Hi again, another question from a beginner!! Is there anyway of finding out reasons for hospital admissions? Im hoping to go to Kew to look at war diaries in the next year but its quite far so I can't go as of yet. Any where else I can get hospital records? Frederick Rush Embarked overseas with 309coy in Nov 40 Jan 41 posted to xii list then dispatched 2 days later 8 weeks in hospital may 41, 4 weeks in hospital Sept 42 5 weeks in hospital July 43, Gun shot wound shoulder May 44 5 weeks in hospital jan 45 Then return home may 45. My mum seems to think he had malaria flare ups when he was alive, I did wonder if all the hospital trips could have been that, but I have no idea. Any incite would be fab! Thanks alot
Re the war diaries a couple of members on the forum offer a copy service at a very reasonable rate and they are very good at it re the hospital records we have many requests before and it is very hit and miss if you can find anything out about reason for admittance My own Father was admitted to hospital showing on his service records but no reason given regards Clive
North Africa He was a driver around the Tobruk area in 41, middle east forces 42, then paiforce 43 onwards. X
Hi, I’m sure you know that unlike Australia & Canada MOD do not release medical information with service files. You could consider making a freedom of information request for his medical papers if you feel you have proper justification. You will likely not find medical information in the War Diaries. The best you might find is a mention of him in the weekly field returns list if his unit have him listed as desired to be returned to his unit on his recovery. I found an uncle listed in the field returns forms at various medical facilities when he was absent from his unit which were not shown on his B103. Good Luck. Steve
Where would I find the weekly fields return lists? Are they online? I don't think I've come across them in my googling. Thanks
Hi Most admissions were probably due to sickness rather than enemy action The Official History of RAMC in WW2 (probably Vols 1 and 2)should give you lots of info on what was prevalent at the time. https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k="army+medical+services:+campaigns"&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss Quite a few of the many diaries I have do state "Private xxx to Hosp" and "Private xxx back from Hosp" but none of them ever state why. Hope this helps Gus
Looking at an account of a wartime general hospital in theatre it would seem that the two main infectious diseases that resulted in long stays in hospital were typhus (or some variant thereof) and malaria. The course of treatment for the latter was usually 13 days followed by discharge to light duties/convalescence. The course might have to be repeated. I contracted malaria in West Africa in the late 70s (despite taking the pills) and I would wish it on nobody but despite having had some flare ups I had nothing like the time out of action suggested in his records (I don't know how typical my experience is). My maternal grandfather caught trench fever (nowadays identified as being part of the typhus family) just after surviving the Somme and had to be invalided out. It kept recurring and contributed to his death in 1939. However others recovered quickly after the one bout.
North Africa particularly Tunisia was plagued with " Infectious Hepatitis" Jaundice which took a month or so to clear in hospital many were sent to hospital in Sousse. My letter writer Lt Bill Beadle and his Troop Commander Capt Kenneth Jupp MC were both afflicted with it. They were still feeling the after effects six months later.
‘Hi, The field returns forms (I forget the Army form number) are part of the War Diary. You won’t find them online - same for WD a trip to U.K. NA in London is required. Steve
Steve, Could I ask, have you ever tried this with any success? I have some medical queries on my Grandfather`s service record and I`m eager to find out more. Also, how do you go about doing this under the freedom of information act? MTIA John
Hi, The application form is on MOD site - Freedom of Information request and Subject Access request privacy notice I haven’t made an application myself although I did make a successful FOI request to U.K. NA for my fathers German POW index card a few years ago (before NA commenced current digitisation process). You will need a solid reason to a have a successful outcome as I understand MOD ordinarily strictly adhere to NHS 100 year rule to keep medical records private. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk...-records-transferred-to-places-of-deposit.pdf Steve
Thanks for that Steve, and for such a quick response. I`ll have a look into this further but I suspect a bit of a battle over this as he only died in 1945. On wonders when he has no direct relative other than me,(his son and siblings have all passed away), what excuse they`ll find but I suspect there`ll be some daft reason to say no. Anyway, thank you again for the help. John