Gallipoli request Hospital Ship name

[FionaBam]

I am looking for the name of the Hospital ship that my great great uncle served on as a doctor.

I cannot decipher all the text on his service record and perhaps he served on land 

Any help to understand what it says here and what it means would be so great .

Thank you 

Fiona 

[PRC]

His Majestys Hospital Ship Formosa  - see https://wartimememoriesproject.com/greatwar/ships/view.php?pid=3460

Cheers,
Peter

[FionaBam]

Thank you very much! 

And guess what I saw a list of ships and somehow Formosa rang a bell  from a cousins email some tears ago.  I followed up to that same website ! It means a subscription so will leave that but see what I can find 

 

But how did you know it was Formosa?! You can read that handwriting ?!

Anyway thanks very much for your help! 

Fiona 

[PRC]

25 minutes ago, FionaBam said:

And guess what I saw a list of ships and somehow Formosa rang a bell  from a cousins email some tears ago.  I followed up to that same website ! It means a subscription so will leave that but see what I can find 

I simply chose that website as it very quickly gave the answer plus a photo of the ship itself post conversion into a hospital ship. If you use the forum search facility there are several references to the Formosa, plus there is a long running thread about hospital ships at Gallipoli.

28 minutes ago, FionaBam said:

But how did you know it was Formosa?! You can read that handwriting ?!

Some of the Norfolks were aboard her at one stage after being medically evacuated from Gallipoli, although I can't remember if they were taken to Malta or Alexandria. As for the handwriting, of course I can read it, (as long as I get the card up on the Ancestry and whack zoom up to about 250% on a computer screen

Cheers,
Peter

[alf mcm]

Fiona,

  You can download the war diary here for free once you register;-

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/faf7cf4014b2453996823feced737f8b

There's a chance that your great great uncle will be mentioned.

Regards,

Alf McM

[FionaBam]

12 hours ago, PRC said:

I simply chose that website as it very quickly gave the answer plus a photo of the ship itself post conversion into a hospital ship. If you use the forum search facility there are several references to the Formosa, plus there is a long running thread about hospital ships at Gallipoli.

Some of the Norfolks were aboard her at one stage after being medically evacuated from Gallipoli, although I can't remember if they were taken to Malta or Alexandria. As for the handwriting, of course I can read it, (as long as I get the card up on the Ancestry and whack zoom up to about 250% on a computer screen

Cheers,
Peter

Ha ha great facility!  Thanks for the tip!I shall check it out .

Thank you for your advice, will do those searches.

Am attending an online talk this evening about Gallipoli and so want to prepare any questions I might have 

Best wishes with your research 

Cheers

Fiona 

[FionaBam]

11 hours ago, alf mcm said:

Fiona,

  You can download the war diary here for free once you register;-

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/faf7cf4014b2453996823feced737f8b

There's a chance that your great great uncle will be mentioned.

Regards,

Alf McM

Hello Alf

Ooh lovely!  Thank you very much for locating that - going there now!

Regards and best wishes with your research

Fiona 

 

[ZeZe]

Hi Fiona,

Some info on fellow H.M.H.S.Formosa staff of your great, great, uncle.

Ships Master H.C. COLIN. 

I have for the Officer Commanding R.A.M.C. Major Robert James D'Arcy IRVINE. His MIC states 08/08/15. He also signed a report on 02/02/1916, therefore likely to have been on board for all the Gallipoli period.

T.F.N.S. Margaret NEWBOULD WO 399/13548 was A/Matron. There is a report written by her whilst on board Formosa in T.F.N.S. Staff Nellie WORBY's file WO 399/15723.

The file WO 399/10893 for T.F.N.S. Staff Nurse Ella Ermyntrude DIXON’s file is interesting. She and the ships Chaplain, Sidney Addison MARSH became engaged, the Master wrote 'for the better discipline of the ship, as many unpleasant remarks reach my ears about the relations existing between the two and I think you will agree something should be done in the matter.’

Sister Dixon resigned. She and Sidney Marsh married in the 3^rd qtr of 1917.

Regards ZeZe

Edited 15 December , 2022 by ZeZe

[FionaBam]

Thank you very much ZeZe  !that's most interesting   . Gives me a feel for life on board his ship. Much appreciated. And I shall check out those file numbers - thank you for your research .

I take it you did not spot any mention of William Enraght.  At least theres no embarrassment that it was William the ships master was concerned about as William was married before the war.!

It was a happy ending for the  couple on the ship  then which is good to know.Formosa must have featured often in their reminisces.

Are there are known photos or drawings of the inside of Formosa as a hospital ship? Perhaps not a bit too personal to show soldiers etc in their suffering though good to show they were being cared for.

I have read a file sent to me by another very helpful member of GWF which lists all Formosas movements for 1917 and 1918. Perhaps I'll find earlier files somewhere 

Good luck with your ongoing fascinating research

Thanks again

Regards 

Fiona 

 

[alf mcm]

Fiona,

  William served as a Medical Officer in the Royal Air Force. His RAF records are here;-

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBM%2FAIR76%2F152%2F0%2F0268&parentid=GBM%2FAIR76%2F27428

Regards,

Alf McM

[FionaBam]

Ooh fabulous! Thank you very much!

I shall get a short subscription and explore this

 

Cheers 

Fiona 

[alf mcm]

Fiona,

  Just noticed that the same  RAF records are also available from The National Archives {free once you register};-

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8258073

Regards,

Alf McM

[ZeZe]

Hi Fiona,

Have you looked up the London Gazette? Here are the first & last mentions I found.

London Gazette, made a temporary Lieutnant, 1^st June 1915.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29203/supplement/6143/data.pdf

London Gazette, transferred to to the unemployed list, 28^th February 1919.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31770/page/1567/data.pdf

I’m no expert but from the MIC it appears that William Enraght was attached the the Royal Field Artillery, perhaps when he was promoted to Temp. Captain on 1^st June 1916 until he was posted to the R.A.F in 1918. 

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29640/supplement/6324

*  *  *

War Diary for Formosa: I do not think the year covering Gallipoli Gampaign has been digititised or if it has it’s not on the NA web site. Unfortunatly it’s the same for most hospital ships. I'm not aware of any group / interior photos taken on Formosa or mentions in private diaries or scrapbooks, but I'll keep looking. 

 A couple of newspaper articles, link by Frev (GWF post, Nurses on Hospital Ships at Gallipoli) a very interesting letter from Sister Emily Beatrice Taylor, on board Formosa.

......"We can take about 500 in all, so imagine if you can what work there is for four doctors, six nurses, and about 30 orderlies"....... 

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/93795974

Letter to his mother from a wounded Australian, Sgt Jack Henry, on Formosa:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/139528314?searchTerm=ship%20formosa

Regards ZeZe

[FionaBam]

1 hour ago, alf mcm said:

Fiona,

  Just noticed that the same  RAF records are also available from The National Archives {free once you register};-

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8258073

Regards,

Alf McM

Thank you! Got it!Serving on home territory this time in London.

Regards 

Fiona 

[FionaBam]

51 minutes ago, ZeZe said:

Hi Fiona,

Have you looked up the London Gazette? Here are the first & last mentions I found.

London Gazette, made a temporary Lieutnant, 1^st June 1915.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29203/supplement/6143/data.pdf

London Gazette, transferred to to the unemployed list, 28^th February 1919.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31770/page/1567/data.pdf

I’m no expert but from the MIC it appears that William Enraght was attached the the Royal Field Artillery, perhaps when he was promoted to Temp. Captain on 1^st June 1916 until he was posted to the R.A.F in 1918. 

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29640/supplement/6324

*  *  *

War Diary for Formosa: I do not think the year covering Gallipoli Gampaign has been digititised or if it has it’s not on the NA web site. Unfortunatly it’s the same for most hospital ships. I'm not aware of any group / interior photos taken on Formosa or mentions in private diaries or scrapbooks, but I'll keep looking. 

 A couple of newspaper articles, link by Frev (GWF post, Nurses on Hospital Ships at Gallipoli) a very interesting letter from Sister Emily Beatrice Taylor, on board Formosa.

......"We can take about 500 in all, so imagine if you can what work there is for four doctors, six nurses, and about 30 orderlies"....... 

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/93795974

Letter to his mother from a wounded Australian, Sgt Jack Henry, on Formosa:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/139528314?searchTerm=ship%20formosa

Regards ZeZe

Thanks so much! That's a treasure trove you sent me.the Gazette is clearly a place to look.

The 2 letters are so illuminating full of facts and their feelings too.

Have just attended a fascinating online talk called Gallipoli by Steve Smith. He told me that Formosa would have travelled back and forth to Lemnos island taking wounded men there . The numbers they treated are astonishing as the sister explains in her letter.

I'll follow you on GWF if  that's allright . 

 

Thanks again 

Regards 

Fiona 

[ZeZe]

Hi Fiona

Timeline for H.M.H.S. Formosa to accompany the medical staff info already posted. 

Margaret NEWBOULD writes in her file ‘From July 1915 to June 1916, I was in the Mediterranean on a Hospital Ship, doing A/Matron’s duty.’ From the evidence in other files, I’m assuming ‘the hospital ship’ was H.S. Formosa for the whole period.

Winifred De La FONTAINE writes in her file WO 399/2164 that she served for ‘9 months on Formosa from Jan to Oct 1915’.

I’m not sure that’s correct as she was informed of acceptance into the Service on 25^th June 1915. She may have been confused and more likely served from July to Oct 1915 – I think it’s fair to say Winifred didn’t have a very happy time in the service and resigned in 1917.

*  *  *

Found another doctor from civvy street who served on board Formosa, served probably from late Jan 1916 – Howard Barclay BILLUPS. A short obituary is here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2457059/?page=1 

This is worth reading – the pre WW1 military career of Robert James D'Arcy IRVINE: 

https://www.lotsearch.net/lot/the-3-clasp-east-and-west-africa-medal-awarded-to-doctor-r-j-darcy-55046134

*  *  *

Couldn’t find an obituary for William but did come across some newspaper notices of his marriage. I haven’t read them, but they are on Find My Past – 50p each, pay as you go, if you haven’t already found them.

Probably just the marriage notice:

GORDON—June 12, at Holy Trinity, Anerley, S.E., William Enraght, L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S., of Curraghmore, Anerley, to Rosa Mercedes, youngest daughter of Lieut.-Gen. Charles Edward Parke Gordon. 21 June 1895 – Home News for India, China and the Colonies – London.

This article may have little more of a story line:

MARRIAGE OF DR. ENRAGHT AND MISS GORDON. A wedding in which much local interest was moult:mod [solemnised?] took place at Holy Trinity Church, Anerley, on Wednesday....’ 15 June 1895 – Norwood News – London.

Regards ZeZe

[FionaBam]

Hi ZeZe

Thank you very much! Most interesting. 

I have been on the trail of Rosa Mercedes Gordon. Borm in Gibraltar, Army travelling family, a Student of oli painting. She leaves little trace on Ancestry records . It struck me to see her father included in the " House of Gordon "  next paragraph after  the famous Gordon. I cannot yet find how Rosa's father and Gordon of Khartoum are related but am pretty sure they are. Both families lived in Gravesend at some point - not enough to confirm it but ....

Rosa seems to disappear after 1901 Census , William recorded 1911 Census living alone with a servant. Rosa died in 1933 Address in S.Kensington living alone Probate of £128 left to her solicitor. Something sad about this.

William Enraght then married again in 1936 to a local wealthy Colonial Merchants daughter Jesse Gray (something). Article attached Decree Nisi granted 2 years later to Jesse- William being involved with my great great aunt Maud .( not named here but i suspect it was her - they married in 1938) Jesse died single in 1952 Probate on £23,000 odd pounds not bad for 1952 single woman).

William had been Guardian to Maud since when I dont know. Her mother died in 1904 but her father was alive and she lived with him intermittently in London.William wrote a reference for Maud who progressed to being a Decoder in Royal Navy ( London based) in 1918. Fascinating 73 page RN file I got last week - William providing Maud with sick notes and RN concerned regards her surname Beseke being German. Letters to a geneologist (?) in her file . Erroneously the geneologist wrote twice assuring the Admiralty Maud had no German heritage and that the name was Irish/French .  I know differently thanks to the wonder of Ancestry.

I started thinking William knew how to choose his brides! Rosa- extraordinary military connection. Jesse loads of money. Maud loads of brains .am biased regards Maud - such a lovely Great Aunt to me may she rest in peace.

This is a bit off subject . Hope of interest yo you.

If you d like Mauds RN file it's on NA free download or I can attach it here.

Thank you again for your research .

Regards 

Fiona 

[ZeZe]

Hi Fiona,

Updates for H.M.H.S. Formosa and Lte. W. Enraght.

Some additions from newspapers etc:

There are five T.F.N.S. nurses all ex. 2nd General Northern Hospital named on the H.M.H.S. Salta embarkation list: M. Newbould, F. Cattell,  E. Dixon, M. Myers & N. Worby. They departed Southampton on the 25th July and disembarked at Alexandria on the 6th August 1915. (embarkation lists posted by Alan, GWF: H.M.HS. Salta - from the Gallipoli period to her sinking, 10th April 1917).

Margaret NEWBOULD, Ella Ermyntrude DIXON & Nellie WORBY, already confirmed on board.

T.F.N.S. Florence Annie CATTELL: Stratford-upon-Avon Herald, pub. Friday 29 November 1940 – she is confirmed as serving at the Dardanelles on board H.M.H.S. Formosa in an article which refers to an eye witness account published in the same newspaper 25 years previously on Dec. 3rd 1915. The original report is not available.

T.F.N.S. Sister Margaret Isabella MYERS returned to England with Newbould and Cattell in October 1916 for temporary duty at 1st Southern before reposting back to 2nd General Northern Hospital. She is mentioned several times in nurse Cattell’s file, WO 399/10318.

The Myers’ MIC states ‘Hospital Ship’. I think it likely that the three were kept together and Myers also served on Formosa from the 22nd August 1915 to June 1916.

T.F.N.S. Nellie WORBY: The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 – 1954), pub. Thursday 8 June 1916 - Page 12 (Missnamed as Worley in the article). 

An Australian patient, Lte. P. C. Vassy who was thought to have influenza disappeared on the night 12th October 1915. Nellie was on night duty and saw him in his berth at 3.30 a.m. but found that he had disappeared by 5.10 a.m. Conclusion of the inquiry was ‘that he had gone over the side but no reason to suppose that he had any intention to commit suicide’.

N. Worby didn’t return to England with Myers, Newbold and Cattell. In Feruary 1916 she had already fallen foul with the regulations - ‘visiting a French Officers cabin (Formosa was a French liner) after such visits had been forbidden & going ashore in dress which was not uniform after that had also been forbidden’. Nellie was returned to England and decided to resign rather than have her contract terminated and be dismissed.

* * *

R.A.M.C. No.1252, Pte. John Buchanan Russell (ex. 19^th Field Ambulance), accidently drowned on Hospital Ship Formosa, commemorated at Alexandria (Chatby) Military Cemetery, 4th October 1915, age 26. Falkirk Herald, pub. 23 October 1915.

R.A.M.C. No.50038, Pte. Charles C Glover - mentioned Eckington, Woodhouse and Stanley Express, pub. 04 December 1915.

R.A.M.C. No.36237, Pte. John Heagney – serving on board Formosa Acrington Observer and Times, pub. 16 November 1915.

(I haven’t downloaded these three newspaper reports)

* * *

Two of Lte. W. Enraght’s unworn medals – who has the 1914/15 Star?

The 1939 Register (29^th September) “Trilford” Etchinghill, Lyminge Elham has:

Charles W Beseke b.1854; Maud (Augusta) Ennaght b.1890; William Ennaght (Enngght) b.1871

Did Maud live with William for long at Etchinghill, Lyminge? I cannot see any reference to Maud in the local Folkestone newspapers. Maud’s father, Charles W, died in 1942 at Bromley and Maud also died in Bromley. Did she move out with her father?

Regards ZeZe

[FionaBam]

7 hours ago, ZeZe said:

Hi Fiona,

Updates for H.M.H.S. Formosa and Lte. W. Enraght.

Some additions from newspapers etc:

There are five T.F.N.S. nurses all ex. 2nd General Northern Hospital named on the H.M.H.S. Salta embarkation list: M. Newbould, F. Cattell,  E. Dixon, M. Myers & N. Worby. They departed Southampton on the 25th July and disembarked at Alexandria on the 6th August 1915. (embarkation lists posted by Alan, GWF: H.M.HS. Salta - from the Gallipoli period to her sinking, 10th April 1917).

Margaret NEWBOULD, Ella Ermyntrude DIXON & Nellie WORBY, already confirmed on board.

T.F.N.S. Florence Annie CATTELL: Stratford-upon-Avon Herald, pub. Friday 29 November 1940 – she is confirmed as serving at the Dardanelles on board H.M.H.S. Formosa in an article which refers to an eye witness account published in the same newspaper 25 years previously on Dec. 3rd 1915. The original report is not available.

T.F.N.S. Sister Margaret Isabella MYERS returned to England with Newbould and Cattell in October 1916 for temporary duty at 1st Southern before reposting back to 2nd General Northern Hospital. She is mentioned several times in nurse Cattell’s file, WO 399/10318.

The Myers’ MIC states ‘Hospital Ship’. I think it likely that the three were kept together and Myers also served on Formosa from the 22nd August 1915 to June 1916.

T.F.N.S. Nellie WORBY: The Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 – 1954), pub. Thursday 8 June 1916 - Page 12 (Missnamed as Worley in the article). 

An Australian patient, Lte. P. C. Vassy who was thought to have influenza disappeared on the night 12th October 1915. Nellie was on night duty and saw him in his berth at 3.30 a.m. but found that he had disappeared by 5.10 a.m. Conclusion of the inquiry was ‘that he had gone over the side but no reason to suppose that he had any intention to commit suicide’.

N. Worby didn’t return to England with Myers, Newbold and Cattell. In Feruary 1916 she had already fallen foul with the regulations - ‘visiting a French Officers cabin (Formosa was a French liner) after such visits had been forbidden & going ashore in dress which was not uniform after that had also been forbidden’. Nellie was returned to England and decided to resign rather than have her contract terminated and be dismissed.

* * *

R.A.M.C. No.1252, Pte. John Buchanan Russell (ex. 19^th Field Ambulance), accidently drowned on Hospital Ship Formosa, commemorated at Alexandria (Chatby) Military Cemetery, 4th October 1915, age 26. Falkirk Herald, pub. 23 October 1915.

R.A.M.C. No.50038, Pte. Charles C Glover - mentioned Eckington, Woodhouse and Stanley Express, pub. 04 December 1915.

R.A.M.C. No.36237, Pte. John Heagney – serving on board Formosa Acrington Observer and Times, pub. 16 November 1915.

(I haven’t downloaded these three newspaper reports)

* * *

Two of Lte. W. Enraght’s unworn medals – who has the 1914/15 Star?

The 1939 Register (29^th September) “Trilford” Etchinghill, Lyminge Elham has:

Charles W Beseke b.1854; Maud (Augusta) Ennaght b.1890; William Ennaght (Enngght) b.1871

Did Maud live with William for long at Etchinghill, Lyminge? I cannot see any reference to Maud in the local Folkestone newspapers. Maud’s father, Charles W, died in 1942 at Bromley and Maud also died in Bromley. Did she move out with her father?

Regards ZeZe

Hi Zeze

Wow! Thank you ! This is very interesting and fascinated as to how you located the 2 medals belonging to Uncle Bloke ( as he was known to my parents and others in the family)

I do not know anything about his Star Medal. That's a shame it is not there along with the other two. I do have my great Aunt Maud's handbag which was given to me by my cousin a few years after her father died.  Some personal items inside but no medal.

The house  in Etchinghill where they lived from 1938 -ish was called "Milford". William had 2 houses built next door to each other- one was sold and they lived in the other.  Two years ago  I learnt  how my grandmother Queenie  went to live with them during World War 2 after separating from her husband ( my grandfather) and was cared for by William and Maud whilst she recovered from a very serious episode of depression . William and Maud enjoyed trips abroad to France and Germany where they toured in their car with friends . William  died in Etchinghill Hospital in 1954 ( of a heart attack) and Aunty Maud carried on living there joined by her sister ( my great grandmother)for a while. I have happy memories of my family trips there as a small child in early to mid 1960s and my stays with Aunty Maud in the school holidays .A lovely house with a view over sweeping hills down to Folkestone and France could be seen too - I will PM you a photo .

Aunty Maud came to live with my family in south London in about 1967 and Milford was sold. Maud moved to a Care Home in Bromley where she died in 1972 of a heart attack. It was only then the family learnt of her age (98) as she had  kept that a secret.  Aaah how sweet.

So whilst I am aware her father Charles Beseke died whilst living in a Care Home in Bromley he was there some 25 years or so before Maud .

Here is the one photo I have of William also the only photo I have of Maud . 

Also of interest William's father was an unusual vicar serving time in prison for his delivering of certain " high church " rituals in the churches he served in .

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/238502243/richard-william-enraght

There is more on the internet about him and the following he had from his church communities. 

 

Thanks again Zeze

Cheers

Fiona 

[ZeZe]

Hi Fiona,

Thanks for the information & adding the photo of William, greatly appreciated – I didn’t like to ask

Regards ZeZe

[FionaBam]

Hi Zeze

You are very welcome. Thank you for all the information you have given me

Cheers 

Fiona 

[frev]

On 06/06/2023 at 16:46, ZeZe said:

 

 

@ZeZe The following 3 AANS nurses were also on the HS Formosa (1916):

 

MARSH, Elsie May – attached to HS Formosa for duty 13/1/1916

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=8214999

 

WALKER, Beatrice Alice – attached to HS Formosa for duty 13/1/1916

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3004254

 

WOOD, Janet Sinclair – attached to HS Formosa for duty 13/1/1916

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1916789

 

Cheers, Frev

[ZeZe]

Hi Frev

Thanks for the additional three nurses. It appears Janet Sinclair Wood served on another un-named ship ‘Left Alex. for duty on Hosp ship & Transport: 03.09.16.’, unless you think that still refers to H.M.H.S. Formosa.

Regards ZeZe

[FionaBam]

On 14/12/2022 at 23:16, alf mcm said:

Fiona,

  You can download the war diary here for free once you register;-

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/faf7cf4014b2453996823feced737f8b

There's a chance that your great great uncle will be mentioned.

Regards,

Alf McM

Been looking again at this war diary and whilst as  @ZeZe advised there unfortunately is no coverage of the Gallipoli period , theres something else that I am curious about 

" 22.11.1917- Disembarked 400 patients and 4 mental guard."

Other diary entries mention " mental cases" being disembarked, and " 3 men as mental guard"

"01.01.1918 Avonmouth. ..,"Mental Guard,I . N.C  O . and 4 men , with 20 mental cases , sent to Netley."

Mental cases are I imagine patients diagnosed as having mental health issues.

But the " mental guard"...? 

Thank you 

Cheers

Fiona 

[ZeZe]

Hi Fiona,

I guess in reality the main task of the ‘Mental Guard’ would have been to stop anyone jumping overboard.

Here’s an example of staff issues taken from the H.M.H.S. Braemar Castle War Diary (this was the voyage when a German submarine stopped and searched the ship as mentioned in GWF: Hospital Ship Braemar Castle & Matron Elizabeth Kelly Parker).

Lieutenant Colonel K.B. Barnett C/O was struggling, his Staff & R.A.M.C. numbered sixty and influenza was lowering that number.

*  *  *

Grand Harbour, Valetta. 

25.06.18: E.M.O came on board and gave suggested numbers:-

Officers 25 (including 9 Mental)

Nursing Sisters 16 (including 4 Dysentery)

Other Ranks Cot 115

Non-Cot 162

Mental 41

Grand Total 359

Mental Attendants to be supplied from invalids as no trained Mental Attendants (R.A.M.C.) were available in Malta.

 

28.06.18: .... Twenty Other Ranks (Invalids) embarked today from Ghain Tuffeiha Camp Hospital and including 9 dysentery cases had small labels attached to them marked “For duty as Mental Guard”. This does not appear to be a satisfactory substitute for trained Mental Attendants on Hospital Ships under present circumstances.

 

At Sea

07.07.18: …..Pte Foyster …. embarked at Malta, diagnosed “Feeblemindedness, Malaria” but with well marked Mental history, became very excited and had to be put under special observation and restraint’. He came on board as an ordinary cot case and not notified as a mental. There were 16 similar cases who had been carried previously from Salonika to Malta as “Mental” cases.

 

I read this that the Mental Guard were specially trained R.A.M.C. personnel but when push came to shove the more active (even though unwell) regular soldiers were sometimes co-opted into the role. The R.A.M.C. trained attendants were not part of the regular Hospital Ship R.A.M.C. Orderly staff who helped the nurses but separate, and assigned at each port.

This may have been the usual procedure in the Mediterranean theatre but may have been different on the Channel crossings. To keep the soldiers suffering from shell shock safe when at sea was obviously a hard task.

War diary https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/98218a69af794b70873706495f03fde3

Regards ZeZe