Chatham Bn at ANZAC

[swatt9r]

My great uncle Richard Morrison (CH/492 (S)) landed at ANZAC with the Chatham Battalion of the Royal Marine Light Infantry on evening of 28th April 1915. In an action at Quinn's post on 9/10th May he was shot in the head. His Hurt Report states "....he was wounded by a rifle bullet which entered the skull through the frontal bone over right eye and emerged behind through the right parietal bone near its posterior border. The bullet caused severe laceration of the brain, with resultant paralysis of left arm and leg"

He was taken to Alexandria and then to RN Hospital at Chatham, England where he died on 23rd Sept 1915. I am trying to piece together the final months of his life in detail and would be grateful for any sources of information on the following:

(a) From ANZAC where would he have gone?

( What was the state of development of Neurology in 1915?

© How was pain managed then?

(d) Are there any complication to such a head wound that we would understand now but not then?

(e) Would his wife who lived in Glasgow have been encouraged/permitted to visit him in Kent?

Stewart

[michaeldr]

Stewart

In answer to your point (a)

At the time of the first landings [25th April] the medical arrangements were under some stress

However I think that by mid-May things would have been slightly more orderly

Your great-uncle would probably have been treated on Gallipoli by the RND's 1st Field Ambulance

see Medical Unit RND War Diary [NA ref WO95/14290] as reproduced by Len Sellers in his magazine 'RND' issue No.3, December 1997

"28th April 1915

The remainder of the Royal Naval Division proceeded to Anzac and in the evening the Portsmouth and Chatham Battalions and the 1st Field Ambulance were landed.

Staff Surgeon Fleming, O.C. 1st Field Ambulance establishes a Dressing Station at Anzac beach"

He would then have probably been taken off by a lighter from Anzac beach to a hospital ship which would then sail to Alexandia

Sir John Maxwell stated on 11 May 1915, that all wounded arriving in Egypt were 'made comfortable' and attended to there in hospital within 80 hours of their being wounded on the Gallipoli peninsula

Regarding the action in which your great-uncle was wounded

the War Diary of the RM Brigade [NA ref WO95/4291] gives

"9th May 1915

P.M. An advance from Quinns Post was carried out at 9 p.m., resulting inthe occupation of the Turkish front line trench at 12.45 a.m. 10th May

10th May 1915

The Chatham Battalion took part in this exploit. At daylight heavy enfilade fire from rifle and machine guns brought to bear on the captured trenches and they became untenable, the old line being restored by 9 a.m."

as reproduced by Len Sellers in his magazine 'RND' issue No.23, December 2002

regards

Michael D.R.

[Jonathan Saunders]

Something to add to that which Michael has written is that really severe fighting, often hand to hand, had been taking place involving the RM Bttns from the Cheesboard along to Johnson's Jolly (I think), almost continuously since around 3 May. On top of the fighting since 25 April, I expect there was a multitude of injured being taken off at ANZAC right up until the RM Bttns evacuated around 12 May. What could have been done for your G/Uncle I dont know but of course there is always the potential that he was regarded as a hopeless case when there were so many to attend to.

With regard to his wife living in Glasgow then my belief is she would not have been encouraged to see him. Certainly I have read accounts that those with a blighty wound were taken to hospitals as far away as poosible from their families, so if you lived in Hampshire you went to a hospital in Yorkshire. Obviously there were exceptions to this rule and some NOK actually received permission to visit loved one's in hospital in France but the WO thinking, was that they didnt want families spreading stories of the terrible wounds and mutiliation that were taking place and could be witnessed by hospital visits.

[swatt9r]

Thank you Michael and Jonathon for your replies. My G Uncle's Casualty Form says he was put aboard SS Gascony (looks like this) on 11th May 1915 but did not reach the Ras El Tin hospital in Alexandria until 12 days later. Could this have been a hospital ship that was anchored off ANZAC awaiting wounded or could he have been sent first to Imbros? Given that there were about 8500 casualties from ANZAC by 3rd May 1915 I do not think H ships had to wait long.

The surgeon Captain of RN Hospital Haslar in Portsmouth suggested that a Mr Jim Strawbridge a member of the forum, might be able to help with the medical stuff. Any way that I can contact him?

Stewart

[michaeldr]

Stewart,

This info is very interesting for a couple of reasons

Firstly, in view of the Maxwell statement re 80 hours [3.3 days or a ship's speed of 10 knots for the 800 miles from the peninsula] why did it take 12 days in your great-uncle's case?

Secondly, a recently published list of hospitals serving the Gallipoli front says that No.21 General Hospital, also known as Ras-el-Tin Hospital [it was situated at the Ras-el-Tin Barracks] arrived in Alexandria from England in June (not May). The author of the article is a member of this forum and he may wish to contact you on this, either to up-date his own records or to clarify/explain something for you. I will draw his attention to this thread.

[There was also a Ras-el-Tin Convalescent Hospital but I do not imagine that this is what is being refered to here]

As I said earlier, it is 800 miles from the peninsula to Alexandria and 12 days is an awfully long time for that voyage. There must have been delays, possibly on the isands. Either the ship's log or your great uncle's record may have further details which can explain this. If the ship's log still exists then it will be at the NA. You may also find your great-uncle's records there or at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton .

Regarding Mr Jim Strawbridge, you will find him in the members' list and you can then either e-mail him or leave him a personal message through the forum

Regards

Michael D.R.

[michaeldr]

Regarding the hospital ship

I think that it was probably the 'Gascon'

Capt Roy Swales' father serving in the Nelson Battalion, RND, was also wounded on the Anzac front

He was shot on the 3rd May 1915, put on the 'Gascon' and arrived at 17th General Hospital (Victoria College) Alexandria, 4 days later

This is aprox in line with Maxwell's 80 hours - I hope that you can find out a reason for the delay in your great-uncles' case

regards

Michael D.R.

[Ozzie]

The Gascon and hospitals are mentioned here

http://www.anzacsite.gov.au/5environment/nurses.html

Cheers

Kim

[michaeldr]

Kim,

Many thanks for the interesting link

I note that the distance given by that article for Gallipoli - Alexandria is 1050 kms

This converts to aprox 652 miles

My statement of 800 miles given above was taken from memory of one of Gen Monro's statements

I should have re-checked

sorry

Michael D.R.

PS; my memory was not so bad after all

Monro did say 800 miles [his despatch of 6th March as quoted by Major General Sir C. E. Callwell in his 'The Dardanelles' see page 274]

but perhaps I should have checked anyway

Edited 5 June , 2006 by michaeldr

[swatt9r]

I've had a closer look at Richard's Active Service Casualty Form (from Yeovil) and now see that I was slightly overstating the time difference. He was put on the SS Gascon on 11th - the day after his wound. So although he was a hopeless case they moved him on. Of course the RM Brigade was disembarking for Helles the next day so that may have had a bearing on it. He arrived Alexandria on 19th May - so still 8 days in transit. The ASCF clearly states Ras-el-Tin Military Hospital, Alexandria on 19th May (the report was entered on 23rd May).

I think Ozzie's excellent link suggests that Gascon may have called in at Imbros with some wounded en route for Egypt and so the total journey took 8 days.

On 26th June 1915 Richard was taken aboard H M Hospital ship Glengorm Castle and sent to England.

A Royal Navy medic has told me he would have been treated with Paraldehyde. Can anyone supply any details of this drug?

Stewart

[michaeldr]

Stewart,

The RM Brigade were shipped from Anzac to Helles not on the 'Gascon'

but on the 'Cawdor Castle' so I doubt if the brigade's movement had any bearing on the time it took to get your relative to Alexandria.

I wonder if, because of the very serious and complicated nature of the wound, Richard may have been moved from hospital to hospital until they found people with the necessary experience to handle his case. This is just speculation, but I wonder if their is one, or more, entries missing from his record and that the Ras-el-Tin hospital was just the last establishment and the one from which he was shipped to England in June?

Best of luck with your further researches

Michael D.R.

[horatio2]

Something to add to that which Michael has written is that really severe fighting, often hand to hand, had been taking place involving the RM Bttns from the Cheesboard along to Johnson's Jolly (I think), almost continuously since around 3 May. On top of the fighting since 25 April, I expect there was a multitude of injured being taken off at ANZAC right up until the RM Bttns evacuated around 12 May. What could have been done for your G/Uncle I dont know but of course there is always the potential that he was regarded as a hopeless case when there were so many to attend to.

With regard to his wife living in Glasgow then my belief is she would not have been encouraged to see him. Certainly I have read accounts that those with a blighty wound were taken to hospitals as far away as poosible from their families, so if you lived in Hampshire you went to a hospital in Yorkshire. Obviously there were exceptions to this rule and some NOK actually received permission to visit loved one's in hospital in France but the WO thinking, was that they didnt want families spreading stories of the terrible wounds and mutiliation that were taking place and could be witnessed by hospital visits.

I think you are being unfair. This Chatham marine was a naval man who went to the naval hospital near his base. The WO had nothing to do with it as the RND was not under WO but Admiralty control and at Gallipoli the Navy looked after its own. It would have been expense, not Admiralty policy, that determined whether his family visited him.

[Jonathan Saunders]

I think you are being unfair. This Chatham marine was a naval man who went to the naval hospital near his base. The WO had nothing to do with it as the RND was not under WO but Admiralty control and at Gallipoli the Navy looked after its own. It would have been expense, not Admiralty policy, that determined whether his family visited him.

Thats a fair point - although my comments relating to WO procedures holds true. Whether this was government policy or left to the respective services I do not know.