TOPIC:

David

Thank you for a most interesting series of posts. They brought back memories of the happy time I spent researching the Natal Volunteer Ambulance Corps. It was soon evident in Natal that the British army was not adequately prepared to deal with battlefield casualties early in the war, hence the formation of the NVAC, Gandhi's Indian Ambulance Corps, and others. No doubt this state of affairs also prompted the formation of the private hospitals you referred to, and the letters in The Times.

Also, it seems that the military, and George Stoker amongst others, did not foresee the huge toll that disease would take, so, even when the military did get better organised, private hospitals and ships were indispensible.

Regards
Brett

I hadn't realised the hospitals were passed to the authorities but I imagine that would have eased the co-ordination. I know that the Val Alen Hospital was under the command of a RAMC Lt Col and I imagine the other units had liaison officers too?

Thanks Mike for this link to an article on the Welsh Hospital.

samilitaryhistory.org/vol123sw.html

There was also the Princess Christian's Hospital Train, constructed by the Smethwick Railway, Carriage and Waggon Company, and which was transporting patients around South Africa in March 1900.

For those that are interested, this is available. Less than the cost of dinner for two. Useful because its gives, importantly, a history of the Republican medical services & the private hospitals attached to those forces. The Dutch Red Cross , The Dutch East Indies, German Red Cross , The Swiss Red Cross, The Sivewright Ambulance, The Chicago Irish, The Belgium German.
The Imperial Forces are well covered - I found a little repetitive and lacking in the detail that I would like but that is just me. A good overview.


www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/284851268/Healer...als_De_Villiers.html

David,

I have not come across those books before so definitely something to investigate.