HMHS Oxfordshire

[katysearching]

Many thanks to all who helped my research on my maternal grandfather, John David Pritchard, K.R.R.  I found out that he was shipped home on the HMHS Oxfordshire in February 1916 and wondered if anyone has any information on the ship, facilities etc - where he would have landed in the UK.  I've managed to find a picture of the ship and found out it was scrapped in 1958 but would like to know more.

I'm off to Flanders fields in November hoping to tread in his footsteps so would like to go prepared!

Thank you!

[jim1]

hoping to tread in his footsteps

You'll need a good pair of boots. He was at Ypres & Arras.

[katysearching]

Hi Jim - yes, certainly Ypres (Ieper) and have information about Bellwaarde Wood and Lake where he seems to have been but didn't know he was at Arras.  Any more information, please?

Boots are not a problem! 

[Romilly]

Good photo of HMS Oxfordshire on this Site:

http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Ships/HMHSOxfordshire.html

Also some 1943 Pathé footage of her if you Google 'HMS Oxfordshire'.

Romilly.

[jim1]

You can put the boots away & put trainers on instead. His Batt. were on the move to Arras 11/2/15 but he was probably one of the 59 OR's admitted to hospital in Jan & one of the 25 evacuated from the Div. area.
It's quite possible he went to Rouen first as he wasn't repatriated until the 28th. Feb. There was a large military hospital there.
According to the 7/KRRC diary these were the areas they were operating in Oct. 1915 to Feb. 1916 (marked yellow).
They were involved in trench digging along the canal bank & the 7/Batt. HQ. They were also in the trenches at the other 2 locations.
side by side:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01juc/

[katysearching]

Romilly - thank you - that's the picture I have of the Oxfordshire - I'll check the 1943 footage too!

Jim - once again, thank you - Grandad seems to have been in and out of some hospital!  I have a copy of his Casualty Form but can't decipher it all. He's admitted on 1 Jan, 16 and then again on 3 Jan, 16 - so did they send him back for a day only to have to re-admit him?  And would it be a field hospital, or different ones - or even a real building?  They finally decided that they couldn't cure him and sent him back home 24.2.16 - or at least they discharged him from hospital on that date and presumably he had to wait until the Oxfordshire was setting sail for home.

[jim1]

There were several field hospitals in & around Ypres/Poperinghe. He was probably taken to the Brigade Field Ambulance in the first instance or the aid post which was at Glimpse cottage & sent back but it obviously became apparent it was more serious than a belly ache. At this time in early-mid Jan. 1916 they were digging/repairing trenches at Glimpse cottage which is just a couple of hundred yards north of Fusilier farm (see side by side map) which wouldn't have helped his condition.
The 14/Div. RAMC HQ was at Brandhoek which is between Poperinghe & Ypres. There was a Field Hospital close by.

[katysearching]

Great maps and info! His Casualty form puts him in 12 CCS which was at Hazebrouck but then he was sent to 23 General Hospital in Etaples - presumably to await the departure of the Oxfordshire - presumably Boulogne to Liverpool? Must have been quite an ordeal - sailing with gastritis!!! Still he was lucky to get out well before Etaples got bombed - and all his mates who had to stay and endure the hell of the trenches!

Thanks, Jim!

[jim1]

The 14th. Div. RAMC makes mention of 12 CCS so that makes sense. There's also mention of no.1 Div. rest area where large numbers of men went before being transferred as being sick.
So the route may have been Glimpse cottage aid post, no.1  rest area (grid ref. A.16.a on map), 12 CCS & Hazebrouck.