fbpx
Wikipedia

RAF Hospital Ely

April 10, 2024

RAF Hospital Ely (also known as RAF Ely and RAFH Ely), was a Royal Air Force staffed military hospital in Ely, Cambridgeshire, England. The hospital opened in 1940, and was one of a handful of Second World War era RAF hospitals that were kept open post Second World War, remaining a military asset until 1992, although it also treated non-service patients, usually those who lived locally. On closure, the hospital became a civilian hospital under the NHS. Although not located on an established RAF Base (unlike RAFH Cosford and RAFH Halton), RAFH Ely was located within 50 miles (80 km) of forty RAF bases in the Second World War.

RAF Hospital Ely
Off-duty nursing sisters with RAF Hospital Ely behind them
Geography
LocationEly, Cambridgeshire, England
Coordinates52°24′47″N 0°16′26″E / 52.413°N 0.274°E / 52.413; 0.274
Organisation
Care systemMilitary
FundingGovernment hospital
Services
Beds150 (1940)
168 (1987)
History
Construction started1939 – 1940
Opened1940
Closed31 July 1992
Links
ListsHospitals in England

History edit

Groundwork for the hospital was started as far back as 1937,[1] although actual construction started in 1939,[2] and by June 1940, the hospital was opened with a capacity of 197 beds.[3] Originally, land on High Barnes Road was allocated for the hospital, but this was moved further north to the road out of Ely to Chettisham.[4] The first part to open was at Littleport, which became an annexe of the Ely Hospital.[5] The facility at Littleport (5 miles (8 km) to the north), was opened hurriedly when on the outbreak of war, the Ely facility was not completed in time.[6]

An August 1940 opening was worked on the basis of the hospital not being complete, however, in terms of the other RAF hospitals, it was quite modern in having air-conditioning and was designed to be blast-proof.[6] An enemy bomber did drop some ordnance near to the hospital in February 1941, killing a guard, and although all the glass in the hospital was smashed, there was no structural damage.[7] Due to many of the East Anglian regiments and Air Force personnel serving in the Far East, Ely hospital became a unit which specialised in tropical diseases.[8] The hospital also had a maxillo-facial unit which opened in June 1942, the first ever in an RAF Hospital, and was staffed by a dental officer who had been specially trained in that area.[9] Selected staff attended the emergency medical section at East Grinstead, which was noted in its pioneering use of plastic surgery on the burns suffered by aircrew.[10] These staff were then returned to their units, with the RAF hospitals at Halton, Rauceby, Cosford and Ely having special burns units.[11] By the time the hospital was running at full-strength, it could cater for over forty RAF stations within a 50 miles (80 km) radius.[12] Many of the patients who were treated at RAFH Ely during the war, were casualties from the nearby Bomber Command bases who had been injured on bombing operations over occupied Europe.[13][14]

Although no airfield existed at the hospital, in the 1960s a Spitfire aircraft was transported on a low-loader from RAF Middleton-st-George to act as the hospital's gate guardian.[5] This was replaced by a Meteor aircraft.[15] In 1962, nurse training was formalised at Ely and Wroughton hospitals; both female and male nurses would enlist doing six-weeks basic training at RAF Halton camp (not the hospital), and then move to Ely or Wroughton for three years of nursing training.[16] As a post-war service, the hospital also treated non-service personnel from the local area (there was also another hospital, The Tower Hospital, in Ely), and had an accident and emergency unit which was opened in 1963.[17] In 1973, the hospital treated 31,000 outpatients, and 6,000 inpatients, of which, at least 30% were civilian patients.[5] In September 1977, the hospital was given the Freedom of the City of Ely.[18][17][19] In the late 1970s, it was decided that either the hospital at Nocton Hall or Ely would close,[20] and in 1983 Nocton Hall closed. RAFH Ely accepted the work that was previously undertaken there,[21] having a £4 million refit with two new operating theatres and four new wards.[5]

The number of beds available for in-patients varied over the years, and numbers reflected the necessity (the Second World War) and the diminishing service community.

 
The tower at Princess of Wales Hospital, Ely. This was demolished in 2012.[22]
Bed space numbers
Year Beds Ref
1940 400 (included the 250 beds at Littleport) [23]
1941 (315 at Ely, 250 at Littleport) 565 [12]
1972 175 [24]
1980 142 [5]
1985 185 [24]
1987 168 (65 beds specially reserved for NHS patients) [5][25]
1990 137 [26]
1992 81 [26]
Functions at Ely and Littleport[27]
Ely Littleport
General surgical (major and minor) NYDN Centre (Not yet diagnosed neuropsychiatric)
General medical Dermatological
Orthopaedic Infectious diseases
Burns Ophthalmic
Accident and Emergency (post war civilian use)[17] Convalescent centre (Surgical and medical)
Invaliding holding centre

Both locations had numerous outpatients too.[27] Besides routine medical work, and services to the local community, the hospital continued to provide specialist attention. In 1986, several air crashes resulted in pilots and aircrew being taken to RAFH Ely after ejecting for their aircraft.[28]

Diana, Princess of Wales visited the hospital in July 1987, and unveiled its new name of the Princess of Wales Royal Air Force Hospital.[29] In 1989, the hospital treated 13,538 outpatients and 5,652 inpatients. This represented a split of 70% civilian and 30% service personnel.[17]

A closure programme was announced in 1990, with Ely due to go two years later.[30] The site was closed by the RAF in July 1992, but was taken over as an NHS hospital by the local trust as a community hospital.[31] Tower hospital in Ely closed in 1993, and all functions were transferred to the Princess of Wales site.[32] In the 2010s, the hospital was serving 40,000 patients per year.[33]

Badge edit

Many RAF hospitals were opened in the Second World War period, due to its location in East Anglia near to the RAF bases of Brampton, Coltishall, Honington, Marham, Swanton Morley, West Raynham, Wattisham, and Wyton,[34] it stayed open until 1992, (though the RAF hospitals at Halton and Wroughton survived it).[35] As such, it was awarded a badge; which displayed a red cross with three Ducal crowns - the red cross denoted the medical help, and the crowns were adopted from the arms of the See of Ely.[36]

The motto of the hospital was Save.[37]

Notable personnel edit

References edit

  1. ^ Rexford-Welch 1954, p. 184.
  2. ^ Mackie 2001, p. 89.
  3. ^ Lane, Joan (2001). A social history of medicine : health, healing and disease in England, 1750-1950. London: Routledge. p. 183. ISBN 0-415-20037-7.
  4. ^ "Ely and Chettisham". maps.nls.uk. Retrieved 11 October 2021. Use the slider on the lower left to toggle between modern day imagery and old maps
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "How it all began, and how it's going for the Princess of Wales hospital". infoweb.newsbank.com. 16 September 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  6. ^ a b Rexford-Welch 1954, p. 200.
  7. ^ Rexford-Welch 1954, p. 202.
  8. ^ "Princess of Wales RAF Hospital, Ely (Hansard, 13 November 1990)". api.parliament.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  9. ^ Mackie 2001, p. 119.
  10. ^ Rexford-Welch 1954, p. 134.
  11. ^ Mackie 2001, p. 105.
  12. ^ a b Rexford-Welch 1954, p. 201.
  13. ^ "Mrs GB Abel Porthpean obituary". The Cornish Guardian. 6 August 2014. p. 43. ISSN 2044-1606.
  14. ^ Bowman, Martin W. (2014). Last of the Lancasters. Barnsley, England: Pen & Sword. p. 41. ISBN 1473843456.
  15. ^ "Aircraft WS774 (1954 Gloster Meteor NF(T).14 C/N Not found WS774) Photo by Peter Nicholson (Photo ID: AC303475)". www.airport-data.com. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  16. ^ Mackie 2001, p. 269.
  17. ^ a b c d "Princess Of Wales Raf Hospital, Ely - Tuesday 13 November 1990 - Hansard - UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. 13 November 1990. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  18. ^ Rees-Mogg, William, ed. (24 September 1977). "Hospital honoured". The Times. No. 60, 117. p. 14. ISSN 0140-0460.
  19. ^ Mackie 2001, p. 309.
  20. ^ "RAF Ely (Hansard, 16 January 1979)". api.parliament.uk. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
  21. ^ Ansell, Keith (September 1982). "RAF Support Command". Armed Forces monthly. Shepperton: Ian Allan: 299. ISSN 0142-4696.
  22. ^ "Demolition of the landmark tower on the site of the RAF Hospital". ely.ccan.co.uk. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  23. ^ Rexford-Welch 1954, p. 37.
  24. ^ a b Ministry of Defence : service hospitals (Report). London: National Audit Office. 1987. p. 22. OCLC 606142743.
  25. ^ "Service Hospitals - Thursday 17 December 1987 - Hansard - UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. 17 December 1987. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  26. ^ a b "Military Hospitals - Monday 26 July 1993 - Hansard - UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  27. ^ a b Rexford-Welch 1954, pp. 201–202.
  28. ^ "Air crews survive jet collision". infoweb.newsbank.com. 11 December 1986. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  29. ^ "RAF Hospital in Ely" (PDF). elymuseum.org.uk. p. 3. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  30. ^ Mackie 2001, p. 324.
  31. ^ Elworthy, John (13 February 2021). "Ambitious timescale for hospital expansion". Ely Standard. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  32. ^ "Archives A to Z - H to I". Cambridgeshire County Council. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  33. ^ "RAF cadets chip in to bring lost Ely hospital sign back". BBC News. 11 May 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  34. ^ Laming, Tim (1994). The Royal Air Force manual : the aircraft, equipment and organization of the RAF. London: Arms and Armour. pp. 91–138. ISBN 1854091905.
  35. ^ Laming, Tim (1994). The Royal Air Force manual : the aircraft, equipment and organization of the RAF. London: Arms and Armour. p. 89. ISBN 1854091905.
  36. ^ "Ely Hospital | RAF Heraldry Trust". rafht.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  37. ^ Pine, L G (1983). A Dictionary of mottoes. London: Routledge & K. Paul. p. 205. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
  38. ^ Mackie 2001, p. 179.
  39. ^ Bowman, Martin W. (2015). Voices in flight : the night air war. Bransley, South Yorkshire: Pen and Sword. p. 60. ISBN 9781783831913.
  40. ^ "Election 2010: Nick De Bois, Conservative candidate for Enfield North". Enfield Independent. 20 August 2010. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  41. ^ Harding, James, ed. (2 June 2011). "Air Marshal Sir Geoffrey Dhenin - RAF flying doctor who piloted a jet bomber through the mushroom cloud during Britain's atom bomb tests in Australia in 1953". The Times. No. 70, 275. p. 52. ISSN 0140-0460.
  42. ^ Cooper, Alan W. (2012). Air battle for Arnhem. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Aviation. p. 107. ISBN 978-1-78159-108-6.
  43. ^ "GORDON, ROBERT HENRY". losses.internationalbcc.co.uk. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  44. ^ Lomax, Eric (2012). The railway man : a POW's searing account of war, brutality and forgiveness. New York: Norton. p. 244. ISBN 978-0-393-34407-3.
  45. ^ "Morley, George Henry (1907 - 1971)". livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  46. ^ Turnbull, Gordon (2012). Trauma : from Lockerbie to 7/7 : how trauma affects our minds and how we fight back. London: Corgi. p. 380. ISBN 0552158399.
  47. ^ Bishop, Edward (2002). The Daily Telegraph book of airmen's obituaries. London: Grub Street. p. 213. ISBN 1902304993.

Sources edit

  • Mackie, Mary (2001). Sky wards : a history of the Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service. London: Robert Hale. ISBN 0-7090-6976-6.
  • Rexford-Welch, Samuel Cuthbert (1954). Royal Air Force Medical Services. London: HMSO. OCLC 1072173557.

External links edit

  • Images of the gate guardians at RAF Ely

April 10, 2024
hospital, also, known, rafh, royal, force, staffed, military, hospital, cambridgeshire, england, hospital, opened, 1940, handful, second, world, hospitals, that, were, kept, open, post, second, world, remaining, military, asset, until, 1992, although, also, tr. RAF Hospital Ely also known as RAF Ely and RAFH Ely was a Royal Air Force staffed military hospital in Ely Cambridgeshire England The hospital opened in 1940 and was one of a handful of Second World War era RAF hospitals that were kept open post Second World War remaining a military asset until 1992 although it also treated non service patients usually those who lived locally On closure the hospital became a civilian hospital under the NHS Although not located on an established RAF Base unlike RAFH Cosford and RAFH Halton RAFH Ely was located within 50 miles 80 km of forty RAF bases in the Second World War RAF Hospital ElyOff duty nursing sisters with RAF Hospital Ely behind themGeographyLocationEly Cambridgeshire EnglandCoordinates52 24 47 N 0 16 26 E 52 413 N 0 274 E 52 413 0 274OrganisationCare systemMilitaryFundingGovernment hospitalServicesBeds150 1940 168 1987 HistoryConstruction started1939 1940Opened1940Closed31 July 1992LinksListsHospitals in England Contents 1 History 2 Badge 3 Notable personnel 4 References 4 1 Sources 5 External linksHistory editGroundwork for the hospital was started as far back as 1937 1 although actual construction started in 1939 2 and by June 1940 the hospital was opened with a capacity of 197 beds 3 Originally land on High Barnes Road was allocated for the hospital but this was moved further north to the road out of Ely to Chettisham 4 The first part to open was at Littleport which became an annexe of the Ely Hospital 5 The facility at Littleport 5 miles 8 km to the north was opened hurriedly when on the outbreak of war the Ely facility was not completed in time 6 An August 1940 opening was worked on the basis of the hospital not being complete however in terms of the other RAF hospitals it was quite modern in having air conditioning and was designed to be blast proof 6 An enemy bomber did drop some ordnance near to the hospital in February 1941 killing a guard and although all the glass in the hospital was smashed there was no structural damage 7 Due to many of the East Anglian regiments and Air Force personnel serving in the Far East Ely hospital became a unit which specialised in tropical diseases 8 The hospital also had a maxillo facial unit which opened in June 1942 the first ever in an RAF Hospital and was staffed by a dental officer who had been specially trained in that area 9 Selected staff attended the emergency medical section at East Grinstead which was noted in its pioneering use of plastic surgery on the burns suffered by aircrew 10 These staff were then returned to their units with the RAF hospitals at Halton Rauceby Cosford and Ely having special burns units 11 By the time the hospital was running at full strength it could cater for over forty RAF stations within a 50 miles 80 km radius 12 Many of the patients who were treated at RAFH Ely during the war were casualties from the nearby Bomber Command bases who had been injured on bombing operations over occupied Europe 13 14 Although no airfield existed at the hospital in the 1960s a Spitfire aircraft was transported on a low loader from RAF Middleton st George to act as the hospital s gate guardian 5 This was replaced by a Meteor aircraft 15 In 1962 nurse training was formalised at Ely and Wroughton hospitals both female and male nurses would enlist doing six weeks basic training at RAF Halton camp not the hospital and then move to Ely or Wroughton for three years of nursing training 16 As a post war service the hospital also treated non service personnel from the local area there was also another hospital The Tower Hospital in Ely and had an accident and emergency unit which was opened in 1963 17 In 1973 the hospital treated 31 000 outpatients and 6 000 inpatients of which at least 30 were civilian patients 5 In September 1977 the hospital was given the Freedom of the City of Ely 18 17 19 In the late 1970s it was decided that either the hospital at Nocton Hall or Ely would close 20 and in 1983 Nocton Hall closed RAFH Ely accepted the work that was previously undertaken there 21 having a 4 million refit with two new operating theatres and four new wards 5 The number of beds available for in patients varied over the years and numbers reflected the necessity the Second World War and the diminishing service community nbsp The tower at Princess of Wales Hospital Ely This was demolished in 2012 22 Bed space numbers Year Beds Ref1940 400 included the 250 beds at Littleport 23 1941 315 at Ely 250 at Littleport 565 12 1972 175 24 1980 142 5 1985 185 24 1987 168 65 beds specially reserved for NHS patients 5 25 1990 137 26 1992 81 26 Functions at Ely and Littleport 27 Ely LittleportGeneral surgical major and minor NYDN Centre Not yet diagnosed neuropsychiatric General medical DermatologicalOrthopaedic Infectious diseasesBurns OphthalmicAccident and Emergency post war civilian use 17 Convalescent centre Surgical and medical Invaliding holding centre Both locations had numerous outpatients too 27 Besides routine medical work and services to the local community the hospital continued to provide specialist attention In 1986 several air crashes resulted in pilots and aircrew being taken to RAFH Ely after ejecting for their aircraft 28 Diana Princess of Wales visited the hospital in July 1987 and unveiled its new name of the Princess of Wales Royal Air Force Hospital 29 In 1989 the hospital treated 13 538 outpatients and 5 652 inpatients This represented a split of 70 civilian and 30 service personnel 17 A closure programme was announced in 1990 with Ely due to go two years later 30 The site was closed by the RAF in July 1992 but was taken over as an NHS hospital by the local trust as a community hospital 31 Tower hospital in Ely closed in 1993 and all functions were transferred to the Princess of Wales site 32 In the 2010s the hospital was serving 40 000 patients per year 33 Badge editMany RAF hospitals were opened in the Second World War period due to its location in East Anglia near to the RAF bases of Brampton Coltishall Honington Marham Swanton Morley West Raynham Wattisham and Wyton 34 it stayed open until 1992 though the RAF hospitals at Halton and Wroughton survived it 35 As such it was awarded a badge which displayed a red cross with three Ducal crowns the red cross denoted the medical help and the crowns were adopted from the arms of the See of Ely 36 The motto of the hospital was Save 37 Notable personnel editJames Baird was commanding officer at the hospital in the late 1980s 5 Helen Cargill RAF matron in chief worked at RAFH Ely in the 1940s 38 James Coward patient in 1940 39 Nick de Bois born at the hospital in 1962 40 Geoffrey Dhenin commanding officer from 1963 to 1966 41 Jimmy Edwards treated for burns at RAFH Ely 42 Robert Gordon member of the groundcrew on No 9 Squadron RAF died in the hospital at Ely from pulmonary tuberculosis in 1940 43 Eric Lomax treated after his return from the Far East 44 George Henry Morley burns and plastic surgeon specialist 45 Gordon Turnbull psychiatrist who debriefed John McCarthy Terry Waite and Jackie Mann after being hostages trained at Ely 46 Robert Wright radar operator who was badly burnt in a Mosquito crash in November 1944 47 References edit Rexford Welch 1954 p 184 Mackie 2001 p 89 Lane Joan 2001 A social history of medicine health healing and disease in England 1750 1950 London Routledge p 183 ISBN 0 415 20037 7 Ely and Chettisham maps nls uk Retrieved 11 October 2021 Use the slider on the lower left to toggle between modern day imagery and old maps a b c d e f g How it all began and how it s going for the Princess of Wales hospital infoweb newsbank com 16 September 2021 Retrieved 11 October 2021 a b Rexford Welch 1954 p 200 Rexford Welch 1954 p 202 Princess of Wales RAF Hospital Ely Hansard 13 November 1990 api parliament uk Retrieved 12 September 2021 Mackie 2001 p 119 Rexford Welch 1954 p 134 Mackie 2001 p 105 a b Rexford Welch 1954 p 201 Mrs GB Abel Porthpean obituary The Cornish Guardian 6 August 2014 p 43 ISSN 2044 1606 Bowman Martin W 2014 Last of the Lancasters Barnsley England Pen amp Sword p 41 ISBN 1473843456 Aircraft WS774 1954 Gloster Meteor NF T 14 C N Not found WS774 Photo by Peter Nicholson Photo ID AC303475 www airport data com Retrieved 14 October 2021 Mackie 2001 p 269 a b c d Princess Of Wales Raf Hospital Ely Tuesday 13 November 1990 Hansard UK Parliament hansard parliament uk 13 November 1990 Retrieved 14 October 2021 Rees Mogg William ed 24 September 1977 Hospital honoured The Times No 60 117 p 14 ISSN 0140 0460 Mackie 2001 p 309 RAF Ely Hansard 16 January 1979 api parliament uk Retrieved 11 October 2021 Ansell Keith September 1982 RAF Support Command Armed Forces monthly Shepperton Ian Allan 299 ISSN 0142 4696 Demolition of the landmark tower on the site of the RAF Hospital ely ccan co uk Retrieved 12 October 2021 Rexford Welch 1954 p 37 a b Ministry of Defence service hospitals Report London National Audit Office 1987 p 22 OCLC 606142743 Service Hospitals Thursday 17 December 1987 Hansard UK Parliament hansard parliament uk 17 December 1987 Retrieved 14 October 2021 a b Military Hospitals Monday 26 July 1993 Hansard UK Parliament hansard parliament uk Retrieved 14 October 2021 a b Rexford Welch 1954 pp 201 202 Air crews survive jet collision infoweb newsbank com 11 December 1986 Retrieved 14 October 2021 RAF Hospital in Ely PDF elymuseum org uk p 3 Retrieved 12 October 2021 Mackie 2001 p 324 Elworthy John 13 February 2021 Ambitious timescale for hospital expansion Ely Standard Retrieved 12 September 2021 Archives A to Z H to I Cambridgeshire County Council Retrieved 12 September 2021 RAF cadets chip in to bring lost Ely hospital sign back BBC News 11 May 2019 Retrieved 12 September 2021 Laming Tim 1994 The Royal Air Force manual the aircraft equipment and organization of the RAF London Arms and Armour pp 91 138 ISBN 1854091905 Laming Tim 1994 The Royal Air Force manual the aircraft equipment and organization of the RAF London Arms and Armour p 89 ISBN 1854091905 Ely Hospital RAF Heraldry Trust rafht co uk Retrieved 12 September 2021 Pine L G 1983 A Dictionary of mottoes London Routledge amp K Paul p 205 ISBN 0 7100 9339 X Mackie 2001 p 179 Bowman Martin W 2015 Voices in flight the night air war Bransley South Yorkshire Pen and Sword p 60 ISBN 9781783831913 Election 2010 Nick De Bois Conservative candidate for Enfield North Enfield Independent 20 August 2010 Retrieved 14 October 2021 Harding James ed 2 June 2011 Air Marshal Sir Geoffrey Dhenin RAF flying doctor who piloted a jet bomber through the mushroom cloud during Britain s atom bomb tests in Australia in 1953 The Times No 70 275 p 52 ISSN 0140 0460 Cooper Alan W 2012 Air battle for Arnhem Barnsley Pen and Sword Aviation p 107 ISBN 978 1 78159 108 6 GORDON ROBERT HENRY losses internationalbcc co uk Retrieved 28 October 2021 Lomax Eric 2012 The railway man a POW s searing account of war brutality and forgiveness New York Norton p 244 ISBN 978 0 393 34407 3 Morley George Henry 1907 1971 livesonline rcseng ac uk Retrieved 12 September 2021 Turnbull Gordon 2012 Trauma from Lockerbie to 7 7 how trauma affects our minds and how we fight back London Corgi p 380 ISBN 0552158399 Bishop Edward 2002 The Daily Telegraph book of airmen s obituaries London Grub Street p 213 ISBN 1902304993 Sources edit Mackie Mary 2001 Sky wards a history of the Princess Mary s Royal Air Force Nursing Service London Robert Hale ISBN 0 7090 6976 6 Rexford Welch Samuel Cuthbert 1954 Royal Air Force Medical Services London HMSO OCLC 1072173557 External links editImages of the gate guardians at RAF Ely Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title RAF Hospital Ely amp oldid 1210596677, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.