara for all or some of that period.

I did find a couple of newspaper snippets re Karapara:

Pte. George SAMUEL; Service No: 917; Scottish Horse; Died 15 December 1915 on board Karapara. Newspaper: The Scotsman; Monday 27 December 1915. 

Jackson, Pte. A. Dysentery. Admitted Hospitals in Malta, ex Hospital Ship Karapara, Newspaper: Croydon Times; Saturday 06 November 1915

Regards ZeZe

[ZeZe]

Hi

An updated timelime with corrections & additions thanks to Alf McM & Frev.

There is now a R.N.A.S.B.R. orderlies section for interest. Fleet Surgeon E. C. Lomas writes ‘there would be some thirty-five men, of whom about one third belong to the regular Naval Sick Beth Staff and the remainder to the Reserve’.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2348413/pdf/brmedj07098-0012.pdf/?tool=EBI

Regards ZeZe

[seaJane]

Ernest Courtnay Lomas, RN, Fleet Surgeon aboard HS ROHILLA when she was wrecked in 1914, aboard HMS BARHAM at Jutland. 

13 hours ago, ZeZe said:

Fleet Surgeon E. C. Lomas

On the teaching staff, RNH HASLAR, post war:

 

[frev]

Hi Zeze

Just checked the UK Service Medal & Award Roll, and it shows that A/Sister Katie Payne Hodge did serve on the HS Karapara from the 27/8/1915.

Cheers, Frev