Introduction

The flow of casualties from the various theatres of war soon overwhelmed the existing medical facilities in the United Kingdom, just as it did the recently established bases in France and Flanders. Many civilian hospitals and large buildings were turned over to military use. This listing is by no means complete.

Types of hospital

Existing Military Hospitals

Several military hospitals existed before the Great War, some even pre-dating the Boer War and going back to the Crimea.

The Territorial Force General Hospitals

A number of hospitals had been identified before the war for use and operation by the Territorial Force. They were generally based at existing hospitals and other large facilities. For example, the 1st Southern General Hospital was based on the Great Hall at the University of Birmingham. They did not exist as such prior to the war other than for training purposes, but were mobilised in August 1914. All were expanded during war time, not only on the primary sites but with the addition of Auxiliary Hospitals and annexes. They were staffed by a mixture of TF Nursing Service personnel and volunteers from many different organisations.

The War Hospitals

As the demand for hospital beds increased, one of the actions taken to provide more capacity was to turn over existing pre-war asylums for military use.

Beaufort War Hospital, Bristol

Military hospitals established at hutted army camps

Land either on existing army bases or acquired nearby for the purpose was converted into major hospitals.

Red Cross, St John's Ambulance, auxiliary and private hospitals

Large numbers of public and private buildings (often large houses) were turned over for use as small hospitals, most of which operated as annexes to nearby larger hospitals. These are not listed below.

Specialist hospitals

Some hospitals were devloped as, or became, specialist units. Categories of specialism included mental hospitals, units for limbless men, neurological units, orthopaedic units, cardiac units, typhoid units and venereal disease.

Convalescent hospitals

These establishments did not have the usual civilian meaning of convalescence; they were formed from March 1915 onward to keep recovering soldiers under military control. See also the Command Depots

 

Hospitals by County

Berkshire

• Taplow (15th Canadian General) Hospital, developed at Cliveden House.

Cambridgeshire

• 1st Eastern General. A TF General Hospital in Cambridge. 151 officers and 1191 other ranks.
• Cherry Hinton Hospital, a specialist venereal disease hospital for 802 men.
• Barnwell Hospital, a specialist venereal disease hospital.

Cheshire

• Brinnington Neurological Section, Stockport (see 2nd Western General Hospital, Lancashire).
• Birtles Hospital, Chelford, a specialist venereal disease hospital for 50 officers. Opened December 1917.

Devonshire

• 4th Southern General. A TF General Hospital in Plymouth. 193 officers and 1029 other ranks.
  - included a specialist neurological section for other ranks, operating by June 1918
• Seale Haye Neurological Hospital, Newton Abbot. Specialist neurological section for other ranks, operating by June 1918.
• Eggbuckland Hospital, Devonport, a specialist venereal disease hospital for 30 officers and 180 men.

Dorset

• Blandford Camp. A hospital established at an army base. 204 beds.
• Swanage Camp. A hospital established at an army base. 119 beds.
• Wareham Camp. A hospital established at an army base. 45 beds.
• Wool (Bovington) Camp. A hospital established at an army base. 288 beds.

Durham

• Gateshead War Hospital. Formerly the Gateshead County Borough Asylum at Stannington.
  - included a specialist neurological section for other ranks, operating by June 1918.

Essex

• Sobraon Barracks Military Hospital. One of the many barracks at Colchester, the main buildings at Sobraon were constructed in 1900. A cardiac hospital was opened when here Hampstead Military Hospital at Hillingdon (London) was turned over to the Royal Flying Corps. It grew to 672 beds before closing in August 1919.
  - an associated convalescent hospital of 200 beds operated at Summerdown Camp near Eastbourne (Sussex) from October 1918.

Hampshire

• Cambridge Military Hospital. An existing pre-war military hospital at Aldershot.
  - A Special Military Surgical Section for orthopaedic cases was also established here.
• Colchester Military Hospital. An existing pre-war military hospital at Aldershot.
• Royal Naval Hospital. An existing pre-war military hospital at Haslar (Gosport).
• Royal Victoria Hospital. An existing pre-war military hospital at Netley.
  - D Block was used as a specialist military mental hospital with capacity for 3 officers and 121 other ranks.
  - Netley also had a 30 bed unit for limbless men domiciled in Hampshire.
  - Neurological section also established by early 1915, acting as a clearing hospital for these cases.
  - Special Military Surgical Section for orthopaedic cases was also established at Netley.
• 5th Southern General. A TF General Hospital in Portsmouth. 48 officers and 989 other ranks.
• Haseley Down Camp (Winchester). A hospital established at an army base. 105 beds.
• Magdalen Camp (Winchester). A hospital established at an army base. 252 beds.
• Hilsea Camp. A hospital established at an army base.
  - A specialist venereal disease hospital for 47 officers and 430 men was also established at Hilsea.
• Connaught Hospital. A specialist venereal disease hospital for 300 men.
• Park Prewett (4th Canadian General) Hospital, formerly the Hampshire 2nd County Asylum.
• Bramshott (12th Canadian General) Hospital, developed at Bramshott Camp.

Hertfordshire

• Gadebridge Hospital, Hemel Hempstead, a specialist venereal disease hospital for 800 men. A former artillery training camp, taken over in July 1917.  Converted to a350 bed officers' hospital after the war.
• Shafford Camp included huts for a 106-bed specialist venereal disease unit.

Ireland

• Belfast War Hospital. Formerly the Belfast District Lunatic Asylum at Belfast. 8 officers and 342 other ranks.
  - used as a specialist mental hospital from July 1917.
• Richmond War Hospital. Formerly the Richmond District Asylum at Richmond, Dublin.
  - partly used for mental patients (32 ORs) from 16 June 1916 to December 1919.
• Duke of Connaught's Auxiliary Hospital (formerly located in Princess Patricia Hospital, Bray), Bray, Wicklow. A limbless unit for 50 men from all of Ireland except Ulster.
• Ulster Volunteer Force Hospital, Belfast. A limbless unit for 50 men from Ulster.
• King George V Hospital, Dublin. A specialist neurological unit for cases identified in other hospitals in Ireland (rather than having been processed through the clearing system).
• Portobello Military Hospital, Dublin. A 187-bed specialist venereal disease hospital opened in May 1916.
• Holywood Military Convalescent Hospital, Belfast. Under orders of Irish Command, for men whose homes were in Ireland or who belonged to Irish regiments from any command.

Kent

• Orchard Hospital, Dartford. A military convalescent hospital. Under orders of London Command, opened on 24 May 1915. An infectious diseases hospital taken over from the Metropolitan Asylum Board.

Lancashire

• 1st Western General. A TF General Hospital in Fazakerley, Liverpool. 153 officers and 4204 other ranks.
  - Netherfield Road 7-bed specialist cardiac section opened August 1918.ds.  Closing in May 1919, the unit transferred to Toxteth Park Military Hospital, then in August moved again to Queen Mary's Hospital, Whalley.
• 2nd Western General. A TF General Hospital in Manchester. 546 officers and 5772 other ranks.
  - included a specialist neurological section for other ranks, operating by June 1918 at Brinnington, Stockport.
• Lord Derby War Hospital. Formerly the Lancashire County Asylum at Winwick. 3313 other ranks.
  - partly used for mental patients (1000 beds) from June 1916.
• Toxteth Park Military Hospital.
• Red Cross Military Hospital, Moss Side. Formerly the Moss Side State Institution at Maghull.
  - included a specialist neurological unit. First case admitted 21 December 1914.  Initially 300 beds, later 500 and a section of 35 beds for officers at Quarry Brook House nearby.  From April 1916 used for severe or protracted cases only.
• Queen Mary's Military Hospital. Formerly the Whalley Asylum at Whalley.
• Whittingham Military Hospital. Formerly the Lancashire County Asylum at Whittingham near Preston.
• Alder Hey Hospital Orthopaedic Hospital. A military unit treated cases not sent to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (London) from March 1915 onward.
  - in addition a special 200 bedunit for limbless men domiciled in Cheshire and Lancashire, excluding Manchester, was established at Alder Hey. An additional 100 bed limbless section was at Blackmore.
• Lancaster House Auxiliary Hospital (affiliated to 2nd Western General Hospital), Manchester. 150 beds for limbless men domiciled in Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Manchester.
• King's Lancashire Military Convalescent Hospital, Blackpool, specialist neurological section for officers, operating by June 1918.
• A neurological section of Nell Lane Military Hospital, West Didsbury, opened in 1918.
• New Bridge Street Hospital, Manchester, a specialist venereal disease hospital for 530 men. An old workhouse and boys school taken over some time in 1916.
• Spike Island Hospital, Widnes, a specialist venereal disease hospital for 50 officers and 450 men.
• King's Lancashire Military Convalescent Hospital, Clifton Park, Blackpool. Under orders of Western Command, for men whose homes were in Lancashire or who belonged to Lancashire regiments from any command.

Leicestershire

• 5th Northern General. A TF General Hospital in Leicester. 111 officers and 2487 other ranks.

Lincolnshire

• 4th Northern General. A TF General Hospital in Lincoln. 41 officers and 1126 other ranks.
• Grantham Camp. A hospital established at an army base. 670 beds.

London

• Queen Alexandra's Military Hospital. An existing pre-war military hospital at Millbank.
• Royal Herbert Military Hospital. An existing pre-war military hospital at Woolwich.
• 2nd London General. A TF General Hospital in Chelsea. 66 officers and 995 other ranks.
• 3rd London General. A TF General Hospital in Wandsworth. 806 officers and 224 other ranks.
• 4th London General. A TF General Hospital in Denmark Hill. 300 officers and 1625 other ranks.
  - Neurological section established by early 1915, acting as clearing hospital for these cases.  Formerly the Maudsley Memorial Hospital at Denmark Hill. By June 18 known as Maudsley Neurological Clearing Hospital.
• 5th London General. A TF General Hospital at St Thomas's Hospital. 94 officers and 568 other ranks.
• Springfield War Hospital. Formerly the Middlesex County Asylum, Wandsworth.
  - a detached block was also used as a neurological unit. From April 16 used for severe or protracted cases.
• Charterhouse Military Hospital, London. A 226 bed specialist hospital for limbless men.
• Paddington Military Hospital. A 300 bed specialist hospital for limbless men.
• Queen Mary's Convalescent Hospital, Roehampton. A 900 bed specialist hospital for limbless men.
• National Hospital for the Paralysed and Epileptic, Queen's Square WC. An existing civilian neurological institution treating some military cases by November 1914. From April 1916 used for cases requiring special but not prolonged treatment.
• The Hospital for Epilepsy and Paralysis, Maida Vale, London W. As Queen's Square.
• West End Hospital for Diseases of the Nervous System, Welbeck St, London W. As Queen's Square.
• Special Neurological Hospital for Officers, 10 Palace Green, Kensington. Opened January 1915 for officers suffering from functional neurosis, traumatic neurasthenia and the milder psychoses. By June 1918 had extended into 11 Palace Green.
• Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, 234 Great Portland St, London W. A military unit treated cases from London District and Eastern Command from March 1915 onward.
• Military Orthopaedic Hospital, Shepherds Bush. Opened March 1916. Responsibility passed to the Ministyr of Pensions in July 1919.
• University College Hospital, London, included a 20-bed specialist military cardiac unit from late 1914.
• Metropolitan Hospital, Kingsland Road,Hackney.
• National Hospital for Diseases of the Heart, Westmorland Street, London W, opened a military specialist military cardiac unit in late 1915.
• Hampstead Military Hospital, Hillingdon, opened in March 1915 at what had been the Mount Vernon Hospital for Consumption. Grew to 232 beds and became a cardiac specilaist hospital. In December 1917 was converted to hospital for cases from the Royal Flying Corps and heart cases were sent to Sobroan Barracks Military Hospital in Colchester.
• Rochester Row Military Hospital, London SW. A specialist venereal disease hospital for 301 men.
• Tooting Grove Military Hospital, London SW. A specialist venereal disease hospital for 144 officers and 100 men.

Middlesex

• County of Middlesex War Hospital. Formerly the Middlesex County Asylum at Napsbury (near St Albans). Total of 1600 beds.
  - included a specialist military mental hospital with capacity for 250 men. Opened September 1915, closed 1 August 1919.
• Special Military Surgical Hospital (and Strand Extension), Edmonton, for orthopaedic cases.

Napsbury War Hospital

Norfolk

• Norfolk War Hospital. Formerly the Norfolk County Asylum at Thorpe.
• Thetford Camp. A hospital established at an army base. 120 beds.

Northamptonshire

• Northamptonshire War Hospital. Formerly the Northamptonshire County Asylum at Northampton.

Northumberland

• 1st Northern General. A TF General Hospital in Newcastle. 104 officers and 1420 other ranks.
• Northumberland War Hospital. Formerly the Newcastle-upon-Tyne City Asylum at Gosforth.
• Brighton Grove Hospital, Newcastle, a specialist venereal disease hospital for 48 officers and 552 men.
• Alnwick Military Convalescent Hospital. For men from units in Northern and Scottish Commands, men whose homes were in Scotland or who belonged to Scottish regiments from any command.

Nottinghamshire

• Notts County War Hospital. Formerly the Nottingham County Asylum at Radcliffe-on-Trent. 540 beds. Used for mental patients from 25 July 1918 to 30 August 1919.
• Trent Bridge Military Hospital. This was the pavilion of the cricket ground, taken over for temporary military use.
• West Bridgford Military Hospital. (This may be the same place as Trent Bridge Military Hospital).
• Clipstone Camp near Mansfield. A hospital established at an army base. 356 beds.
• Bagthorpe Infirmary, Hucknall Road, Nottingham.

Oxfordshire

• 3rd Southern General. A TF General Hospital in Oxford. 336 officers and 1210 other ranks.
• Ashurst War Hospital, Littlemoor. Formerly the Oxford County Asylum.
  - included a 580 bed specialist neurological section, opened in 1918

Scotland

• 1st Scottish General. A TF General Hospital in Aberdeen. 62 officers and 1297 other ranks.
• 2nd Scottish General. A TF General Hospital in Craigleith, Edinburgh. 28 officers and 1129 other ranks.
• 3rd Scottish General. A TF General Hospital in Glasgow. 70 officers and 1629 other ranks.
• 4th Scottish General. A TF General Hospital in Stobill. 1334 other ranks.
• Cromarty Camp. A hospital established at an army base. 226 beds.
• Dykebar War Hospital. Formerly the Renfrew District Asylum at Paisley. 500 beds.
  - used as a specialist mental hospital from February 1916.
• Edinburgh War Hospital. Formerly the Edinburgh District Asylum at Bangour.
  - A Special Military Surgical Section for orthopaedic cases was also established at Bangour.
• Murthly War Hospital. Formerly the Perth District Asylum at Perth. 350 beds.
  - used as a specialist mental hospital from 27 January 1917.
• Princess Louise Scottish Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers, Erskine House, Glasgow. 400 beds for men from the West of Scotland, Cumberland, Westmorland, Northumberland and Durham.
• Edenhall East of Scotland Limbless Hospital, Musselburgh. 100 beds for men from East of Scotland.
• Royal Victoria Hospital, Edinburgh. A specialist neurological unit for cases identified in other hospitals in Scotland (rather than having been processed through the clearing system).
• Craiglockhart War Hospital, Edinburgh. Specialist neurological section for officers, operating by June 1918.
• Glen Lomond War Hospital, Fife. Specialist neurological section for other ranks, operating by June 1918.
• Dunblane War Hospital, Perthshire. As Glen Lomond.
• Robroyston War Hospital, a specialist venereal disease hospital for 50 officers and 500 men.
• Stobs Hospital. A specialist venereal disease hospital opened after the Armistice.
• Stirling Detention Barracks had a small specialist venereal disease unit.
• Royal Alexandra Infirmary, Paisley.

Shropshire

• Oswestry Camp. A hospital established at an army base.866 beds.
• Prees Heath Camp. A hospital established at an army base. 609 beds.

Somerset

• 2nd Southern General. A TF General Hospital in Bristol. 200 officers and 1350 other ranks.
• Beaufort War Hospital. Formerly Bristol County and City Asylum at Fishponds.
• VAD Hospital, Chard. a 46 bed limbless unit for men domiciled in Cornwall, Devon, Somerset and Dorset.

Staffordshire

• Cannock Chase Camp (Rugeley and Penkridge). A hospital established at an army base. 594 beds.
• Whittington Barracks, Lichfield. A specialist venereal disease hospital for 50 officers and 754 men was established in a hutted section of the barracks.
• Stafford Detention Barracks had a small specialist venereal disease unit.

Surrey

• 1st London General. A TF General Hospital in Camberwell. 88 officers and 852 other ranks.
• Horton (County of London) War Hospital. Formerly the London County Asylum, Horton, Epsom.
• Manor (County of London) War Hospital. Formerly the London County Asylum, Manor, Epsom.
• Ewell (County of London) War Hospital, Epsom. Formerly the The Ewell Colony.
  - included a specialist neurological section for other ranks, operating by June 1918.
• Special Hospital for Officers, a mental hospital with 51 beds established by Lord Knutsford's Red Cross Committee in a private house ("Latchmere") at Ham Common in November 1915. By October 1919 it had treated circa 430 officers.
• Addington Park War Hospital, Croydon, opened as a typhoid specialist at Addington Palace in early 1915.   Initially 300 beds, it was expanded by addition of huts to 650.  In July 15 it was decided to establish a Command Depot exclusively for enteric cases in a hutted camp of 1000 beds erected 'in the vicinity of Addington Park'.
• Shirley Enteric Depot, near Addington Park, opened in March 1917.
• Warlingham Enteric Depot. Opened in 1916.
  - a specialist venereal disease hospital with 750 beds was also opened here.
• Woldingham Enteric Depot. As Warlingham.
• Woking Detention Barracks had a small specialist venereal disease unit.
• Woodcote Park Military Convalescent Hospital, Epsom. Under orders of Southen Command, opened 24 June 1915.
  

Addington Palace War Hospital, Croydon

Sussex

• 2nd Eastern General. A TF General Hospital in Brighton. 98 officers and 1190 other ranks.
• Graylingwell War Hospital. Formerly the West Sussex County Asylum at Chichester.
• East Preston Military Hospital, Worthing. A specialist neurological section for other ranks, operating by June 1918
• Summerdown Camp Military Convalescent Hospital. Opened 8 April 1915.
  - Associated with Sobraon Barracks Military Hospital at Colchester (Essex), a specilaist 200-bed cardiac unit operated from October 1918.
• Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton.
  

Wales

• 3rd Western General. A TF General Hospital in Cardiff. 38 officers and 2626 other ranks.
• Welsh Metropolitan War Hospital. Formerly the Cardiff City Asylum at Whitchurch. 61 officers and 839 other ranks.
  - partly used for mental patients (14 officers and 416 ORs) from September 1917 to December 1919.
• Kinmel Park Camp (Rhyl). A hospital established at an army base. 890 beds.
  - a specialist venereal disease unit opened here after the Armistice
• Prince of Wales Hospital for Limbless Sailors and Soldiers, Cardiff. 66 beds for men from Wales, Monmouthshire, Herefordshire and Shropshire.
• Officers' neurological hospital, Nannau, Dolgelly. Established by June 1918.

Warwickshire

• Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital, otherwise a pre-existing civilian hospital, had a soldier's ward.

Wiltshire

• Tidworth Military Hospital. An existing pre-war military hospital at the cavalry barracks at Tidworth.
• Codford Camp. A hospital established at an army base. 100 beds.
• Fargo Camp (Larkhill). A hospital established at an army base. 1037 beds.
• Fovant Camp. A hospital established at an army base. 449 beds.
• Sutton Veny Camp. A hospital established at an army base. 938 beds.
• Bulford Camp. A hospital established at an army base.
  - a specialist venereal disease hospital was established here. It was handed over to Australians ('owing to large demand') in November 1916 and known as 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital.
• Chiseldon Camp. A hospital established at an army base.
  - A specialist venereal disease hospital of 400 beds was created from about half of the existing hutted camp to make up for accommodation at Bulford being transferred to the Australians in late 1916.  Beds for 100 more serious VD cases were also made available in Chiseldon Military Hospital. at that time.
• Devizes Detention Barracks had a small specialist venereal disease unit.

Worcestershire

• 1st Southern General. A TF General Hospital in Selly Oak (Birmingham). 130 officers and 2357 other ranks.
  - included Monyhull Hall, a specialist neurological section for other ranks, operating by June 1918
• 2/1st Southern General. A TF General Hospital on Dudley Road (Birmingham).
  - Uffculme Auxiliary Hospital, affiliated, was a 150 bed limbless unit for men domiciled in Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Oxfordshire.
• 1st Birmingham War Hospital. Formerly the Birmingham City Asylum at Rubery Hill.
• 2nd Birmingham War Hospital. Formerly the Birmingham City Asylum at Hollymoor.
• More about the Birmingham hospitals

Yorkshire

• 2nd Northern General. A TF General Hospital in Leeds. 60 officers and 2039 other ranks.
  - included a 126 bed unit for limbless men domiciled in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland.
• 3rd Northern General. A TF General Hospital in Sheffield. 57 officers and 1360 other ranks.
• East Leeds War Hospital. Formerly the Leeds Union Infirmary.
  - incorporated the 572-bed Killingbeck Military Hospital.
• Wharncliffe War Hospital. Formerly the West Riding of Yorkshire Asylum at Wadsley in Sheffield.
• Catterick Camp. A hospital established at an army base. 750 beds.
• Ripon Camp. A hospital established at an army base. 670 beds.
• Abram Peel Hospital, Bradford. Specialist neurological section for other ranks, operating by June 1918.
• Oulton Hall Hospital for Officers, Leeds. 71 bed specialist neurological section, opened in 1918.
• Leeds General Hospital. A specialist 50-bed military cardiac unit operated from November 18 From August 1919 it was affiliated with the Special Military Surgical Hospital, Leeds. An associated convalescent unit opened at Killingbeck Military Hospital.

Who operated and manned these hospitals?

These military hospitals were manned and operated by the Royal Army Medical Corps and Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service, supplemented by voluntary workers from a number of organisations including the Voluntary Aid Detachments, Red Cross, St John's Ambulance and YMCA.