Friday 26 March 2010

The CO continues his account...

... of the history of the hospital

The orderlies who joined on mobilisation were young men mostly enlisted from Messrs. Hitchcock and Williams, and I shall always remember the amount of work crowded into a few days by those youngsters and the nursing sisters who came at the beginning. There was no eight-hour day; it was work, work, work till the place had been emptied of all the school equipment and converted into a hospital. The chapel was used as a store-house, as it was essential that the children's things should not be mixed. The hundreds of small pairs of boots, each on its own rack in what is now the dispensary, had to be strung on string and numbered so that they could be identified. The lockers in the recreation room contained the treasures of the little ones, and those who understand children will realise what grief would have been caused by the loss of old toys. My friend Lady Gladstone worked all the first night with friends, and by the next day sent me 500 bags, each to hold a child's toys. These were numbered with the locker number, and, when the toys were packed, were tied and stored in the chapel.

Rooms admirable for children to use as dormitories were not suitable to be filled with septic cases. The windows were replaced by Hopper sashes, which allow of open air without draught. Additional lavatory accommodation was put in, and baths were installed on every floor. I thought I had a good idea of the number of nails required to fix a partition, but till I tried to sleep in my office while the carpenters were working all night fixing a partition on the floor above I little realised how securely they fix 'temporary' work - and I felt glad it was not intended to be 'permanent.' We were very fortunate in our early days in having Captain Dodson, who had for years been doctor to the Patriotic School. He knew the building and the district, and we owe much to him for the way in which he found suitable houses for the nursing staff, and gave help in many other directions. There cannot be much doubt as to the sanitary condition of this hospital, since Captain Willcox, the Home Office expert, sacrificed many hours to the superintending of the alterations, and we had the assistance at all times of Sir Shirley Murphy, whose suggestions were of very great value; also of Colonel Russell, Chief Engineer London District, who supervised the plans and general construction.

The receiving ward was not suitable for a ward for patients to sleep in, but ideal for reception purposes, and so the number of beds expected to be housed in the building was reduced by forty; another forty to be housed in the chapel, and forty more in the recreation room; these places not being suitable as wards diminished the available space. Mr. Pain Clark drew up the plans for the hut wards, and these were duly put in hand; the operating theatre was built, the infirmary made into an officers' hospital to provide twenty beds; and by the end of eight weeks, the huts being finished, the 520 beds were ready and in use.

In September, the equipment having been provided and the staff working smoothly, I considered the moment to offer the hospital for service abroad. The suggestion was put to the staff, and practically the whole of the officers, nurses and men volunteered for general service, but the War Office decided that these hospitals were not to go abroad. Though the disappointment was great to many, the reason is now fairly obvious. The hospitals being staffed as they are by the teaching hospitals, they have to remain in England so that the officers from them can continue their lectures and help with the civil hospitals. Besides this, the more serious cases are brought to England, and we have often had cases in these wards within thirty-six hours of being wounded. Once it was decided that the hospital was to remain in England, I allowed those orderlies physically fit to exchange, and they have now gone to various units abroad. Today the whole of the detachment, with the exception of some N.C.O.'s, is made up of men over 38 and young ones under 19, and those who have been rejected for service abroad.

During my busiest days I was often interviewed by a very nervous young man of a local paper in search of news. Once when he called I was very, very preoccupied and tired, and, having answered his questions, he kindly informed me that he would call again next week. The prospect of another visit from this nervous youngster was not inspiring, and I suggested that by that time I expected he would find me sitting in a room then in course of preparation - a room which would be padded all round. He evidently meant to be very polite, and so replied that he sincerely hoped so! Some day he may find me there, who knows?

(Final part to come)

1 comment:

  1. "I thought I had a good idea of the number of nails required to fix a partition, but till I tried to sleep in my office while the carpenters were working all night fixing a partition on the floor above I little realised how securely they fix 'temporary' work - and I felt glad it was not intended to be 'permanent."

    Today, we'd say "the carpenters made one hell of a row and I couldn't get a wink's sleep."

    It's a lovely narrative.

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