Dear Keith H,
The information on this hospital is very limited, but I summed the
information found.
First, as the document presented by History Buff demonstrates, the
area was a military hospital back in First World War (see
http://www.hertfordshire-genealogy.co.uk/data/chrisinfo/londongunners/lg-xmas-article.htm).
Back than, it was used by the British troops.
By the beggining of the Second World War, the hospital was filled with
survivors of the attack on Dunkirk. One of the surgeons back than was
Jonas Kellgren, who later became a world expert on pain-medicine. You
can read more about that here -
http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,661308,00.html
(search for leavesden on the page).
The hospital functioned in 1944-5, among others, for POW returning
from Germany. We can learn it from Mr Copeman, a vet and ex-POW, who
was hospitalised there after the release in 1944 -
http://www.torontoaircrew.com/Bomber_Pilots/Copem_4/copem_4.html -
Copeman also describes the life in the hospital, in which he spent 3
weeks: "From Liverpool, a half dozen repatriated Canadian airmen were
transported by train to No. 23 Canadian Military Hospital at Watford.
We were stationed there for about three weeks. During this time the
“repats” were given seven days leave. The Canadian Flight Lieutenant
who was in charge of our activities on arrival at No.23 was very
accomodating and arranged for new uniforms, money and travel
accomodation."
Copeman was not the only airman stationed there. Leavesden contained a
large aircraft plant and several supply depots.
Another released Canadian POW was Mr Gibson, who was also an airman.
He was released in 1945 from German Concentration Camp Buchenwald and
sent to the hospital. You can read his testimony to a Canadian
committee, at page 7 of this site:
http://www.gov.ns.ca/legislature/hansard/comm/va/va000224.htm - his
expriences tell more on the place, on the conditions, etc.
In spring 1944, several nurses were ordered to leave the hospital and
join a training camp, prior to joining the forces. Nursing Sister
Jessie Morrison was among them , see her description here -
www.nurses.ab.ca/museum/E2-WWII/ Canadian_Hospitals.html
However, by the summer of 1944, the hospital was still active, as this
record, also mentioned by the commentator, shows:
http://www.mcmaster.ca/library/readydocs/findaids/fonds/k/kenreid.htm
You can learn more about the history of Canadian military, and perhaps
also find vets or others who can give you more information at this
site - http://www.rootsweb.com/~canmil/ - dedicated to the Canadian
military.
I also add my search strategy on google:
watford Canadian General Hospital
23 Canadian General Hospital
watford hospital dunkirk
Leavesden hospital dunkirk
canadian hospital watford 23
canadian hospital watford
canadian hospital military 23
canadian hospital military
canadian Leavesden war
hospital canadian Leavesden
hospital 1945 Leavesden (and so for every year in 1939-45)
23 hospital watford war
hospital watford war
hospital Leavesden
canadian military hospital 23
I hope that answered your question. If you need any further
clarification, I'll be pleased to assist. |
