Sisters and RAMC Doctors who ?where

[auchonvillerssomme]

Can anyone identify any of these and/or the place?

Mick

[Sue Light]

Mick

I don't think I'm going to be much use, but my thoughts anyway on the nurses.

There is one Matron of the regular service QAIMNS, with three sisters and two staff nurses of the QAIMNS Reserve - three of them are wearing medal ribbons, but they all look rather different.

It could have been taken anytime during the war, but probably before the end of 1919, as most Reserve nurses had been demobilised by then. This suggests [to my medal-less brain] that the medal ribbons cannot be BWM/Victory?

It seems likely that the group is the total staff, RAMC officers and QAIMNS of one home hospital. If this is so, then it's likely to be quite a small hospital, but the fact it has a Matron of the regular service would make it a unit that was also a military hospital pre-war - perhaps somewhere the size of Parkhurst, IOW. Many of these home hospital Matrons were women who were over age, and came out of retirement to serve, but were not suitable for overseas service.

It would be useful if someone could identify the medal ribbons [but would not ultimately solve the problem ]

Not a lot of jollity going on, is there?

Sue

[auchonvillerssomme]

thanks Sue, i have had a chance to look at the back of the picture now, after being told it was blank.

'Etaples 1919' Would they perhaps all be nearing the end of their service?

Most matrons I met in my service had faces that curdled my tea.

Mick

[Sue Light]

Crikey - there isn't a single thing that would make me think it was Etaples - I wonder if the deck chairs are local issue Just goes to show how wrong I can be!

The majority of the Reserve nurses started to come home from about Feb/March 1919, and there were still some there right up until the end of that year, with a few going with the Army of Occupation to Germany.

And yes, Matrons have to pass the tea-curdling exam before they're promoted - some of those in the photo look well on the way!

[And if anyone else had said that, I would be pressing the 'Report Abuse' button ]

Sue

[Tonym]

Just a thought but would the Army officers still be wearing their rank on their cuffs in 1919?

Tony

[Tonym]

Sorry I meant 1918?

Tony

[auchonvillerssomme]

The wording is actually Eataples 1919....so I will probably find a small village of that name somewhere in Somerset or such place.

Mick

[Myrtle]

The wording is actually Eataples 1919....so I will probably find a small village of that name somewhere in Somerset or such place.

Mick

The buildings don't look British.

[Tonym]

Having enlarged the picture to A4 glossy for detail I doubt that they are all RAMC officers - uniform style varies and collar/headdress badges are not all the same. My thoughts are:-

1 - That it is an officers hospital and they are patients; I don't think officers wore hospital blues, privilege

of 'class'.

2 - The officer on the left is a little more casual than the others as is his uniform and he appears to have his

hands in his trouser pockets - Colonial or Cavalry?? He has three pips on his shoulder suggesting a

Captain, could be two pips and a crown but he looks a bit to young for that.

3 - The four other officers suggest ages of 40s - 50s, carreer officers? What is also significant is that only

one (2nd from left) has a least one medal ribbon the others no ribbons, service or otherwise. The officer

in the centre has two pips on his cuff - or is it a pip and a crown, could be at his age. The officer on the

right has three pips - or is that two pips and a crown, again looks old enough and what is that on his right

arm - not three war service cheverons surely?

4. The Matron and the Sister on her right have two medal ribbons, unfortunately not in colour, but the

shading could suggest a QSA and KSA whilst the Sister with the dog could also be wearing a QSA, so

three well seasoned nurses.

I think that you are being unkind to the Matron, looks to me that she is smiling. The one on her left looks a bit stern but if she looks after the dog she can't be all that bad.

As far as location I have no idea what Etaples looked like in 1918/19 but I would settle for "An English Country Garden" with a nice big house loaned for the duration of the war for officer casualties.

The above are just my observations and thoughts.

Tony

FOR SUE:

A few days ago you took pity on a poster who had had no responses to his question; he did have one yourself. I put a post on the cemeteries thread about five days ago, plenty of viewers but not a whisper so the prize is mine.

[auchonvillerssomme]

Right now i'm obsessed. Ive had the magnifier on it.

Officer on the left. is RAChDept. Captain

The officer on the right has a labour Corps cap badge. 3 service chevrons and is a Captain.

2nd Officer on the right Labour Corps cap badge But unsure of collar badges. (not labour Corps though)

2nd Officer from the left. Old soldier. medal ribbons and largish cap badge that looks like Middlesex Regt.

Officer in the middle...no idea Lieutenant pips

Building doesn't look English. Huts look military.

Mick

[Tonym]

Mick

I go along with the Chaplain hence his casual stance - I had my suspicions about Labour Corps but was not sure.

Regarding the buildings they look a bit more substantial than huts, however?

Another point that crossed my mind, the building behind them; unusual window frames or are they "Cross" symbols decorating the windows of a Chapel? or am I being carried away?

Tony

[auchonvillerssomme]

I didnt mean the house type building being the huts...I meant the hut type buildings to the left.

The house type building is the same type of design as mine. The cross type windows I think are the common 6 pane windows.

Would Labour Corps Officers wear their old regimental collar badges?

Mick