1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham in the Great War

1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham

The main hall of the University of Birmingham in Selly Oak, was, in 1909, equipped as a 520-bed hospital in the event of future war. The hospital was complete by the arrival of the first 120 casualties on the 1st of September, 1914. By the spring of 1915 more buildings were converted, adding 1000 more beds, and in 1916 another 570 beds were added. Various annexes and converted schools were added, providing in total beds for 2357 other ranks, and 130 officers.
Auxiliary hospitals attached to the 1st Southern General were:

Uffculm (200 beds and a limb-fitting centre)
Moor Green Hall Hospital (1914 with 63 beds)
Moor Green House (1917 for officers)
Hill Crest in Edgbaston (1914 operated by VAD and St John's Ambulance with 25 beds.)
The Norlands Hospital (British Red Cross, 1915, 60 beds)
Lordswood Hospital, Harborne (VAD, 1915, 70 beds)
Highbury (May 1915, 140 beds)
Beeches Red Cross Auxiliary Hospital (December 1915, from 1918 concentrated on facial injuries had 46 beds)
Allerton
The Hollies
Stonleigh (VAD 1916, 62 beds)
Stapylton House (an annexe to Harborn Hall 1917, 35 beds.)
Farcroft (VAD 1917, 74 beds)
Mayfield (1918)
Monyhull Section (18-casualty neurological unit.)

8th September 1916 Wounded

13th November 1916 Thanks

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.

We are currently building a database of patients treated in this hospital, if you know of anyone who was treated here, please enter their details via this form

Patient Reports.

(This section is under construction)
  18th September 1914

Those known to have worked or been treated at
1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Amos Solomon. Pte. (d.15th July 1916)
Biles George Lucas. Pte.
Bishton Daniel James. L/Bmbdr. (d.27th Dec 1918)
Brown George McLachlan . Cpl.
Bucknall James William. Pte.
Chapman Charles Pease. Lt.
English Wilfrid. L/Cpl, (d.1st Jan 1919)
Fields John William. WO1.
Hughes William Owen. Pte. (d.2nd October 1917)
Jennings Clarence Edward. Pte.
Jones RRC.. Dorothy. Sister
Kee Joseph Edwin. Pte. (d.26th September 1917)
Selvey Kate Selwood. Staff Nurse
Slade Richard. Pte.
Smith James Amos. Pte. (d.6th Nov 1917)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham from other sources.

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Want to know more about 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham?

There are:2 items tagged 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham available in our Library

These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.

264982
L/Cpl, Wilfrid English 1st/10th (Liverpool Scottish) Btn. Kings (Liverpool) Regiment (d.1st Jan 1919)
Wilfred English was a postal worker who volunteered early in 1916, training in Carnforth, Lancs before landing in France in April. He passed through Rouen and the battalion was stationed for a while near Amiens. By 19th April he wrote home to say they were under almost continuous fire and the star shells lit the sky like daylight. On May 12th he was at rest after having "a rough time in the trenches". On June 10th "everything is clay and mud", and on 22nd there was "plenty of fireng at each others airoplanes" [sic].
By August Wilf was on the Somme. Fighting at Guillemont on 10th was a day he didn't want to describe but "will never forget". That night he volunteered to go out into No Man's Land to try to retrieve the wounded and the possessions of the dead. "Everywhere one looks he sees dead and injured". He believes he finds the body of his best friend (and cousin) but cannot be sure it is him in the darkness. On 21st September he is wounded in the leg. Operated upon on 22nd he is repatriated in October to hospital in Birmingham, thence to Liverpool (the regimental HQ) before being discharged home to West Hartlepool.
In May 1917 he is back fighting, this time in Belgium, and having lost his L/Cpl rank (he may have been discharged during his convalescence and then volunteered again). The fighting is heavy "but not as bad as the Somme". Until he gets to Paschendaele where, on 19th, he writes home to say "I could tell you what we are going to do but it would be crossed out. Watch the papers". Perhaps as a result of all the losses among his regiment he is promoted to L/Cpl once again.
On 30th of November 1917 at Cambrai he is shot in the right hand and captured. Taken by the Germans first to Le Quesnoy, then on to PoW camp at Dulmen ("how dreary it is"). By March 1918 at the latest he is in PoW camp Parchim, where he is deployed working on a nearby farm. He starts to enjoy it. On August 11th "I am busy with the corn this month". Then "when I come home I am going to buy a farm (though where the cash will come from I don't know)". He tells his mother that by the time he gets home "You will find me an expert farmer". He remained at Parchim until the Armistice and then awaited repatriation. Spanish flu then swept through the barracks. Wilf was taken to the Hut Hospital where he died at 9pm on New Year's Day 1919. He was 29.
Richard Ayre

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261774
Pte. Solomon Amos 1st Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment (d.15th July 1916)
Solomon Amos's date of entry was 2nd of June 1915. He died on 15th of July 1916 in First Southern General Hospital in Birmingham He is buried in Lodge Hill Cemetery and his name is on the memorial there.
Sue Wescott

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257923
Pte. Joseph Edwin Kee 57th Battalion (d.26th September 1917)
In recently assisting my son in a school humanities project, I found that a member of my family who died at The Battle of Polygon Wood had also trained at Lark Hill during July, August and October of 1916. Joseph Kee served with the 57th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force in WW1. He had returned from serving in Alexandria, Egypt. Joseph was later at the Hurdcott Camp in England before returning overseas to France.
He was 22 when he left Melbourne, and only 25 when he died. My grandmother who would have been his niece if he had lived. She spent much of her time researching her family history and maintaining wonderful records. I am grateful for her taking such care in recording Joseph's service and keeping his memory alive in my family. My heart goes out to all those affected by the tragic loss of such tremendously courageous men and I can only hope that in such dark times those men found friendship and comfort with each other.

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256200
L/Bmbdr. Daniel James Bishton 38th Heavy Battery Royal Garison Artilery (d.27th Dec 1918)
Daniel Bishton died from his wounds in the 1st South General Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham.
Graham Lloyd

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255602
Pte. William Owen Hughes 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers (d.2nd October 1917)
William Hughes, aged 26 years and 5 months, was enlisted into the 1/6th (Territorial) Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Caernarfon on the 16th of October 1914.
On the 3rd of July 1915 William was diagnosed as suffering with appendicitis and admitted into the Divisional Reception Hospital in Bedford, seven days later he was transferred to the 1st Southern General Hospital in the Selly Oak suburb of Birmingham.
On the 19th of July 1915, whilst William was still convalescing from his operation, the 1/6th Battalion became part of the 158th Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division and sailed from Devonport for Gallipoli without him. Following his discharge from hospital on the 2nd of September 1915, William was transferred to the 2/6th (Territorial) Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who had moved from Northampton to Bedford in July 1915.
At some point in 1916 William was then posted from Bedford to an Agricultural Company based at the RWF Depot in Wrexham (possibly to help with the harvest); during this time his Regimental service number was changed from 2395 to 265802. William remained at the RWF Depot for the rest of 1916 until warned early in 1917 that he was to be posted once again.
On the 1st May 1917 William embarked for France to join the 1st Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers (part of the 7th Division). On the 30th September the Battalion relieved the 56th Australian Infantry Battalion, who occupied Jetty Trench to the east of the northern part of Polygon Wood.
At 5.15am on the morning of the 1st October 1917, the Germans launched a counter attack consisting of 3 Battalions and 3 Sturm-truppe of the 46th Reserve Battalion. The attack fell on the area of Polygon Wood covered by the 1st Battalion RWF and the 8th Battalion the Leicestershire Regiment. The Regimental diary of the 1st Battalion RWF states that a message had been received from B Company, reporting that by 7.20am all was clear apart from heavy sniping. Sadly, it was probably during this action that William was shot, the round entered his back and penetrated through his chest. This may have occurred as elements of the RWF advanced forward to finish off the attack, only to have isolated pockets of the enemy pop from shell holes and snipe at them from behind. William would have first been taken to a field dressing station just behind the front line where morphine would have been administered and his wound dressed, from there he was evacuated to No. 3 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station at Poperinge where he finally succumbed to his wounds on the 2nd of October 1917.
There was some confusion following his death regarding his identity, the telegram that the War Office received from No. 3 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station informing them of his death, gave his Regimental Number as 68366. This highlighted the fact that a mistake had been made during Williams's time at the RWF Depot in Wrexham in 1916. This mistake had been noticed quickly at the time and he was then allocated his correct number of 265802.
William Owen Hughes obituary was published in the November 1917 issue of the Llandudno and District Advertiser, :The deceased was the first of the Llanrhos young men to join up, and is, we understand, the first to fall". There was a poem quite possibly written by one of the family also in the article: "We do not know what pains he bore; we did not see him die, all we know is that he has gone, and never said good-bye".
Tegid Hughes

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254188
Pte. Richard Slade 5th Btn. Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Richard Slade served with the 5th Btn, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
From his own words..
I arrived in France on the 20th of December 1916, after sailing from Southampton, stopping at Le Havre, then travelling up the river to Rouen, staying there for a fortnight doing drills on different parts of warfare. On leaving Rouen I joined the 5th Battalion Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry at a place called Dainville, on what was part of the front called G. Sector.
We were in and out of line until the 1st of February 1917, then going back to a place called Grand-Rullecourt for a month for a refresher, joining my Battalion again in March near Arras at a village called Rownville, that part of the front was called H. Sector, we stayed there until we made the first spring advance which was on Easter Monday 9th of April 1917 in the early morning, just after day break (Battle of Arras).
In the meantime we were digging assembly trenches, which were dug in no-mans land, making advances between Tolley and Burains with the tanks going over with us, taking what we named Redoufer not far off Telegraph Hill, it was said my Battalion alone took 800 prisoners from that particular place, we took our position fairly easy after which other Regiments passing through us making their advance good.
Then after about 3 days we got relieved for a short while for a rest. At times we were holding the line which our troops made good on the 10th of April 1917. We then made another attack on the 4th May in the early morning, just before light on the same front in a place called Wancourt. We drove the enemy from his front line, but we only held it for a few hours perhaps up to mid-day when we had to retire back to where we started (what was left of us!). With the help of the rest of our Brigade we held our line where we were.
Before we made the attack my Battalion, then in the evening received news from one of our Officers for every man for himself to get out of the line down under a bank in front of Wancourt, then from the bank when we got what we thought all of our men together, we were took to some trench for the rest of the night and part of the next day. Where our men were coming in 1 or 2 at the time and then from there we went back near Tolley for a few days getting, relived from that front altogether, for a rest and to get reinforcements up. We were out there for nearly three months going in the line again at Ypres the beginning of August we were in there for 3 or 4 days, we then got relieved from the line going back to a place called the half way house which was a dug-out behind our reserves, we were there for 4 or 5 days and at night we sent out as working parties up to the line. We then went a little further back to a place called Dickiebusch for the night before making our way then to Messines Ridge, going what we might say straight in the line. We were round about that part for nearly a month , we were in and out of the line, when we were out we were working parties either at day or night.
After leaving Messines we again went back to Ypres, taking with us 3 days rations. We took our position on the left of the Menin Road, we were there 5 days coming from the left over to the right of the Menin Road (you will be familiar with this as the Battle of Passchendaele). I was there 2 days, when I got my Blighty! I got hit on the evening of the 22nd of Octobre 1917 about 6 o'clock, when out of the trench, I was in a dug out near by for the night.
Then when it was light the next morning I made tracks to our aid-post where I was dressed and sent on to the next dressing station near Ypres. Then from there I was took to the C.C.S, where I stayed for 2 days, then being sent to the 10th General Hospital Rouen. I stayed there until the 31st October coming across to Blighty that night landing at Southampton early morning on the 1st November, arriving at the 1st Southern General Hospital, Kings' Heath Section in Birmingham at 6pm.
I was discharged from there on the 27th of January 1918 for 10 days leave reporting back to Command Depot Tipperary, Ireland on the 6th of February 1918, got my T.M.B on the 27th of June 1918 BII, discharged from there on the 15th of July 1918 and reported to my reserve unit on the 16th of July 1918. I was then sent to Scotland on the 2nd September on farm work and came back to my Battalion on the 22nd of Novemeber 1918.
Georgina Rollins

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252514
Pte. George Lucas Biles 62nd Battalion
George Biles enlisted in the Army on 13th of December 1915 in Vancouver, BC. with a rank of Sapper with 62nd Overseas Battalion CEF. He was listed as wounded with a severe, gunshot wound to the right arm, on 26th of July 1916 in France and admitted at the Folkestone Military Hospital then to Southern General Hospital at Strichley, Birmingham. He was discharged back to duty on 8th of December 1916. He was demobbed on 17th of March 1919 at Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Mark Biles

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249424
Cpl. George McLachlan Brown 3rd Battalion
George Brown was my Scottish born grandfather who was sent to Canada as a Home Child in the 1890's. He enlisted at Valcartier, Quebec on 22nd of September 1914 at the age of 28 with the Queen's Own Rifles, 3rd Canadian Battalion. George sailed to England on 15 October 1914 and was promoted to Lance-Corporal on 6th of November 1914.
He went to France on 8th of February 1915 and his Canadian military records state that he was subsequently subjected to heavy shell-fire before he experienced a scalp wound at Festubert somewhere between 20th and 24th of May 1915. He was admitted to 1st Southern General Hospital Birmingham on 27th of May 1915 due a shrapnel head wound. According to records he was unconscious in the field for 6 to 8 hours due to the wound. He spent time recovering at Shorncliffe from 20th of August 1915 until he was discharged and declared Fit for Duty to a Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Monk's Horton on 1st of November 1915.
After this George spent time serving the balance of his time serving in military offices in London until he was demobbed as a Sergeant back to Canada on 4 February 1918, having been given a medical discharge due to traumatic neurasthenia.
While recovering in London, England in 1916, he married my grandmother and subsequently raised four children in Canada. As a child I never remembered him speaking of his war experiences nor did his children. However in reading his military service records and the details of the Battle of Festubert I am amazed at the courage of the troops who fought this battle, were injured, and yet wanted to return. My grandfather died in the 1960's in a small town in Ontario, Canada yet to this day he lives on in our thoughts and memories, the service he gave, and the inspiration provided. We look at his service record and it entices us to investigate history further and see how we might honour those who fought for freedom and peace. Thank-you Grandpa. I pray that we can honour the sacrifice that you and so many others made. May you and they rest in peace and rise in glory as the poppies blow row on row.

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247979
WO1. John William Fields 1st Southern General Hospital Royal Army Medical Corps
John Fields was conscripted into R A M C and rose to be WO1 in the 1st Southern General Hospital, situated in the University of Birmingham.
John H Morgan

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242193
Pte. Clarence Edward Jennings 71st Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps
Clarence Jennings lived at 130 Knighton Lane, Leicester. He joined the army on the 24th of May 1915 as Private 22508 with the RAMC. Je was posted to the 1st Birmingham War Hospital Redal, Birmingham. He applied to serve overseas on the 11th of April 1916 and embarked from Southampton on the 3rd of March 1917, disembarking at Rouen the following day. On the 18th of March 1917 he was posted to 71st Field Ambulance. Clarence returned to England on the 25th March 1919 and was demobilized.
Gordon Caldecott

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223890
Lt. Charles Pease Chapman 2nd Btn.
Charles Chapman was born on Norfolk Island (even though his records show Dubbo, NSW) on 11th March 1888. His parents were John Joyce Chapman and Elizabeth Isabella (nee Taylor). He went to Australia to be a school teacher and was in Dubbo, teaching when the call came to support the country.
He joined the AIF. His rank rose from private to lance corporal, then 2nd lieutenant in 1916, lieutenant in 1916 and captain in 1920. He enlisted on 28th August 1914 at Randwick NSW Australia and he served in the following units: B Company, 2nd AIF from 28th August 1914 to 19th January 1916. The 2nd battalion was part of the 1st brigade, 1st division. He was then in the 5th battalion South Staffordshire Regiment from 19th January 1916 to 1st April 1920. Charles fought at Gallopoli and wounded there with a bomb (bullet) wound to the eye. He was taken to Malta on the Dunluce Castle to St George Hospital. He also had enteric fever. From Malta he was sent to England on the SS Huntsend to the No 1 Southern General Hospital, Birmingham.
In 1918, he was sent to France and admitted with neurasthenia to a clearing station in April. His was awarded the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. After the war he started a preparatory school in Kilara NSW with his wife Evelyn (nee Grummitt) who he had met and married in England.
Linda Chapman

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210737
Staff Nurse Kate Selwood Selvey
My great aunt Kate Selwood Selvey (born 29th June 1889 in Portishead, Somerset, England) worked during the Great War as a Nurse in the Territorial Force Nursing Service in several hospitals including the 1st Southern Hospital.
Stephanie Joan Selwood Keenan

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208348
Sister Dorothy Jones RRC.
Sister Dorothy Jones served in France, and returned as theatre sister at 1st Southern General Hospital Birmingham. She later became Matron of St Chads in Birmingham and died at Budleigh Salterton, Devon in 1960, I have the ARRC and RRC and a photograph taken in 1931. I wonder if anyone has any information regarding Dorothy Jones?
Brian Hunter

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208091
Pte. James Amos Smith 11th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment (d.6th Nov 1917)
James Smith is my great grandfather. I know he was one of a band called `Lowther's Lambs`. He was mortally wounded possibly with head injuries at the Second Battle of Paschendale, shipped back to the UK and died in Southern General Hospital, Birmingham.
Christopher Nice

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1168
Pte. James William Bucknall 33rd Btn.
James Bucknall was a 26 year old Fireman when he enlisted. He was wounded at the Battle of Messines on the 7th June 1917. He was evacuated to England and admitted to the 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham on the 14th June suffering from gun shot wounds to his face and chest. He was discharged from the army due to his injuries and returned to his wife Jessie, in Australia onboard HMAT Persic in February 1918. James died in 1949.

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- 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham during the Great War -

1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham

Patient Reports.

Those known to have worked or been treated at
1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham
during the Great War 1914-1918.

Can you help?

If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.

Announcements

Want to know more about 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham?

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project - 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham during the Great War -

1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham

Patient Reports.

Those known to have worked or been treated at 1st Southern General Hospital, Birminghamduring the Great War 1914-1918.

Can you help?

If you enjoy this site please consider making a donation.

Announcements

Want to know more about 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham?

Recomended Reading.

Links

The Wartime Memories Project
- 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham during the Great War -

Those known to have worked or been treated at
1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham
during the Great War 1914-1918.