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WW1 - Help Needed


Guest midsummermeadow

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Guest midsummermeadow

Hello Historians

This is the first time I have used a forum so I apologise if I get it wrong or post in the wrong place. I have attached two photographs relating to my Grandfather who was in the Middlesex regiment - machine gun corp during the 1914-18 war. At some point near the end of the war he was mustard gassed and lost his sight & memory temporarily and was sent to a war hospital.

One photograph shows him (on the right) in a uniform and the other is a group photograph - can anyone recognise the uniform - cap badges - nurses etc and identify if the hospital is the Wharncliffe War Hospital?

The group photo was taken by WR Moore 236 Langsett Road Sheffield as shown in the bottom right corner and the small photograph of my grandfather and another was taken by Sykes & Athey - Wigan.

Any assistance would be much appreciated

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Hello midsummermeadow,

I moved your topic to here so it should receive more response.

Thanks for adding the photographs

and welcome to the site.

Steve

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The group photo was taken by WR Moore 236 Langsett Road, Sheffield

That would be Walter Rowland Moore then at that address from 1911-1925.

Welcome to er, here.

Do we have a surname for your relative, might help a lot. Hopefully the War blokes can welly in with some information; me ? I'm the Pub bloke.

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Guest midsummermeadow

That would be Walter Rowland Moore then at that address from 1911-1925.

Welcome to er, here.

Do we have a surname for your relative, might help a lot. Hopefully the War blokes can welly in with some information; me ? I'm the Pub bloke.

Thanks for your response - is Walter Rowland Moore a well known photographer for that period and any clues if the photo was taken at Wharncliffe? In the photo of the two soldiers taken by Sykes & Athey - Preston my Grandfather is on the right - on the group photograph my grandfather is the fourth from the right in a sitting position behind the second guy from the right lying down.

My Grandfather was 20 in 1914 (born 10/9/1894: pancras. london, NW1) his name was FREDERICK CHARLES ARNOLD he lived in Regents Park, London, NW1 and joined the Middlesex Regiment but joined the Machine Gun Corp. At some point towards the end of the war in Ypres (I believe) he became gassed, lost his memory and sight temporarily and was found "lost" by the French and was in a French hospital - somehow he then ended up in a war hospital back in England - I do not know how long he was in hospital for but he was one of the few lucky ones and lived until 1973.

I remember that he only had use of a quarter of one lung after the war and had to give up his career as a goldsmith in London and take a more active outdoor life.

One of the tales he told me about the war - was sat in the trenches positioned behind the machine gun - that whilst a mate was feeding the bullet belt through the gun the rest of the lads were having to line up and wee wee on the gun to try and keep it cool - and of course he was getting sprayed in wee wee and mud.

Would appreciate any info - thanks

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Thanks for your response - is Walter Rowland Moore a well known photographer for that period and any clues if the photo was taken at Wharncliffe? In the photo of the two soldiers taken by Sykes & Athey - Preston my Grandfather is on the right - on the group photograph my grandfather is the fourth from the right in a sitting position behind the second guy from the right lying down.

My Grandfather was 20 in 1914 (born 10/9/1894: pancras. london, NW1) his name was FREDERICK CHARLES ARNOLD he lived in Regents Park, London, NW1 and joined the Middlesex Regiment but joined the Machine Gun Corp. At some point towards the end of the war in Ypres (I believe) he became gassed, lost his memory and sight temporarily and was found "lost" by the French and was in a French hospital - somehow he then ended up in a war hospital back in England - I do not know how long he was in hospital for but he was one of the few lucky ones and lived until 1973.

I remember that he only had use of a quarter of one lung after the war and had to give up his career as a goldsmith in London and take a more active outdoor life.

One of the tales he told me about the war - was sat in the trenches positioned behind the machine gun - that whilst a mate was feeding the bullet belt through the gun the rest of the lads were having to line up and piss on the gun to try and keep it cool - and of course he was getting sprayed in piss and mud.

Would appreciate any info - thanks

Facinating stuff and great post.

I read the other day that in was in April 1915 that the Germans first used a gas attack (on the French) at Ypres, you may have seen this before. Nasty stuff !:

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWchlorine.htm.

and the various method of cooling machine guns! And as your Grandfather related to you urine ,pretty useful stuff, as it says in the 1st link - could be used to fashion an impromptu gas mask with a urine sodden handkerchief.

http://www.firstworldwar.com/weaponry/machineguns.htm

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Hello Historians

This is the first time I have used a forum so I apologise if I get it wrong or post in the wrong place. I have attached two photographs relating to my Grandfather who was in the Middlesex regiment - machine gun corp during the 1914-18 war. At some point near the end of the war he was mustard gassed and lost his sight & memory temporarily and was sent to a war hospital.

One photograph shows him (on the right) in a uniform and the other is a group photograph - can anyone recognise the uniform - cap badges - nurses etc and identify if the hospital is the Wharncliffe War Hospital?

The group photo was taken by WR Moore 236 Langsett Road Sheffield as shown in the bottom right corner and the small photograph of my grandfather and another was taken by Sykes & Athey - Wigan.

Any assistance would be much appreciated

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I am new to posting messages on sites like this so please forgive any errors. I hope the above will help you to see the image.

I found this thread by Googling W R Moore. I have a photo taken by this photographer of the 'inmates' and nurses outside what I believe to be a military hospital.

My father is in the picture after being wounded. His army dates seem to tie in with July 1917 at Ypres.

I was originally thinking that the hospital was near Brasted in Kent because a W R Moore had a chemist/photographic shop in that town. However, I understand the picture is unlikely to be of around there.

It looks like Sheffield may be a possibility.

I would be very pleased if anyone could possibly identify the hospital or provide a link to getting any further useful information

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I am new to posting messages on sites like this so please forgive any errors. I hope the above will help you to see the image.

I found this thread by Googling W R Moore. I have a photo taken by this photographer of the 'inmates' and nurses outside what I believe to be a military hospital.

My father is in the picture after being wounded. His army dates seem to tie in with July 1917 at Ypres.

I was originally thinking that the hospital was near Brasted in Kent because a W R Moore had a chemist/photographic shop in that town. However, I understand the picture is unlikely to be of around there.

It looks like Sheffield may be a possibility.

I would be very pleased if anyone could possibly identify the hospital or provide a link to getting any further useful information

Hillsborough Barracks had a 50 bed hospital.

There are about 50 patients in the photo

WR Moore 236 Langsett Road Sheffield - right on the doorstep

Just a thought. ??

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On 28/07/2010 at 00:03, John Berge said:

Dad- Hospital.jpg%7Boption%7D

I am new to posting messages on sites like this so please forgive any errors. I hope the above will help you to see the image.

I found this thread by Googling W R Moore. I have a photo taken by this photographer of the 'inmates' and nurses outside what I believe to be a military hospital.

My father is in the picture after being wounded. His army dates seem to tie in with July 1917 at Ypres.

I was originally thinking that the hospital was near Brasted in Kent because a W R Moore had a chemist/photographic shop in that town. However, I understand the picture is unlikely to be of around there.

It looks like Sheffield may be a possibility.

I would be very pleased if anyone could possibly identify the hospital or provide a link to getting any further useful information

Hello John - Looks like Wharncliffe War Hospital (Middlewood) the building behind is the same as this one

Link
[link updated 31 March 2022]

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Guest Trefcon

Nice one smiths565, even the photographs numbers run concurrently, 560 - 561.

Where was was the link from please ?

Dean.

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Nice one smiths565, even the photographs numbers run concurrently, 560 - 561.

Where was was the link from please ?

Hello Dean,

Its on this site

http://www.rotherham-images.co.uk/sheffield-gallery-six-(d).htm

Regards

Robert

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Dean, This page might be of interest to you - it shows the war memorial you are researching actually in the church

http://www.rotherham-images.co.uk/Middlewood%20Church%20(A).htm

Regards

Robert

EDIT - Plus pictures supplied by you :rolleyes:

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Guest Trefcon

I forgot about that site in my search!

The roll of honour is missing the central panel with the 8 names on it, probably nicked!

I think i have one of the men on there, Garbutt, and i know that somewhere in my 'stuff' there is a mention of a Whanrcliffe employee being killed, but i cant find it!!!

The owner of that site is in contact with the gent who took the images of the roll in situ, and the minister of the time, and i await any feed back from him.

Dean.

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Hello John - Looks like Wharncliffe War Hospital (Middlewood) the building behind is the same as this one

Link

Thanks smiths565. I find it amazing that you have come up with a picture that, it seems possible through the numbering, was also taken around the same time.

I will need to study it closely to see if there is anybody who appears in both. I believe my father to be at the end of the back row on the right in mine. May I ask what the occasion was for the fancy dress in your pic?

I have another better picture of my father with 11 other 'inmates' all wearing the white wide collars. I cannot match any faces in my two pics except my father (I am not good at face matching, I know that).

The backround seems to be a fence, so not easily identifiable where it is. You do not say what your interest is so I do not know whether you want to explore further.

I understand that bits of Wharncliffe War Hospital are still standing. Can you confirm that? If so, I may make a trip to see it when I am up in that area.

Thanks once again (and to others who responded if they see this message).

John

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Guest Trefcon

Hi John,

the 'inmates' put on a lot of plays etc, hence the costumes. The 'uniform' the men are wearing are their 'hospital blues', the tie was red. The white collars and turnups are actually the inside of the 'uniform', the men rolled down the high neck to make collars. There is a colour image on this site somewhere that i posted, but i cant find it!

The only bit of Wharncliffe remaining is the church, the rest is a new housing estate.

Dean.

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Hi John,

the 'inmates' put on a lot of plays etc, hence the costumes. The 'uniform' the men are wearing are their 'hospital blues', the tie was red. The white collars and turnups are actually the inside of the 'uniform', the men rolled down the high neck to make collars. There is a colour image on this site somewhere that i posted, but i cant find it!

The only bit of Wharncliffe remaining is the church, the rest is a new housing estate.

Dean.

The main block's still there as well isn't it Dean, now converted to flats. Access is gated so it's not readily accessible.

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Guest Trefcon

Thanks for the correction Peter.

John, an image of 'hospital blues' in post 47 of this thread.

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=5586&hl=nurse&st=40

Dean.

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Thanks for the correction Peter.

John, an image of 'hospital blues' in post 47 of this thread.

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=5586&hl=nurse&st=40

Dean.

Thanks Dean - I'm learning a lot.

John

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That would be Walter Rowland Moore then at that address from 1911-1925.

Welcome to er, here.

Do we have a surname for your relative, might help a lot. Hopefully the War blokes can welly in with some information; me ? I'm the Pub bloke.

Make that 1905-1925 ...

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