German East Africa

[Jackie]

Hello folks

I've been trying to trace my Grandad's war history for a few years now - have put messages on the forum and people have been very helpful, but Istill haven't managed to track down his regiment or any other details about him.

There now seem to be a lot more people on the forum who are working on East Africa, so I thought I'd post a new message and see if anyone can help.

My Grandad was born Henry Bruce Cunningham, but took his stepfather's name of Quinn. He was known throughout his life as Bruce, so could have any combination of first name and surname.

I have searched on the original medal roll cards, but couldn't find any combination of that name with any sort of medal from the East African campaign. That isn't to say there isn't one there!

He was born in Northern Ireland but lived in the south since he was very young.

I don't know where he joined up.

His trade was horses, although nobody seems to know anything about him working with horses in the army.

I have been told he learned to drive a lorry in "German East Africa", but I have no other details, such as when he was there.

He passed through Durban either going in or coming out.

He caught malaria at some time and was hospitalised.

I know he was over there at the same time as two other soldiers, with the surnames "Sleep" and "Death" or "De'Ath", although they were not from his regiment. (There was an incident where he found them after they had been attacked by killer bees.)

Chris (Baker) has tried to research him for me, but to no avail.

My last chance is to try to find him through hospital records.

The question is, does anybody know a) if there were hospitals in German East Africa where soldiers would routinely be sent;

If not there, would they have been sent home to recuperate and, if so, would it be to army hospitals or just a hospital near their home, and c) has anybody got any idea how to track down hospital records?

I've tried with the two main hospitals near Dublin, where he would be most likely to have gone, but they have no records.

My dad, who is 85, asked me again today if I had managed to find out any more about his dad, and I had to say no. I'd be grateful for a lead, however small, from anyone.

Thanks

Jackie

[bushfighter]

Jackie

He may have served in the Army Service Corps as they greatly expanded motor transport activities in German East Africa as roads were constructed.

His first hospitalisation for malaria would have been in a Royal Army Medical Corps hospital in German East Africa.

If he needed evacuating then he would have been shipped down the coast to a military hospital in South Africa.

Good Luck with the search.

Harry

[KONDOA]

Jackie,

The main hospitals were at Mombasa, Morogoro and Dar es Salaam.

In South Africa, there were several centred around the Princess Alexander Hospital, Maitlands near Cape Town.

In the UK , Oxford and Bristol were the main centres for malaria cases from GEA.

Unfortunately any medical records will be in his service file which no doubt has not been found etc.

Roop

[Jackie]

Harry and Roop, thank you very much for this. It gives me some more to go on, so I will now try and find out where the records of the hospitals are. Hopefully they will be at Kew.

All the best

Jackie

[Jackie]

Hi there

I'm back again. One of the replies sees to have disappeared - I hope I haven't managed to delete something. I noted briefly that it said that HENRY QUINN of the ASC (driver) looked most likely to be my man.

I downloaded the two medal rolls of both Henry Quinns, who were drivers in the ASC.

I was going to see if anybody see anything on either of these two cards to suggest one might be the right one? Nothing seems obvious to me, but then I haven't really got a clue what I'm looking for. The only positive thing I can see is that neither say that the theatre of war was France.

My problem is that they are too big to fit into one attachment, but when I tried to attach them separately to two different replies, they were still too big. They came out at 172 kb.

Has anybody got any ideas on how I can attach the images to a reply on the forum?

Thanks

Jackie

[KONDOA]

Hi Jackie,

I removed the said reference as it may be a little tenuous and having re- read all your previous posts regarding being in hospital at the end of the war it became less likely.

Try:

Medal card of Cunningham, Henry

Corps Regiment No Rank

Army Service Corps M/304970 Private

He served with ASC MT in Dar Es Salaam but married in Sunderland which differs from what you infer? Admitted Northern General Hospital 22/3/1918 with Malaria.

Embarked for GEA 30/4/1917 via South Africa, left ? 24/9/1917, in hospital at Devonport (malaria).

No mention of Ireland and his age seems wrong too at 30 in 1914? Will keep looking.

Roop

[Jackie]

I just wanted to thank everybody who has helped me with this so far. Unfortunately my Dad died two weeks ago, so I was never able to tell him about his Dad. I will continue the search, but it won't be for a while. It's a bit raw at the moment and it would upset me even if I did find anything. Anyway, I'll still read the forum - I've learned so much from it.

All the best

Jackie

[matteyre]

Sorry to hear your news Jackie. My grandfather was in the ASC in East Africa, going via Durban with the East African Force, and ended up running an ASC depot attached to the RNAS base at Kilwa. He was hospitalised several times at Kilwa with malaria, and went to South Africa at one stage to recover. Because of the malaria he was posted to an ASC reserve company in Edinburgh towards the end of the war, and suffered badly with it later in his life. I've got his medical records via the national arcive, so could let you have more details if that is any help, matt

[jansanderson]

Hi Jackie

Just found your post - my Gt Uncle served with ASC in East Africa and caught one of those horrible bugs, according to his Grandaughter he was sent to Addington Hospital, Durban for treatment. Just thought it might help to have another line to follow. As of 2006 the hospital was still operational but in a pretty run down state don't know what records are kept there tho I just did a search and it appears to have a museum (with an extensive archive) which you may be able to contact. The museum address is Old Nurses Home, 1st floor, Addington Hospital, Hospital Rd, Durban, S Africa. There is a phone number +27 31 327 2000 and the museum is only open Thursday mornings.

Obviously it is a long shot that your Grandad was there but it might be worth getting in touch in case they can advise you on alternative sources.

Best wishes in your search

Jan