Wednesday 31 March 2010

Our History - Part three

The History of Our Hospital
Final part by Lt. Colonel Bruce Porter

In March a further expansion of the hospital was proposed and buildings in the neighbourhood suggested, but for various reasons these were not suitable. Adjoining us, however, lay a field then in preparation for a playground for the young folk of Wandsworth. The matter appeared urgent, and by a series of 'fortuitous coincidences' Sir Alfred Pearce Gould was seeing the Director-General on matters connected with the London University, and had in his pocket my copy of the plans. The Director-General saw the plans, and in a very short time sanction was obtained from the L.C.C. to use the ground - the plans were passed - and the work was put in hand. While this extension was actually in the course of erection a further extension was sanctioned, so that today we have equipped and open a total of 1,500 beds.

The first huts (the 'letter' block) were War Office pattern, but in the new extension we were allowed to submit other plans, and thus obtained sanction for wards with continuous windows of the Hopper type. The effect is to give the interior of these wards almost as much air as the open air itself, but without exposure to rain or wind. One of the most striking features is the entire absence of the smells so often met with in hospitals. Another feature of our new extension is the bath-house, where a patient may go at any time and have a hot bath; there is also a new X-ray block, a new operating theatre, kitchens, and a large dining hall which is used as a recreation room and has been turned into a very fine billiard and writing room. The nominal officers' accommodation of this hospital was 20, but this has been increased to 160 by taking over men's wards; the number of patients in a ward is greater than would be the case either in nursing homes or private hospitals, but the wards are very comfortable. The officer patients have their own kitchen and dining and recreation rooms. Concerts are held in the old recreation room in the main building. And, speaking of concerts, brings me to a point at which I would like to refer to the various entertainments which have been and are being held in this room. Always three evenings, often four a week, since the hospital opened, we have had first-class entertainments here. Only those who live in hospital can appreciate the help these concerts are to the sick and wounded. Men are brought into the room on a stretchers and on trolleys, and before we had these trolleys I have seen four men who were wounded in the arm carrying a pal on a stretcher who had been wounded in the legs.

I have seen many entertainments in one place and another, but a few stand out as things apart. One of these was a tea party given in September by Mr. Howard Williams. It was a couple of days after we had taken in a convoy of exchanged wounded, and the sight of the Receiving Hall when looked down on from the balcony was one I shall never forget. Five hundred and thirty men were seated at tables in that hall - men from every part of the Empire, of every regiment, and with all sorts of injuries received in the defence of all we hold dear. The wounded exchanged prisoners, men of the 1st Army, those who helped to check the tide of savages who were trying to over-run France and then England - men who were only taken prisoners when, because of their wounds, they could fight no more - were there seated at tables decorated with the flags of the Allies and loaded with food such as they doubtless dreamt of during the starvation period of their confinement. The ones who were helpless and blind were assisted by the less severely injured, and all were waited on by the sisters and nurses and the young ladies from Mr. Howard William's firm in the City. The noise and laughter were like that of a big school treat, and for the time all pain appeared blotted out and everyone was happy. If I were to be restricted when the war is over to keeping but one pleasant memory of my work at the 3rd London, I should without hesitation choose that room and all it held at that tea party.

There is one other concert I shall always remember. It had an element of sadness in it, but the more pleasant elements crowd out the sad. On New Year's Day thirty of the senior girls of the Royal Victoria Patriotic School came and sang to the patients. It was sad in that the girls are orphans; it was pleasant in the way in which the call of the blood shows. It goes without saying that amongst the professional singers whom we have here week by week the voices of children cannot compete for training, but no vocalists have ever had a reception to beat that given to these children. They were soldiers' orphans, singing to soldiers, and the men loved them. After this concert we had nearly 300 children to tea in their old playroom and gave them an entertainment, and as the children went away the patients lined the hall and passages to give them a good send-off. This afternoon forms another pleasant memory I shall retain amongst those of the 3rd London. I hope we shall be able to repeat this entertainment this Christmas season, and show the small folk that though we of the 3rd London may have been obliged to drive them from the school we have taken them into our hearts.

No comments:

Post a Comment