Report

of

First Six Months' Work

of the

Temair Lodge Red Cross Auxiliary Hospital

Under the Management of the

Tarland Red Cross Committee

1915

County of Aberdeen Branch

Scottish Branch

of the

British Red Cross Society

List of Officers and Committee

Hon. President. THE MARQUIS OF ABERDEEN AND TEMAIR, House of Cromar, Tarland.

Chairman. THE MARCHIONESS OF ABERDEEN AND TEMAIR, House of Cromar, Tarland.

Hon. Secretary. Mrs. STRACHAN, East Town, Tarland.

Hon. Treasurer. JOSEPH HOPKINS, Esq., Bank House, Tarland.

Chairman of Collecting Committee. PATRICK STRACHAN, Esq., J.P., East Town, Tarland.

Accountant. Mr. GERMAIN, House of Cromar, Tarland.

General Committee of Management. Mr. Anderson, Titaboutie, Coull, Aberdeenshire. Mr. Anderson, Commercial Hotel, Tarland. Mrs. Coltman, Tillypronie, Tarland. Mr. J. Calder, Bridgend, Tarland. Mr. Emslie, The Elms, Tarland. Miss Ferguson, Corrachree, Tarland. Mr. Germain, House of Cromar, 'Arland. M1. J. Hopkins, Bank House, Tarland. Dr. and Mrs. Hector, Tarland. Mr. W. Hunter, Old Town, Tarland. Miss Mackenzie, The Manse, Coull, by Aboyne. Mr. John Munro, The Lodge, Tarland. Mrs. Mowatt, Post Office, Tarland. The Rev. D. S. MacDonald, United Free Manse, Tarland. Mr. Morren, Tarland. Mr. W. Robbie, Tillylodge, Tarland. Mrs. Skinner, Corrachree, Tarland. Mr. Smith, Aberdeen Arms Hotel, Tarland. Mrs. Sievwright, Bridgend Cottage, Tarland. Mr. and Mrs. Strachan, East Town, Tarland. Mr. Young, Chemist, Tarland.

Hon. Medical Officer in Charge of Hospital. Dr. HECTOR, Tarland.

Matron. Miss J. HERIOT, Temair Lodge Red Cross Hospital, Tarland.

Outside the Recreation Hall.

Hoisting the Red Cross flag.

Report of the First Six Months

Temair Lodge, with furniture, bedding, etc., lent by The Marquess and Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair as an Auxiliary Hospital under the supervision of the Tarland Red Cross Committee, was opened for the reception of patients on 31 March 1915. Dr. Hector, of Tarland, has acted as Medical Officer, and has given assiduous attention to the patients. There is accommodation for 20 patients, and the hospital staff has consisted of Miss Heriot, the Matron, a resident nurse, and a staff composed of members of the Tarland Women's Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD), who have been on duty daily, as arranged by the successive Commandants, Mrs. Forbes and Miss Mackenzie.

The services of Mrs. Stewart, housekeeper and cook, were placed at the disposal of the Committee by Lord and Lady Aberdeen. Numerous and generous gifts of money and kind have been received from local donors for the equipment and maintenance of the hospital, and a very successful concert on behalf of the hospital funds was arranged by the local VAD, to which some of the soldier patients contributed with great effect. A house-to-house collection amongst wage-earners was organised by the gentlemen of the Committee, under the chairmanship of Mr. P. Strachan, and produced very substantial results.

Sixty patients have been treated in the hospital up to 1 August, and have all derived great benefit from their residence. Letters received after their leaving the hospital are most gratifying. The following gentlemen undertook to collect contributions in kind, including eggs, vegetables, groceries, poultry, etc., in each of the three districts of Tarland, Logie-Coldstone, and Coull, in turn:

For Tarland: Mr. P. Strachan, JP, East Town; Mr. Hunter, Oldtown. For Coull: Mr. Anderson, Titaboutie. For Logie-Coldstone: The Rev. R. Robertson, The Manse

These gifts have been of the greatest possible help to the hospital.

Lord and Lady Aberdeen allowed the policies of the House of Cromar to be included in the grounds available for the patients' use and the croquet and tennis courts and golf course furnished very acceptable recreation for the convalescents.

The soldiers able to go to church generally attended the services at the Established Church or at the United Free Church at Tarland, and, whenever possible, these belonging to the Episcopal Church or to the Roman Catholic Church were sent in Lord Aberdeen's motor car to their respective places of worship at Aboyne. The Rev. Marshall Low conducted a short evening service on alternate Sundays, after his induction at Tarland, and Lord Aberdeen also conducted some informal services on Sunday afternoons on several occasions.

Appended will be found a few notes contributed, by request, by some of the soldiers in the hospital at the time when this Report was being drawn up.

A group of soldiers outside the House of Cromar, with the Marquis of Aberdeen and Temair. Mr Kidd, and Petzo, the Russian retriever.

Dr Hector with the VAD staff. Mrs Mackenzie, the Commandant, and three members of staff were on duty in the Hospital Train at Aberdeen on the day this was taken.

Report of Medical Officer The Hospital was opened on 31 March 1915, and remained open till 12 October 1915, when it was closed for the winter months. Sixty soldiers were admitted to the hospital; of those 46 were discharged to duty, 14 were transferred to the 1st Scottish General Hospital, and one of the latter was readmitted to the hospital after an operation in Aberdeen.

Thirty-four of the soldiers were from the Expeditionary Force, three were from the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, and 23 were non-Expeditionary Force men. Amongst the men from the Expeditionary Force were: nine cases of bullet wounds, 13 cases of shrapnel wounds, three cases of gas-poisoning, and also one case of frost-bite.

The other cases were either cases of other injuries than wounds or cases convalescent from various illnesses, or cases where operations had been performed for various diseases. The Mediterranean Expeditionary Force men, three in number, included one case of bullet wound and two cases of shrapnel wounds.

The non-Expeditionary Force men were cases convalescing from illness, cases where operations had been performed, and also included four men who had been wounded at the Front, but having been in various hospitals were, according to regulations, not included amongst the Expeditionary Force men. The following list shows the regiments to which the soldiers belonged, and the number from each regiment:

Scottish Rifles 8 Highland Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps 2 Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 3 Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) 6 West Kent Regiment 1 Manchester Regiment 2 Highland Light Infantry 4 Cameron Highlanders 5 Northumberland Fusiliers 1 Durham Light Infantry 1 King's Own Scottish Borderers 1 King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 1 Royal Field Artillery 4 Scots Guards 1 Seaforth Highlanders 4 West Riding Regiment 1 Gordon Highlanders 7 Royal Irish Regiment 1 Royal Dublin Fusiliers 1 South Lancashire Regiment 1 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers 1 Worcester Regiment 1 King's Liverpool Regiment 1 Royal Engineers 1

The Matron was assisted in the work of the hospital by Nurse Watt till 15 June when, on account of serious illness, she had to leave the hospital for an operation. The women of the Tarland and Logie-Coldstone Voluntary Aid Detachments rendered valuable and willing service; special mention should be made of Miss Baptie, Tarland, and Miss Thomson, Logie-Coldstone, who were both in residence for over a month. The hospital was fortunate in having the services of Mrs. Stewart as cook. She gained the gratitude of the soldiers by the excellence of her cooking. The Marquis and Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair, who kindly granted the Lodge as a Hospital, were untiring in their endeavours to add to the comfort and happiness of the soldiers.

WILLIAM HECTOR, MB

EXPENDITURE For Six Months, from 30 March to 29 September 1915.

Wages £55 9 6 Equipment 23 16 2 Provisions 122 1 11½ Drugs 9 11 2 Fuel and Light 32 13 6 Sundries 11 12 2½ 260 4 6__

The number of soldiers receiving a day's food has been 2,173.

The allowance received from War Office for this number amounts to £221 2s., which shows a loss on the six months of £39 2s. 6d.

The average cost per day for each soldier has been 2s. 4¾d.

Had there not been a liberal and sustained contribution of provisions from friends in the district, the loss would have been considerably more.

Total donations amounted to £135 13s. 7d.

Many donations in kind were made, kind friends invited the soldiers to tea, or entertainments, or for motor drives, and entertained the soldiers at the hospital with music, etc.

When the Hospital was opened, a stamp fund was started by the Matron, and a sum amounting to about £7 was collected, the balance of a few shillings being handed to the Treasurer. Over 1,500 letters have been posted from the hospital since the opening. This number includes business letters connected with the work of the hospital, but no letters of the staff. Each soldier on departure also received 1s. for his bus fare out of this fund.

Some of the Tarland Red Cross Committee.

Some of the patients with Matron and staff.

Soldiers who have been Patients Piper Stark, No. 10407, 3rd Scottish Rifles; wounded; unmarried. Private Keddie, No. 8423, 3rd Scottish Rifles; wounded; in trenches 28 days; returned to the front; unmarried. Home address - 23 Taylor Street, Townhead, Glasgow. Sergeant Wash, No. 7346, 1st West Kents; rheumatism; at Ypres in trenches; not wounded; married, one child. Home address - 66 Main Street, New Elgin, Elgin. Private S. Hall, No. 2744, 2nd Manchester Regiment; unmarried. Home address - c/o John H. Kay, 9 St. Peter Street, Oldham, Lancashire. Lance-Corporal McKechnie, No. 11001, 1st Highland Light Infantry; wounded; unmarried. Home address - Glasgow. Private R. Fraser, No. 1524, 3rd Scottish Rifles; in training Nigg, Ross-shire; unmarried. Home address - Urquhart Road, King Street, Aberdeen. Private J. Jamieson, No. 16161, 3rd Scottish Rifles; from Nigg, Ross-shire; had been through the Boer War; since discharged physically unfit. Private Jenkinson, No. 17919, 3rd Scottish Rifles; in training at Nigg, Ross-shire; unmarried. Home address - High Street, Clownes, Derbyshire. Private Hall, No. 7718, 3rd Scottish Rifles; in training at Nigg, Ross-shire; through South African War; unmarried. Boarding-house address - Mrs. G. N. Head, 13 West Dock Street, Dundee. Private Reith, No. 1652, 2nd Highland Field Ambulance, RFA; in training; married, one child. Home address - Urquhart Road, King Street, Aberdeen. Private Hamilton, No. 198, 1st Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders; wounded and frostbite at Neuve Chapelle; unmarried. Home address - Mrs. T. Gowan, James Street, Larbert. Private Constable, No. 9598, 1st Black Watch; in retreat from Mons; married, three children. Home address - Craig Bank, Peterculter, Aberdeenshire. Private Rogan, No. 13233, 3rd Scottish Rifles; in training at Nigg, Ross-shire; married. Home address - 8 India Street, Rutherglen, near Glasgow. Lance-Corporal Williamson, No. 10819, 1st Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders; wounded at Ypres; unmarried. Home address - Hilton of Delnies, Nairn. Private Gardiner, No. 8264, 1st Highland Light Infantry; wounded; also suffered from gas-poisoning; unmarried. Home address - 75 Lamb Hill Street, Glasgow. Private W. Mackie, No. 9887, 2nd Cameron Highlanders; wounded at Ypres on 1st May; unmarried. Home address - 23 Oakbank Place, Winchburgh, W. Lothian. Drummer Strangham, No. 1843, 7th Northumberland Fusiliers; wounded at St. Julien on 26th April; unmarried. Home address - 8 Howick Street, Alnwick, Northumberland. Private J. W. Cain, No. 2358, 8th Durham Light Infantry; wounded at Ypres on 30th April; unmarried. Home address - Mrs. Cain, Docken Yard, Newlottie, Durham. Private J. McGregor, No. 7511, 2nd KOSB; wounded at Ypres on 23rd April; unmarried. Home address - 16 Lower Castle Hill, Stirling. Sergeant J. Smith, No. 11366, 1st Highland Light Infantry; wounded at Ypres; married, one child. Home address - 6 Stobhill, Gorebridge. Private J. Wright, No. 10631, 1st King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry; wounded near Ypres; unmarried. Home address - c/o Mrs. Cornfield, 7 Roland Street, Rogston, Yorks. Private G. Nesbitt, No. 58804, RFA; kicked on knee 14th April. Private R. A. Mitchell, No. 2766, 7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders; wounded at St. Julien, near Ypres, on 24th May; unmarried. Home address - c/o Mrs. Waddell, 4 Wright Place, Grahamstown, Falkirk. Private J. Lamb, No. 7929, 1st Cameron Highlanders; wounded. Home address - Mrs. Lamb, 47 Albert Street, Dundee. Private W. Rogers, No. 10392, 1st Scots Guards; wounded at Festubert on 10th May; unmarried. Home address - c/o Mrs. Williamson, 633 Dumbarton Road, Partick, Glasgow. Quartermaster-Sergeant S. Cameron, No. 1786, 5th Black Watch; wounded; unmarried. Home address - Lochside, Edzell. Private N. Peddie, No. 10044, 3rd Seaforth Highlanders; wounded at La Bassee; unmarried. Home address - 150 Rose Street, Edinburgh. Sergeant D. Mennie, No. 1095, 2/1st Highland Brigade RFA; operation; married. Home address - 4 Pittodrie Place, Aberdeen. Private W. Hillidge, No. 10438, 2nd Scottish Rifles; wounded at La Bassee. Home address - 9 Tyers Street, Lambeth, London. Corporal J. Simpson, No. 7037, 1st Highland Light Infantry; wounded; unmarried. Home address - 82 Aitchison Street, Airdrie, Lanark. Private W. Shackleton, No. 13662, 2nd West Riding Regiment; gas poisoning; married; gassed at Ypres. Home address - 10 Station Road, Burnley-in-Wharfedale, Yorks. Private D. MacDonald, No. 3426, 3rd Royal Highlanders; married. Home address - 172 Main Street, Renton, Dumbarton. Private D. Stevenson, No. 8497, 3rd Royal Highlanders; operation; married. Home address - 138 Hawthorn Street, Possil Park, Glasgow. Private G. Smith, No. 18280, 3rd Cameron Highlanders; unmarried. Home address - Mrs. A. Cor, 197 Commercial Place, Newarthill, by Motherwell. Private W. Philips, No. 9314, 3rd Royal Highlanders; unmarried. Home address - 7 Stanley Street, Earlestown, Lancs. Lance-Corporal Cecil T. Ross, No. 409, 5th Seaforth Highlanders; Hill 60 and La Bassee; married. Home address - Bridge End, Brora, Sutherland. Private T. Baillie, No. 18308, 3rd Cameron Highlanders. Home address - 3 Brown's Place, Edinburgh. Piper J. Benzie, No. 3422, 3rd Royal Highlanders; married. Home address – 148 Union Street, Cowdenbeath, Fife. Private R. McVie, No. 4262, 3rd Seaforth Highlanders; wounded at Ypres; married. Home address - c/o Mr. Millar, 254 Nuneaton Street, Bridgton, Glasgow. Private R. Martin, No. 18431, 8th Cameron Highlanders; fought at Ypres and St. Julien; married. Home address - 13 Scots Place, Motherwell, Glasgow. Private A. Nelson, No. 3141, 2nd Manchester Regiment; married; wounded at Hill 60. Home Address - 121 Renshaw Street, Patricroft, Manchester. Private H. Sawers, No. 10469, 3rd Gordon Highlanders; malaria and pleurisy; unmarried. Home address - 6 Craignesstock Place, Calton, Glasgow. Lance-Corporal J. Stack, No. 5910, 2nd Royal Irish Regiment; gas poisoning at Ypres. Home address - Kilmnoon, Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare. Private M. Byrne, No. 8217, 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers; gas poisoning at Ypres. Home address - 23 Lower Gardiner Street, Dublin. Private R. Anderson, No. 3506, 7th Gordon Highlanders; rheumatism; unmarried. Home address - Hallglen's Buildings, High Street, Banchory. Private R. Howat, No. s/8190, 1st Gordon Highlanders; wounded at Hill 60; unmarried. Home address - Craigfarg, Forgandenny, Perthshire. Private H. Small, No. 10395, 1st Gordon Highlanders; wounded near Festubert; unmarried. Home address - Mrs. Small, Nether Mann's Road, Denny, Stirlingshire. Private J. Gallagher, No. 10612, 6th South Lanes; wounded at Dardanelles; unmarried. Home address - 25 Ashton Street, Scholes, Wigan, Lancs. Corporal John Ramsay, No. 11676, 6th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers; wounded landing at Dardanelles; unmarried. Home address - 22 Wilmot Terrace, Lisburn Road, Belfast. Private G. Thomson, 3/4th Gordon Highlanders.Home address – 185 Gallowgate, Aberdeen. Private J. Caddick, No. 17501, 9th Worcester Regiment; wounded at Dardanelles; unmarried. Home address - 22 Stony Lane, Smethwick, Staffordshire. Private R. Booth, No. 3340, 8th King's Liverpool; deafness caused by sound of guns; married. Home address - 6 Sefton Street, Preston. Driver W. Monks, No. 90567, RFA; buried in trench; married. Home address - 21 Sycamore Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Private J. Suthern, No. 729, 5th KCY Infantry; wounded at Ypres in July; unmarried. Home address - Mr. Sissons, 9 Stuart Street, Castleford, near Leeds, York. Gunner Charles Morrice, No. 4145, RFA; unmarried. Home address - c/o Mrs. McDonald, 38 Esslemont Avenue, Aberdeen. Private Charles Johnston, No. 10168, 3rd Gordon Highlanders; married. Home address - 103 Collinson Street, Southwark Bridge Road, Southwark, London, S.E. Private H. Gill, No. 10870, 3rd Gordon Highlanders; unmarried. Home address - 304 High Street, Watford, Herts. Sapper G. Rennie, No. 1137, 4/2nd HF Co., RE; unmarried. Home address - St. Nicholas Cottage, Banchory.

The view from Temair Lodge. Lochnagar is ib the distance and the village of Tarland is in the valley.

A group of patients with the Matron, resident Nurse, VAD staff and the Housekeeper.

The Commandant and VAD staff.

Notes by Soldiers We sailed out of Avonmouth Docks on 24 June 1915, and arrived at Valetta, Malta, on 2 July. Four days later we arrived at Alexandria, where we stayed for two days, and then left for the Dardanelles, via Lemnos, where we stayed for one day; in the trenches at Cape Hellos, 14 to 29 July; removed back to Lemnos for four days; and then landed with the Australians between Anzac and Suvla Bay.

There was an advance of about four miles in one night, until the Turks checked our advance near the top of a large ridge on the morning of 10 August. The Turks made a terrible dash to break through our lines. They reached the edge of the ridge, and our battalion was caught within a gully with fire of the Turks on each side and in front. I was making my way to our machine guns when a shot hit me in the left arm, grazing my right knee. Wounded men were being shot in trying to get down the gully to the dressing station, but I was lucky to miss one there, although several bullets were striking the ground within an inch or two of me. I was put on board the Aquitania which sailed from Mudros on 15 August, arrived at Southampton 23 August, came to Aberdeen early next morning, put in the High Schools, Albyn Place, and the following Saturday I was removed to Tarland Hospital.

o o o o o o o o o o o o

I went into action at Festubert, France, on 23 April, leaving again on 25 July, owing to deafness caused by big guns. Entered Central School Hospital, Aberdeen, 28 July. I had one exciting experience, being buried under sandbags for quite two hours, owing to the trench having been blown in by German shells.

o o o o o o o o o o o o

I went out to France on 11 April, and I got wounded on 25 July. I went out throwing bombs about fifteen yards off the Germans one Sunday night at Ypres. There were five of us went out throwing bombs, and four of us got wounded and one got killed.

o o o o o o o o o o o o

It was on 30 March when we went into the trenches, but I can tell you it was a bad day for us. All was very nice until 12 May; the Germans thought to take the trenches off us, but they failed; so that was all over until 24 May, when we got the order to get out in front of the trench and mount the machine gun. So myself and two of my friends got up, and we put the gun on to fire with it. So the gas came on, and we could not do anything but stand there. There was no chance of us going back into our trenches; but when the evening came on I was fairly done. I was all alone with the gun, so I was taken back to the dressing station, but I do not remember any more until I was in hospital at Rouen. It was then I came to myself, but I am quite happy to say that I am able to go back again to have another go at them. What is life if you don't see some fun before you die!

o o o o o o o o o o o o

Wounded at Ypres, 22 April 1915, during a fierce attack on the Ypres Canal, which I may say happily ended in a victory for our bhoys.

o o o o o o o o o o o o

I enlisted in the Seaforths on 21 October 1906, was drafted to India, September, 1908, where I spent a very happy time until war was declared. Sailed from Bombay about the end of August with a large contingent, altogether about fifty-two shiploads of men and munitions. There was great anxiety on the way, as we were all thinking the war would be over before we got there, but we got a rude awakening before we were much older. Landed in France about the end of September, got clothed, as we were still in the Indian khaki. We felt very glad of the change, as we were beginning to feel the cold. We were then sent to the firing line. Nothing very exciting for the first few weeks, except artillery fire, of which we got plenty. Our worst place was at Givenchy, a place we used to call the Glory Hole. They made some furious assaults on us there, and it took us all our time to hold them back. We managed it all right, but it cost us a lot of men. We then went back for a few days' rest, of which we were very thankful. After that got sent to La Bassee. When we were twenty-six days there in the trenches, I got wounded by a stray shell when everything was quiet, of which I am now just getting over the effects, and enjoying a very happy time at Temair Lodge Red Cross Hospital, Tarland.

o o o o o o o o o o o o

I have been in the Territorial Force since 1910. Was called up when war broke out, and after a few months' training went to France in February 1915. Went into action at Festubert, got wounded in the side May 1915, and was taken to a hospital in France. Was transferred to Central School, Aberdeen, thence to Temair Lodge Red Cross Hospital, where I have been for the past seven weeks. I would like to express my appreciation for the many kindnesses shown me by the hospital staff, and for the good times I have had at the House of Cromar.

o o o o o o o o o o o o

Enlisted on 17 August 1914, at Warrington; left Aldershot for Bristol on 13 June 1915; landed in the Dardanelles 1 July, on the Acha Baba side, and was withdrawn and sent to the new landing at Suvla Bay, where I got wounded on 10 August 1915.

o o o o o o o o o o o o

Enlisted on 18 December 1914. Went to France on 6 March. Have been in action at Kemel and Hill 60, being wounded at the latter place by shrapnel in leg and back; returned on 13 May to an English hospital, namely Cornwall Hall Hospital, Sevenoaks, Kent.

o o o o o o o o o o o o

On 7 August 1915, our battalion landed at Suvla Bay in the Gallipoli Peninsula. From the moment we set foot on land we were subjected to a heavy shell fire from the Turks. We pushed along in good order, and about 1 pm I was brought to earth with a shrapnel wound in the thigh. Though knocked out so early in the. campaign, I have since been greatly pleased to hear that, in the opinion of a general out there, old soldiers could not have got forward better than our chaps, who were then raw and unexperienced in warfare. o o o o o o o o o o o o In August, 1914, I was drafted with the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders to France. We landed at Boulogne on 13 August, from thence into Belgium. Our first encounter with the Huns was at Mons, where we unfortunately lost the majority of our men. The next stand was at Cambrai; then we advanced on the Marne. During the greater part of October we were in and around Ypres, where we saw some hard fighting, and again at Kemel, where amid mud and snow we remained playing the game till the end of December. During the spring months we had a very hard time of it, fighting against heavy odds, and battling against cold and fatigue. We met the deadly Huns at St. Elvi, Dickebush, and at Hill 60. About the beginning of June, we found the 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders, and I remained with my battalion till on the morning of 18 June, when I got wounded near Festubert - a proper death-trap. After having been eleven months in action I was brought home wounded, but truly glad I had been able to do my bit for King and Country.

A farewell tea at the House of Cromar with soldier guests from Aboyne Red Cross Hospital.