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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: alison300 on Friday 27 July 18 21:05 BST (UK)
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could someone please tell me what put this man in hospital? many thanks
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It was serious whatever it was. Does his medical sheet say anything?
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no - I can't find anything else in the records :(
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Began as not too serious. PUO is Pyrexia (of) Unknown Origin - a fever/elevated temperature, the cause of which has not yet been determined.
It isn't clear from the record whether, when it became serious (ser), he remained in hospital in France from Dec 1916 to May 1917 - I doubt it. It is often the case that leaving hospital goes unrecorded. He is in 18 General Hospital in Camiers with the serious fever or whatever in Dec 1916, the next line he is arriving at Le Havre (presumably from UK) to 8 Infantry Base Depot.
It would be good to see the dates on the statement of service/military history form to find where he was between Dec 16 and May 17.
MaxD
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Thanks MaxD. That's amazing. I think I've come across PUO before and had no idea what it was. You mention the dates on the statement of service/military history form - where would I find that or is it a page that in this case is missing?
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Should be a Military History Sheet with a date box like the attached. Sometimes written on the Statement of services form.
Guess work his might look like:
Home date date
BEF date date (first time abroad)
Home date date (Dec 16 ish after hospital)
BEF date date May 17 when back again
Home date date when discharged
MaxD
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Thanks again, I find this fascinating and very moving.
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Have his records got those sheets?
maxD
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No - I couldn't find it when I look at his service record again yesterday :(
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Who is he ?
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Pte. 7215 Norman John Webster HELLIWELL, 2nd Bn. Honourable Artillery Co. He died in Italy on 31 October 1918.
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If you give his name and number there may be hidden clues!
MaxD
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Thanks MaxD. The man in question is Pte. 7215 Norman John Webster HELLIWELL, 2nd Bn. Honourable Artillery Co.
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Tells you everything except where he was 12/16-5/17.
What it doesn't say is that he was in the UK during those dates.
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His record does contain a military history sheet but all that does is confuse the issue!
It has:
Home 2 Sep 14 to 1 Oct 16 (he served with the 1st Surrey Rifles (21st London Regt) and 107 Provisional Battalion before transfer to HAC on 15 Mar 16)
France 2 Oct 16 to 25 Nov 17
Italy 26 Nov 17 to 31 Oct 18
The mystery period is too long to be leave so is likely to have been hospital, perhaps followed by convalescent hospital. Whatever, the period away from France before arrival in May 17 should have been recorded and isn't.
Did you notice the further period of PUO in Sep/Oct 1917, very faintly written beneath the extract.
MaxD
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Thank you so much - this is incredibly confusing and I will have to re-read the service record again as I can't get head around it :(
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If you wish I can go though it and "translate" the significant bits. If you'd like to send me your direct email by PM??
MaxD
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Thanks for the offer - very kind of you. I have sent you a PM.
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For the record and in case anyone is also looking, MH 106/1113 Admissions and Discharges 18 General Hospital has his dates exactly as given on the extract along with the length of stay as 142 days so that record would suggest that what looks like an arrival at Havre from UK is in fact him on his way from Camiers back to duty. That also explains why his period in the BEF is unbroken.
HAC records are also found.
MaxD
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Looking closer at 8 IBD shows it at Le Havre which makes sense.
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Thanks everyone - you guys are amazing.
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A patrol led by MaxD on this occasion. I just brought up the rear.
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And always good to know you are there to curb my wilder excesses!
MaxD