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HAREFIELD PARK HOSPITAL |
AWM File of research 646; abridged and other material |
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Some images from www.harefield.net |
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Harefield, Middlesex,
England. c. 1918.
The Australian corner of Harefield churchyard, containing the graves of 111 AIF personnel and one nursing sister who died of wounds or illness at No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield Park. |
| The graves have rectangular headstones with carved
scrolls at top and bottom and all bear the words "Erected by his
comrades" and "ANZAC".
Reading from front to back the headstones include: Far left: 170 Private Robert Sydney Wake, 5th Battalion, died 1916-02-08 aged 24; 323 Pte C. R. Rowlands, Australian Army Medical Corps (AAMC) died 1916-07-20; second row: 185 Pte George Arthur Kelly, 2nd Battalion, died 1916-04-17 aged 31; 1642 Pte Leslie Knox, 1st Battalion, died 1916-11-15 aged 21; third row: Sergeant (Sgt) T. Regan, 8th Light Horse Regiment, died 1916-07-02 aged 27; 1748 Pte Percy Giddens, 14th Battalion, died 1917-01-01; fourth row: Pte Arthur John Taylor, 10th Battalion, died 1916-07-16 aged 37; Pte Mervyn Francis Moffatt, 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, died 1916-10 aged 19. (Donor M. Berry) |
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Harefield, England. c. 1916. Side view of the military ambulance used at No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital (1AAH) for conveying patients, staff and goods especially to Denham Station. Five military personnel are seated in the ambulance while four medical staff, most with red cross arm badges, stand and sit outside. Note their eye goggles and how two of the men are smoking cigarettes. (Donor R. Brown) |
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No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital (1)In November 1914, Mr and Mrs Charles Billyard-Leake (Australians resident in the U.K.) offered the property known as "Harefield Park", Harefield, Middlesex, to be used as a Home for convalescent wounded soldiers of the A.I.F. Their offer was accepted by the Commonwealth Defence Department in December 1914. The property comprised Harefield Park House, a plain three-storey brick structure, some outbuildings, and ample grounds. At the time of the acceptance of the offer it was estimated by the military authorities that the house would accommodate 50 soldiers under winter conditions and 150 during spring and summer. In fact, the hospital accommodated over 1,000 beds at the height of its use, and also a large nursing and ancillary support staff. On the 19 January 1915, the Minister for Defence informed the Secretary, Department of External Affairs that approval had been given for the following staff:- One Captain (A.A.M.C.), one Sergeant, one Corporal, four men as wardsmen and orderlies, also one Matron and five nursing sisters; the Medical Superintendent to be under the supervision of the High Commissioner. Upon arrival in England, the Medical Superintendent was to purchase the necessary equipment for 150 patients in the summer, and 60 in the winter, and with his staff furnish and equip the house in readiness for use by Australian troops in the spring. The official date of opening was 4 June 1915. The first Commanding Officer appointed for the Hospital Captain M. V. Southey, A.A.M.C. and his staff left Australia by the transport "Runic", due to arrive in England on, or about April 15, 1915, and the Matron Miss E. Gray, and five nurses, left by R.M.S. "Osterley", to arrive in England on, or about 27 March 1915. The names of the original nursing sisters were:- Senior Sister Pratt, and Sisters Mills, Chadwick, Kidd and Hayes, all of whom had been chosen specially for their fitness for the positions. The work of the Depot was laid down in the following terms:
The work of the Depot became far wider as the War progressed, and in time all normal hospital functions were assumed, and by August 1918,it had been made a Centre for eye, ear, nose and throat diseases. It also maintained an Electrical Department where many hundreds of "Skiagrams" (early X-rays) were made. There were also massage and Dental Departments. By April 1918, the nominal roll of nursing staff had risen to 74. In May 1919, Mr Billyard-Leake offered "The Red House", Harefield for rental for accommodation for hospital personnel. By this time, the Hospital was contained in large huts, dispersed throughout the grounds of Harefield Park, there being nearly fifty buildings in use including workshops, garages, stores, messes, canteens, recreation hall, billiards room, cook house detention room and mortuary. Amenities included the Red Cross Store which was opened in November 1916; the Patients Canteen - opened and conducted by a Committee comprising Mrs Charles Billyard-Leake, Miss Letitia Billyard-Leake, the Hon Mrs Lambart, Mrs Stedall and Miss Stedall, Mrs Evans, and Mrs Vennings - all ladies of the surrounding district. There was also a Billiard Room, Writing Rooms, and a Recreation Hall where daily concerts were given by visiting parties, as well as regular film shows. Mrs Gregg-MacGregor (wife of Chaplain Captain Cregg-MacCregor) managed the Library. Trips to London were arranged and paid for out of Canteen funds, and Mrs Vennings and other ladies made their cars freely available for country trips, picnics, and Journeys to and from the railway station, (both for patients and visitors to the Hospital). An Orderlies Canteen was formed in January 1916 for the use of all ranks below sergeant. Suitable premises were found and converted in Canteen, Billiard Room, and Reading and Writing Rooms. A small magazine was produced in November 1916, to be followed in December 1916 by the first issue of the official magazine, the Harefield Park Boomerang, issued under the editorship of the Director of Recreation and Study. It was subsequently published irregularly, until it was finally established as a monthly journal, and ran until the final issue - the Victory Number, December 1918. Many awards and decorations were made at No.1. AAH, and one of note was that made to Staff Nurse Corkhill. A.A.N.S. The entry in the War Diary August 1918, Appendix III, (Sept 10, 1918) reads: Extract from A.I.F. List No. 375, 27.8.18 re S/Nurse E P Corkhill (now attached to No 1 A.A.H.). |
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War Office 23rd August 1918. His Majesty the King has been pleased to approve of the award of the MILITARY MEDAL to the undermentioned lady for distinguished service in the Field, as recorded: Staff Nurse Pearl Elizabeth Corkhill, AANS; "For courage and devotion on the occasion of an enemy air raid. She continued to attend to the wounded without any regard to her own safety, though enemy aircraft were overhead. Her example was of the greatest value in allaying the alarm of the patients." |  |
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The Hospital and its staff came under great strain during the outbreak of epidemic influenza with its pneumonic complications in 1918, and its highest monthly number of deaths was experienced in October/November 1918 due entirely to the epidemic.
Commander (later Captain) Alfred W. Tarleton, R.N., of Breakspears, in reply to a letter from the Commanding Officer asking to be allowed to secure turf from his land for the graves, replied ( 24. 5.17): "I should like very much to take this matter on myself and if the Australian Authorities would permit this small help would undertake that Breakspears will grass the graves and keep them in order. This would be a very little thank offering in recognition of the help given by the gallant action of Australian soldiers in preserving such peaceful homes from the violence of the enemy. I know my children would faithfully keep the trust, and that, in this old country, means from generation to generation…" A Headstone Fund was started at the Hospital, and the stones were designed in uniform pattern in scroll form on a flat pedestal. On Anzac Day, April 1918, the third anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli, a Commanding Officers Parade of Staff and walking patients was held, and was attended by some 337 personnel. After inspection by the Commanding Officer, the whole marched through Harefield Village to the Parish Churchyard, headed by the Unit Band. Near the graves of the Australian soldiers, the troops were drawn up in formation of a hollow square under the Australian flag. The two Chaplains attached to the Hospital conducted the Memorial Service. Many prominent residents, of Harefield attended the service, together with friends of the hospital, and the nursing staff. The decoration of the graves with flowers was arranged by the wife of the Commanding Officer (Lieut Col Yeatman) and many ladies helped and contributed to the cost of flowers, or gave them from out of their own gardens. The Hospital continued to function until January 1919, when it was gradually closed down. The Commanding Officer Lieut Colonel Yeatman was awarded the O.B.E. (Military Division) for his services.
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Shoulder patch for staff of 1 AAH, Harefield. |
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The Commanding Officers for the Hospital were:
In January 1916 the authorised Establishment of Harefield Auxiliary Hospital was given as:
By March 31st 1916, the total number of equipped beds had risen to 803 and by November of that year was recommended to become a 1,000 bed hospital, more as a General Hospital, with operating departments, X-ray departments etc., rather than as a convalescent home. The approved establishment for a 1,000 bed hospital was amended (the original not having appeared in AIF orders), and was shown thus:-
Attached
This was further amended by the addition of an X-ray attendant Sergeant and a Laboratory Attendant - Sergeant. By 6 December 1917, there were three Lieut Colonels attached to the Hospital.
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