Yacht 'Albion'

[ZeZe]

Hi,

Timeline for the Hospital Yacht “Albion”.

Not sure what to make of the four Q.A.R.N.N.S.R. - haven't found anyone else for that short period. Who was O/C?

Regards ZeZe

[alf mcm]

ZeZe,

  The 'Albion' is only mentioned once in Maud McCarthy's diary. The 4 naval nurses are a bit of a mystery. I can expand on their names;-

Lilian Jane BROWN

Helena Theodora FOX-HARVEY - later became QARNNS

Mabel Mary PEPPER - later became QARNNS

Regards,

Alf McM

[ZeZe]

Hi Alf,

Thanks for the first names. Am I right in thinking that “Albion” was the only yacht to have Naval nurses onboard? I couldn’t see any other similar postings in the files.

Admiral Beatty’s yacht “Shiela” appeared in the August 1914 press quite often with a few clues for the staff on the yacht …..‘Sir Alfred (Downing) Fripp (1865-1930) and Mr A. M. (Arthur Marmude?) Shield will be consulting surgeons, with a staff of trained nurses’…

Therefore perhaps the first surgeons on board “Albion” accompanying the Naval nurses were also civilians. Who the trained nurses are on “Shiela” is a blank.

Sir Alfred Downing Fripp is also described as Consulting Surgeon to His Majesty’s Hospital Ships. He has a Wiki page, Boer War, etc.

*  *  *

NA War Diary, Havre Base, Director Medical Services (the typed section, Boulogne, November 1914, makes reading very easy: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/ab1b39e103314e308bb02f8942ea50fb

A few excerpts:

p.20: 1st November, Yacht “Albion” left with 48 Other Ranks, British.

p.24: 3rd November, Yacht “Albion” left with 28 Other Ranks, British.

Proves “Albion” was not used as a Hospital Ship exclusively for Officers.

Also mentioned, p.30: Yacht Grianaig left with 12 Officers.

Photo of Grianaig https://www.merseamuseum.org.uk/mmphoto.php?pid=DWS_023&hit=1&tot=1&typ=cat&wds=Grianaig

Regards ZeZe

[MerchantOldSalt]

18 hours ago, ZeZe said:

 

Not sure what to make of the four Q.A.R.N.N.S.R. - haven't found anyone else for that short period. Who was O/C?

Regards ZeZe

As the ALBION was a Royal Navy Hospital Ship, as opposed to a Military hospital Ship, during Aug and Sep 1914 and appears in the Navy List as such, would that not explain the presence of QARRNS onboard, if that is what is causing your concern?   The Navy List also has two other names of nurses in addition to your list as can be seen from the attached extract.

Beatty's yacht is called SHEELAH, not Sheila, is No.11 and was a Naval Hospital Ship for most of the war as was Lord Tredegar's Yacht LIBERTY No.10. though the Navy List names the surgeons and officers it does not appear to have any nurses for these two.  I have not followed enough of this thread to know whether your interest is purely military hospital ships or the 19 Royal Navy ones as well, so ignore these ramblings if that is the case.

Tony

 

 

Edited 4 March , 2023 by MerchantOldSalt

[ZeZe]

Hi Tony, 

Thanks for the correction for Sheelah, I relied on the newspaper OCR which is a little suspect.

The nurses serving on Delta in August 1914 is also useful as the names will help with another post.

Regards ZeZe

[alf mcm]

Thanks Tony for the Navy Lists and photos.

ZeZe,

  I actually had HECTOR and ROWLAND on my list as having served on ALBION. However, on reading their records I noticed that ALBION wasn't mentioned. I therefore thought I made a mistake so took them off my list! I had presumably taken their ALBION service from the Navy Lists whenI made up my list, a few years ago.

QARNNSR Agnes Grant HECTOR [ADM/104 162 pages 9, 53 & 113}

QARNNSR Elizabeth Mary ROWLAND [ADM/104 162 pages 9, 56 & 108}

Regards,

Alf McM

[alf mcm]

ZeZe,

  I have another 'Albion' nurse for you, Sister Gladys May PENLEY, QAIMNSR {WO399/6595}. I have not had a chance to check her service record.

The following is from the British Nursing Journal of 2nd January 1915;-

  The annual League Journal is just to hand. It contains many articles of interest to others as well as the members of the League, and some delightful pictures-groups of the Matron and the nursing staff, of the Infirmary wards all gay with flowers, of the hospital yacht Albion, on which Sister Penley has been doing such good work in the theatre, when bringing our wounded across the Channel. This yacht belongs to Mr. Loeffler, and is beautifully fitted to hold sixty patients, and he has been most kind and thoughtful to the nurses, providing them with rugs, coats, and rubber shoes for the deck. Sister Penley has evidently had an entrancing experience, of which she writes :- "We usually leave Southampton one day, embark patients at Boulogne the nest, and disembark at Southampton the following morning, after doing all their dressings and making them as comfortable as possible. We take it in turns to do night duty-two at a time, so our turn only comes once a week-and there is always a steward to see to our meals. We are all agreed we are in clover. Never in my wildest dreams have I imagined anything so delightful. Our cabins are luxurious-only two berths in each, and lots of room for our things."

Regards,

Alf McM

[ZeZe]

Hi Alf,

I did spot that Sister Gladys Penley was having an enjoyable time on Albion. I found her name mentioned in this comprehensive article along with other interesting details. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2299947/?page=4

Lieutenant-Colonel A. B. Cottell’s article on the men at the front suffering from frostbite: https://rcnarchive.rcn.org.uk/volumes/53/Volume%2053%20Page%20462

Nothing found regarding sailings and cases brought home during the short Royal Navy Hospital Ship period. I guess the ratio of patients to nurse was far too low for Albion to stay in service for long.

Update for Albion along with all I have for Hospital Yacht Grianaig.

Regards ZeZe

 

Edited 22 March , 2023 by ZeZe