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Hospital Ships Dunluce Castle and Devanha; Evacuation of the Serbian Army from the Coast of Albania early 1916


ZeZe

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Hospital Ships Dunluce Castle and Devanha; Gallipoli; Evacuation of the Serbian Army from the Coast of Albania early 1916; Serbian Samaritan Cross Medal & Serbian Order of the White Eagle with Swords.

Hi,

A combined timeline for Dunluce Castle and Devanha to highlight the award of the Serbian Samaritan Cross, London Gazette, 4th May 1920; https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31890/supplement/5230

Link for White Eagle, Ships Officers award: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31770/page/1558

Eighteen British nurses, two New Zealand nurses and four R.A.M.C men. This trail started with an interest in Alice MADDISON, she was awarded the medal and I wanted to know why (her biography found here, (excellent web site, the staff who served at the 1st Northern General Hospital). https://sites.google.com/site/1stngh/home/ww1/nurses/nurses-m-p)

Her file WO 399/1312: the Head Office didn’t even know which theatre of war Alice had served in. There’s a ‘not found on our records’ letter for service in France, with a note on it ‘went to the Dardanelles’ & MIC states Mespot. No other clues, apart from she was abroad from 24th July 1915 to 12th October 1916, so I decided the best way to find out where she may have served would be to check the records of the other recipients of the cross listed in the L.G to see if a link emerged.

Three other 1st Northern General nurses served abroad for exactly the same period: Amy DODD, Olive PEARSON (was on transport duty, wounded from Dardanelles) and Jane BULMAN (Jane was also lost in the system, her husband’s letters were not reaching her – Gertrude Bell’s signature is in the file as she worked in the wounded & missing persons dept. at the time).

Two more T.F.N.S. nurses were in the same draft Lucy ANDERSON & Evelyn FINN. Evelyn’s file contained the most enlightening note ‘afterwards Albania for the Serbians’.

I’ve since read Elizabeth YOUNG’s NZANS file, she writes: I don’t know if you may require to know for what work the decoration was given but I will tell you in as few words as possible. In the early part of 1916 I was on duty on the Imperial Hospital Ship “Dunluce Castle” in the Mediterranean. We were sent up to Valona in Albania to take on sick Serbians who had evacuated from Serbia. We were nearly a week there and then took our patients over to Bizerte where they where taken to hospital. It was for this work I understand we were awarded.’

There are already posts on GWF covering the terrible condition of the Serbian Army (and general population) when they finally reached the Albanian coast, but I’m not sure if these accounts of the retreat over the mountains to the Albanian coast by Sister Elizabeth Atkinson, Hope Robson & Levitan have been mentioned before.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/151075323?

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/20064354?

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/89971751?

I’ve not seen it confirmed elsewhere that HMHS Devanha was present off the coast of Albania, December/January / February 1916. Possibly HMHS Caledonia was there too (or is Nina MacDonald’s record incomplete and she was present on Dunluce Castle or Devanha?)

Matron Jessie WHITE was awarded the Order of St Sava 5th Class, is that a greater honour than the Samaritan Cross?

Unfortunately the four RAMC men’s records do not seem to have survived – they may have been orderlies on board one of the hospital ships?

Pte. John Lord (RAMC) has a connection with Devanha (looking at MIC he could be 46315 or 811).

Not sure if Alice Clara SEARELL, N.Z.A.N.S. served on Devanha.

As there’s little in her file this might be too much conjecture, but this is my best guess for Sister Alice Maddison’s service abroad based on T.F.N.S. colleagues and other nurse service records who were also awarded the Serbian Samaritan Cross:

24th July 1915: Entered Theatre of War.

c. August 1915 – December 1915: evacuating wounded from Gallipoli to Alexandra, Egypt & Malta, served on the H.M.H.S. “Dunluce Castle”, “Devanha” or “Salta”.

December – January 1916: Hospital Ship, possibly duty on the H.M.H.S. “Dunluce Castle” or “Devanha”,treating the wounded, ill and starving during the evacuation of the defeated Serbian Army from the coast of Albania (Durazzo and Valona) to Corfu and North Africa (Bizerte, Tunisia).

c. April 1916 Posted to Alexandria – probably 15th General Hospital.

12th October 1916: Returned to England, [H.M.H.S. “Britannic” with Bulman & Pearson]

Regards ZeZe

image.jpeg.8b13297d100c3112cb81959a6e0537b9.jpeg

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Hi ForeignGong,

Thanks for the info on the ordering of the Serbian decorations.

Logically the Matron on board Devanha would also have been awarded the Order of St Sava. The LG notification of the award to Jessie MacHardie White only lists one other nurse - Staff Nurse Duffey (Mrs Hessel) – wrong grade, I checked her file just encase but she didn’t serve on a hospital ship.

Another LG search 'Matrons & Order of St Sava', found Kathleen MANN T.F.N.S.; a letter states she acted as Matron on Hosptial Ship Devanha from July 1915 to May 1916.

 

Hi Alf McM,

sorry - just noticed you brought Kathleen MANN to my attention on Sunday on the Gallipoli nurses post. I missed that, remiss of me.

regards ZeZe

A more detailed account from Bessie Young regarding the condition of the Serbian Army can be found here.

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/kai-tiaki-the-journal-of-the-nurses-of-new-zealand/1916/07/01/25

Regards ZeZe

Edited by ZeZe
apologies to Alf McM
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ZeZe,

   Just a small point, the Chaplain on Dunluce Castle should be Henry Lawrence BLAMIRES. His NZ service records may show when he was on Dunluce Castle, but I am unable to get a digital copy at present from NZ Archway.

Regards,

Alf McM

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Hi

The one section missing from the timeline is that of Surgeons & Doctors. Perhaps the answer was under my nose all the time (my excuse – I last read the notice properly some time ago and was then only interested in the Nurses & Samaritan Cross)

The same LG notice of awards (7th May 1920).  Serbian Order of the White Eagle with Swords, 5th Class.

Temporary Captain Edward William Archer, M.B., Royal Army Medical Corps.

Temporary Captain George Herbert Brown, M..D., Royal Army Medical Corps.

Temporary Captain Gerald Spencer Coghlan, M.B.E., 'South African Medical Corps.

The late temporary Captain Arthur Maxwell Fisher, M.D., Royal Army Medical Corps.

Temporary Captain John William Grice, Royal Army Medical Corps.

Temporary Captain Ernest Eugene Herga, M.C., Royal Army Medical Corps.

Temporary Captain Orme Stirling Kallett, Royal Army Medical Corps.

Temporary Captain Frank Harold Looney, M.B., Royal Army Medical Corps.

Temporary Captain Edward Holmes Rainey, F.R.C.S., Royal Army Medical Corps.

Captain Gilbert Wolridge Rose, M.B., Royal Army Medical Corps (Special Reserve).

Captain (acting Major) Robert Patrick Starkie, Royal Army Medical Corps (Special Reserve).

Temporary Captain William Johnston Symes, M.B., Royal Army Medical Corps.

 

The Reverend Herbert George Rosher, temporary 4th Class Chaplain to the Forces, Royal Army Chaplains Department.

The Reverend Aloysius Gribbin, temporary 4th Class Chaplain to the Forces, Royal Army Chaplains Department.

Assistant Matron Winifred Attenborough, R.R.C., Territorial Force Nursing Service.

Checked WO 399/9530 – Served A/Matron, H.M.H.S. Dunluce Castle, 23 December 1915 to 5 November 1916.

Matron Kathleen Mann, R.R.C., Territorial Force Nursing Service. - have already added her to timeline.

Therefore, it is possible that these twelve RAMC Captains & two chaplins were on board either Devanha or Dunluce Castle off the Albanian coast and also at Gallipoli. Checked some of their MIC’s and so far they all received the 15 Star etc. but have no other evidence to prove this assumption.

Hi aconnolly

Thanks for Rev. Blamires record – appears he was on furlough 30th October 1915 in England. Therefore he may not have been on Dunluce Castle during early 1916, hence the awards to the two chaplains above. One on each ship?

regards ZeZe

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ZeZe,

The war diary for ‘Dunluce Castle’ for 14th February 1917 {at Southampton} states that;-

Chaplain Rev W.S. Coad, C/E, and Rev, Father J.A. Gribbin, R.C., rejoined the ship for duty.

Although this is a year after the evacuation it seems to imply that the Dunluce Castle could have had a staff of 2 chaplains at the same time, at least that’s how it seems to me. It also implies that Father Gribbin was probably the chaplain on Dunluce Castle at the evacuation.

Regards,

Alf McM

EDIT;- A mention in 'Priests in Uniform' by James Hagerty {pages 189-191} confirms that Father Gribbin was a Chaplain on Dunluce Castle during the evacuation from Gallipoli.

Edited by alf mcm
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Hi Alf McM,

That’s good to know Father Gribbin served on Dunluce Castle for a period that covers the Albanian Coast evacuation. Quick google search confirmed a couple of hospital ship postings.

Captain Gilbert Wolridge Rose, June 1915 - Feb 1916 Served on a hospital ship in the war of 1914-1918. http://www.maltaramc.com/ramcoff/r/rosegw.html

Temporary Captain Edward Holmes Rainey, ... but soon volunteered for war service, which he spent in the hospital ship Mauretania in East Africa and the Dardanelles. The last year of the war he served on the western front and was badly gassed. https://livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk/client/en_GB/lives/print/direct?qu=LIVES_OCCUPATION%3D%22General+surgeon%22&qf=LIVES_HONOURS%09Titles%2FQualifications%09LRCP+1909%09LRCP+1909&d=ent%3A%2F%2FSD_ASSET%2F0%2FSD_ASSET%3A379055%7E%7E0&pe=d%3A&dt=list&isd=true&h=8

[I expect you have noticed Temp. Captain Kallett should be Kellett]

regards ZeZe

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4 hours ago, alf mcm said:

2 chaplains at the same time,

Noting that one is C of E and one is Roman Catholic. Maybe there was a sizeable Irish contingent?

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From my file on the Dunluce Castle:

Chaplain, Rev Alexander Maxwell – was seconded for HS duty 31/5/1915 – on HS Delta 2/6/1915 (trip to UK & return Egypt) & HS Dunluce Castle 2/7/1915 to 7/4/1916:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/20129525

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/21015560

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8013216

Copies from his service record:

1056171_DunluceCastle1915-Maxwell.jpg.b6286c2b9465bf6173ed632adada3708.jpg923744746_DunluceCastle1916-Maxwell.jpg.a8a3062ad507e04c6405317a14aeec8a.jpg

 

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And just for interest:

 

Captain Matthias Dewar Butterwick

Born Jul-Sept Qtr 1864 Poplar, London – married Margaret A.F. Delahunt 10/6/1897 Forest Gate, Essex – died Apr-Jun Qtr 1925 Brentford, age 60

[Joined the Merchant Navy in 1881 and qualified as Master in 1894]

 

TRAVELS OF A BRITISH HOSPITAL SHIP

TRIBUTE TO AUSTRALIAN NURSES

Captain M.D. Butterwick, of the hospital ship Dunluce Castle, and formerly of the Braemar Castle, which was torpedoed writing to his cousin, Mrs R. Munro, of Forest-street, states: – “Since my return from Bombay in November, 1914, I have been in the eastern Mediterranean pretty well ever since.  I have seen the whole of the Gallipoli business and was there at the historic landing and was amongst the last to leave Anzac beach on the night of the retirement.  We stayed till daybreak in the event of any wounded being left behind.  I met Dr. H. Jackson, at Gallipoli.  The Dunluce Castle has 800 beds and a staff of 10 medical officers, one matron, 16 nurses, and 70 medical orderlies.  The ship is most completely fitted and can deal with any case that comes along.  Our matron is Mrs M. Hardie-White, who comes from Melbourne and has a nursing home there.  Twelve of our nursing sisters are also Australians.  These girls have been splendid for the work, which has been hard and continuous.  When off Anzac and Suvla these girls often worked 16 to 18 hours a day.  During the travels of the Dunluce Castle I was able to rescue 300 men from a French transport that had been torpedoed by an Austrian submarine.  Some of the poor fellows were in an awful state for they were shelled in the water and seven of them succumbed within three hours after being rescued from the water.  We afterwards were at Durazzo on the Albanian coast, taking in sick and wounded Serbians.  The former were mostly starvation cases.  We have had some adventure.  At Gallipoli I was in company with H.M.S. Triumph off Anzac, when she was torpedoed.  I got away safely but they fired two torpedoes at my ship that night and fortunately both missed.  A few days prior to that I was badly shelled at Cape Helles, but managed to get away safely.  I have a liking for the more peaceful side of life but as you know we have got to see it through.  One of our chaplains is named Blamires, who is a Bendigonian, and a very nice fellow.  His father was a Wesleyan minister resident in Bendigo many years ago.”

[Bendigonian (Vic), Thur 10 May 1917 (p.5)]

 

 

BLAMIRES, Henry Lawrence

Born 17/4/1871 Vic – died 18/8/1965 Auckland, NZ

Methodist Minister – NZ Chaplains Department, NZEF

Departed Alexandria 20/5/1915 on the Commodore to Lemnos, then by torpedo boat to Anzac

Joined the Dunluce Castle at Anzac Cove 24/5/1915 (Empire Day) – returned to Egypt from Hospital Ship duty 8/7/1915 (later, also served at Anzac)

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Hi

Correction to my previous post: The 12 RAMC Officers, 2 Sisters & 2 Chaplains received the Order of St Sava, 5th Class (not the White Eagle).

Hi Frev,

In your first trove link, Chaplain Maxwell mentions a letter written by Major G. Ashton he is proud of – I read the copy which is in his file, it puzzled me.

Major Ashton states he is relinquishing his appointment as S.M.O. Dunluce Castle, letter appears to be dated 28th Nov 1915? Imbros.

S.M.O. Major George Ashton, M.D., T.D., Royal Army Medical Corps (Territorial Force) was awarded the Order of St Sava, 4th Class. 

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31960/supplement/7089

As Ashton received the Serbian Order, he was presumably off the Albania coast in February 1916. I wonder if he transferred to another hospital ship, or else he served for longer than expected on the Dunluce Castle. Either way I’ll add him to the Dunluce Castle timeline.

No sign of a Serbian Order to Chaplain Maxwell, I guess some were fortunate and some weren’t.

* * * * *

There are just a few photos etc in the Wellcome Collection relating to A/Sgt-Major, No 16474, William Lowery, (one of the 4 RAMC men, L.G. 4th May 1920, Order Serbian Samaritan Cross) The collection confirms he was present on HMHS Dunluce Castle. 

https://wellcomecollection.org/works/t5g4gufa/items?canvas=4

This is an interesting group – a mix of service personnel perhaps from the Dunluce Castle, Lowery is sitting next to the Naval officer.

Photograph credit to Wellcome Collection, Licence: Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0). (I’ve tweaked the tonal curve to brighten up the faces and resized image to a smaller file size)

image.jpeg.de58636b7e47481dbec19b8b5f3aca39.jpeg

Regards ZeZe

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ZeZe,

  Kathleen Mann mentions some Devanha medical officers in 'Women in the War Zone' by Anne Powell.

Kathleen joined Devanha as Matron in Chief [sic] from 8th October 1915.

The S.M.O. was Leo ? He would leave the ship on 30th November 1915 for the Mauretania.

The new S.M.O. was Captain TURNER, a regular RAMC officer. He was not a great success. He was to have an operation on 13th December, and was diagnosed with D.T.  Captain ARCHER took over as temporary S.M.O. On 17th December Captain Turner was recorded as shouting and fighting with his orderlies. He was eventually placed under arrest, with 6 orderlies to guard him. He appears to have disembarked at Alexandria on 30th December 1915. 

The new S.M.O. was Major DUNN, who took over on the same day.

On 17th December 

Edited by alf mcm
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Hi Alf McM,

I found this earlier today - a very enlightening newspaper article to be found in either British Newspaper Archive or FindmyPast. I think you have access.

HOSPITAL SHIP BRAVERY. GRATITUDE OF THE SERBIAN GOVERNMENT

Published: Monday 14 October 1918; Newspaper: Liverpool Journal of Commerce 

Type: Article | Words: 411 | Page: 5 | Tags: none

Captain TURNER sounds as if he was a handful! That's a couple of new S.M.O. names for the record.

A possibility for S.M.O. DUNN, page1240 THE EDINBURGH GAZETTE, MAY 11, 1920

St Sava 4th Class. Major Cuthbert Lindsay Dunn, Indian Medical Service.

Regards ZeZe

Edited by ZeZe
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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi

Updated timeline – thanks to Frev & Alf McM for additions etc. 

image.jpeg.ef35cafcc1ac36ee9b470b27dc45373e.jpegHi Alf,

Your last post re S.M.O. Leo? – Possible match Capt. Robert Cecil Leonard, RAMC. MIC states Aquitania, not exact but close.

(Thanks for the pictures of a younger Edith)

regards ZeZe

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ZeZe,

Robert Cecil Leonard certainly looks a possibility.

S.F. HAYWOOD is Sarah Frances Haywood. She was mentioned in dispatches. Her medal card and service records are under her married name of 'FORSTER'.

Regards,

Alf McM

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Hi Alf McM

Thanks for the info on Haywood – I now have her posting date, 4th November 1916.

Been working on H.M.H.S. Galeka – 12 nurses so far but do not think I can find any more.

Some surnames only for H.M.H.S. Nevasa nurses taken from the Mabel Crook album:https://nam.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/4802#idx7380

All names with plenty of options – Williams (T.F.N.S.), Wright & Evans, also cannot track Black-Smith either, though she may not have been on board. I think Nurse Honey is Annie Honeyball.

regards ZeZe

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