Liverpool Merchants' Mobile Hospital

Also known as No. 6 Hospital British Red Cross, Etaples, the hospital was funded by the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce (with a committee chaired by Lord Derby) and staffed by Liverpool volunteers. The Matron, Miss Whitson, mentioned in another post on this blog for being awarded the Royal Red Cross for war service at this hospital, stayed with the hospital throughout the war. Mary (May) Chavasse, sister to Noel, spent some time as a V.A.D. lady helper at the hospital.

This was a specially designed 'mobile' hospital in that it comprised of wooden prefab huts which could easily be taken down and relocated but once put up it remained in place and was a well appointed hospital with operating theatres, wards and 252 beds.

Click here to see a short (1m13s) film clip of the hospital on the British Pathe website. (Opens in new tab).

Click here to view a PDF from the Red Cross detailing "What the British Red Cross did Abroad during the First World War." (Opens in a new tab).

Etaples was a major military and medical centre for the Allies, with multiple training camps and hospitals in close proximity to railway lines and a quay as you can see in this map from 1919. In 1917 Etaples' combined hospitals and Convalescent Depots could treat 22000 casualties and there were over 100,000 troops camped in the surrounding sand dunes. The hospitals here were bombed several times by German airplanes (possibly aiming for the railway lines and military camps rather than the hospitals), causing serious damage to the hospitals and hundreds of casualties. The Liverpool Merchants' Mobile Hospital did not suffer any direct hits in these attacks but this was no doubt part of the reason it moved to Deauville on 1st June 1918.

This concentration of hospitals means Etaples is now home to the largest CWGC cemetery in France with over 10,000 burials from the First World War.

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The Liverpool Merchants' Military Hospital was a source of pride for the city and the people of Liverpool continued to support it throughout the war with fundraising efforts and Christmas gifts for patients. The hospital was often mentioned in newspaper reports:

Liverpool Daily Post 18 April 1916

PRAISE FOR ITS WORK

At a meeting of the council of the Liverpool Merchants’ Mobile Hospital, held yesterday, the following extract from a letter received from a visitor to the hospital in France, and submitted by Mr L S Cohen, was read to the committee:

“This hospital is worth of Liverpool and its generous citizens, and is quite one of the outstanding features of the many hospitals that are here. As you are doubtless aware, the hospital was made up in sections in England, and has been admirably erected here, and has been so arranged that it can be taken to pieces with comparative ease; and in spite of all that it includes all the necessities and up-to-date luxuries of a modern hospital. The wards are admirably arranged, as are also the quarters of the medical staff and the sisters, whilst the operating theatres &c are splendidly adapted for their humane work.”

As a further appreciation of the work of the hospital, a letter was read from the hon. Treasurer, from which the following is an extract.

“I have today received a cheque for £5 from Mr F, and have been informed that this is the outcome of a report which he received from his son who passed through the hospital as a patient.”

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LDP 8th May 1916

LIVERPOOL MERCHANTS’ HOSPITAL

“One of the best hospitals in France”

A rifleman of the 1st/5th King’s Liverpool sends us an appreciation of the treatment he received in the Liverpool Merchants’ Mobile Hospital. He writes:-

“I wish through the columns of your paper to express my gratitude for the kind treatment I received from those in charge of the Liverpool MMH at ___ France, I had the misfortune to have the bone in my leg badly shattered by pieces of shrapnel shell which burst some little distance from me. After having my wounds treated at the dressing station I was removed down the line, and by strange coincidence found myself in the L.M.M.H. On arrival there my condition was very serious but a successful operation was performed and by what I term magnificent surgery and skilful nursing the limb was eventually saved. During my three months stay at ___ everything possible was done for my comfort and I have nothing but praise for the doctors and nursing staff for the manner in which I was treated. I also feel it is my duty to mention the merchants, their wives, and citizens of Liverpool who have come forward so nobly to help our country by establishing and maintaining one of the best hospitals in France today.”

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Liverpool Echo 26 April 1917

LIVERPOOL MERCHANTS' HOSPITAL

That the Liverpool Merchants' Mobile Hospital is continuing to do excellent service in France may be gathered from a memorandum dated April 10, and signed Lieut-Colonel Nathan Raw, M.D. It says:-

"This was a record day in the history of the hospital. The total number of wounded admitted was 145, of whom 31 were officers. These officers and men were brought direct from the firing line, covered with mud and in their uniforms, some of them had had surgical attention. The 10,000th soldier was admitted on this day; a record of work of which the whole staff is very proud. The larges number in hospital in any one day since our arrival in France is 255. All the beds and emergency beds were full, and the hospital is working smoothly and well."

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Liverpool Daily Post 27th July 1917

Liverpool Merchants’ Hospital

The Queen’s Visit

The Liverpool Merchant’s Hospital, situated somewhere in France, was honoured by a visit by her Majesty the Queen on the 6th inst., during the Royal tour of the front.

Her Majesty was received at the entrance to the hospital by a guard of honour composed of the hospital orderlies in charge of Lieutenant Fowler. Her Majesty then passed through between two rows of nursing sisters, forty in number, who gave her a royal welcome. On entering the hospital, her Majesty was received by the commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Nathan Raw, who was presented to her Majesty by Sir Arthur Sloggett, the Director-General of Medical Forces in France. The commanding officer in turn presented Miss Whitson, the matron, Miss Wyles, assistant matron; Major Jeans, senior surgeon; and Captain Hayward, deputy physician.

Her Majesty accompanied by the commanding officer and the matron then made a tour of inspection of the hospital, and first of all visited an officers’ ward containing many recently-wounded officers. Her majesty shook hands with every officer and asked most kindly of the nature of his wounds, and spoke a cheery and reassuring word to each. The Queen next visited a ward containing non-commissioned officers and men, the majority of whom had been recently wounded. Her Majesty showed the same sympathy with each soldier, and cheered many of them up with a kindly word and a gracious smile. Her Majesty then made a careful and detailed inspection f the beautiful kitchen and all its arrangements, and was able to see four lady cooks hard at work preparing the soldiers’ dinner. After visiting the other wards, the Queen proceeded to the nurses’ home and spent some time in the sisters’ sitting-room, where light refreshments were served.

At the conclusion of the visit, which lasted an hour, her Majesty graciously signed the visitors’ book, and then left the hospital amidst enthusiastic cheering of the convalescent patients and the staff of the hospital.

The Queen was accompanied by the Countess of Airlie, her lady-in-waiting, and in attendance were Lord Shaftsbury, General Asser, General Thomson, General Plomer and many members of the Headquarters staff. The visit was a brilliant success, and her Majesty was pleased to express her delight and pleasure in visiting a hospital so generously provided by the citizens of Liverpool.

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This was indeed a red letter day for the Liverpool Hospital, and a great gratification to the whole of the medical, nursing and orderly staff, the majority of whom have been working in the hospital during the last two and a half years in France.

The hospital, which has been recently enlarged at the request of the military authorities, now contains 352 beds, and on the occasion of her Majesty’s visit every bed was occupied.

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Liverpool Daily Post 19th November 1917

LIVERPOOL MERCHANTS’ HOSPITAL

A worthy movement has been initiated for the benefit of the Liverpool Merchants’ Mobile Hospital in France. As the outcome of the effort an appeal has been made to the public to contribute Christmas parcels for the hospital. Gifts may be transmitted “c/o Civic Service League, Exchange-buildings.” Or through Messrs Cooper and Co, Church-street, who have completed arrangements for the making up of suitable parcels and seeing that they are safely handed over. In view of the splendid work accomplished by the hospital, which is staffed by Liverpool doctors, nurses and orderlies, a good response to the appeal may be expected.

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