ENG-HAM-NEW-FOREST-L Archives

From: "Jeanne Mayer" <>
Subject: WW1 Archive
Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2004 13:56:14 +0000

Dear Listers,
I apologise if you get this several times. It was on a couple of other
lists I subscribe to and seems too good a resource to miss.
best wishes,
Jeanne

>Subject: Amazing find of WW1 personnel records
>
>
> > Queen Mary's Hospital Sidcup, UK: The Gillies Archives of plastic
>surgery
> >
> > Purely by accident, I have discovered an amazing archive of WW1
>personnel
> > material, which hitherto I have never seen listed as a source for
>research.
> > For years I have been trying to locate the admission and discharge
>records
> > of a particular Cottage Hospital in the 1930's. Two weeks ago, I
>discovered
> > that they were located at The Gillies Archives of plastic surgery at
>Queen
> > Mary's Hospital Sidcup, UK.
> >
> > I had to make an appointment to view the records that I was seeking but
>to
> > my amazement I discovered the main contents of the archives were the
>case
> > notes of military personnel who suffered facial injuries during WW1. I
> > mentioned that I had a member of my family who had a war wound to his
>jaw
> > and within seconds of me giving his name, his medical records were
>produced
> > with details of his age, rank, regiment, date of wound and the battle,
> > together with the dates and nature of his operations. To my
>astonishment,
>I
> > was then informed that they had further information on my relative, in
>as
> > much that whilst he was in the hospital for treatment he had learned
> > embroidery and they showed me a photograph of his handiwork, which was
> > embroidery of his regimental cap badge and colours.
> >
> > They have thousands of photographs of their WW1 patients, many taken
>before
> > they were wounded, but mostly of their wounds and the result after
> > treatment. The archivist is keen to obtain photographs of ex-patients
>after
> > they had settled back into civilian life.
> >
> > Altogether the archives contain over 2500 records of UK, Australian and
>New
> > Zealand personnel. Most of the case notes are in their original folders
>and
> > relate mostly to soldiers, with a small number of Navy and Flying Corps
> > personnel, whom had suffered burns. The records include rank, number,
> > regiment and date of wounding so that the action in which they were
>wounded
> > can often be identified.
> >
> > I am informed that The Gillies and Macalister Archives are probably the
>most
> > important and complete collection of facial surgery records of their age
>in
> > the world and they are available to researchers by application to the
> > Curator, details of which are on the following website: -
> >http://website.lineone.net/~andrewbamji/>;
> >
> > I hope this information may of use to some WW1 researchers who are
>currently
> > unaware of this research source.
> >
> > Glyndwr (Glyn) Davies,
> > Chatham, Kent, UK.
>
>

This thread:

• WW1 Archive by "Jeanne Mayer" <>