Hi, Tartan Giant. I am happy to help. My family history is all in that surrounding area and I trained as a nurse and worked at Clatterbridge Hospital in the mid 60's to mid 70's. Clatterbridge Hospital is some 4.3 miles from Rock Ferry and its postal address was always Bebington. I note you had a reply on Wikiwirral, I would suggest you ask the person who replied stating that Ionic Street School was used in WW2 as a hospital were they got this information from? Replies here on Rootschat, state the school was used in WW1. The person replying may have some more useful information. Your dad could have had any sort of medical problem. Remember in those days that a 'burst appendix' would have needed quite some time in recovery. If he had peritonitis with it and in the early days of antibiotics it would have taken some months to be fit for flight duties. I cannot imagine however that a converted school would have an operating theatre. If he needed surgery then it may have been performed at St. Catherine's, Tranmere, Birkenhead General Hospital, or Clatterbridge. I also wonder if he was admitted to the isolation unit at West Kirby after detection of an infectious disease when at Rock Ferry. Did he have any service overseas? He could have had T.B. which was common in those days. It might be that he was suffering 'battle fatigue', not uncommon given the duress under which air crew were placed, entirely understandable. People of that generation did not mention health problems as they saw the war as the main factor. It would be interesting to know were the person replying to the Rock Ferry Hospital got their information.
Regards
Kathb
