Care of Wounded Soldiers at Cardiff Royal Infirmary during the Great War
Background
This oil on canvas painting by Margaret Lindsay Williams was painted in 1916. It currently hangs in the Headquarters of the Royal Army Medical Services in Camberley. It depicts Mametz Ward at the Cardiff Royal Infirmary, during the Great War.
Local ex-servicemen and citizens of Cardiff raised more than £7,900 to commission the Mametz Ward painting in memory of the men of 16th Cardiff City Service Battalion, Welsh Regiment, who fought and died at Mametz Wood in July 1916. It was unveiled and dedicated in November 1924 by the widows of Lieutenant Colonel Frank Hill Gaskell, Company Sergeant Major T John[1].
When the painting was in the Cardiff Royal Infirmary there was also a memorial plaque, the whereabouts of which is unknown.
To understand why this painting was commissioned it is important to understand the context for the battle of the Mametz Wood and the role of Welsh troops, including those from Cardiff.
38th (Welsh) Division and the battle for Mametz Wood
Creating a Welsh Army Corps
At the start of World War 1 many men from Wales volunteered for service in the Army, and they were allocated to regiments that needed reinforcements. Many Welshmen served in English regiments and vice versa. Lloyd-George, then Chancellor, campaigned in parliament for a Welsh Army Corps. In order to create a new corps they needed to find another 50,000 men from Wales.
By the summer of 1915 they had 20,000, enough to form the 38th (Welsh) Division. The infantry units that made up the new division were:
113rd Brigade
- 13th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers (1st North Wales)
- 14th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers (Caernarfon and Anglesey)
- 15th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers (London Welsh)
- 16th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers
114th Brigade
- 10th Battalion Welsh Regiment (1st Rhondda)
- 13th Battalion Welsh Regiment (2nd Rhondda)
- 14th Battalion Welsh Regiment (Swansea)
- 15th Battalion Welsh Regiment (Carmarthenshire)
115th Brigade
- 17th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers (2nd North Wales)
- 10th Battalion South Wales Borderers (1st Gwent)
- 11th Battalion South Wales Borderers (2nd Gwent)
- 16th Battalion Welsh Regiment (Cardiff City)
- 19th Battalion Welsh Regiment (Glamorgan Pioneers)
The new division departed for France in the first week of December 1915, settling into field routines and waiting for their artillery units and other troops to join them. In January 1916 the division entered the line in the Neuve Chapelle sector. It was not intended to use these inexperienced troops in combat for some time. However, pressure on the French at Verdun forced the British into an offensive on the Somme in July 1916.
Mametz Wood
The 1st Battle of the Somme started on the 1st July 1916, and on the first day alone over 19,000 men were killed. The 38th (Welsh) Division was not involved until the 5th July when they received the task to take Mametz Wood. The wood was defended by experienced Prussian Guard troops who were dug in and prepared to repel any attack. Mametz Wood was, and still is, the largest wood on the Somme at over 200 acres.
The 38th (Welsh) Division was to attack on the 7th July. The officers of the division were concerned at the plans they had been given, especially because they were not attacking at dawn, and there was also a high risk of flanking fire from the Flatiron copse. These concerns were ignored.
On the 7th July at 09:00 the attack commenced. There should have been a smoke screen to help reduce the risk from Flatiron copse but the weather conditions prevented this. The attack failed to reach the woods and there were over 400 casualties from the three battalions involved.
On the 10th July the division attacked again and captured half the wood with significant further casualties. The next day the division attacked once more but did not gain much ground. However, the German troops recognised that their position was untenable and started to withdraw. By the end of the 12th July the wood was under British control.
By the end of the battle for Mametz Wood the division had lost 565 men killed, 585 missing (probably killed), and 2,893 wounded. This amounted to about 20% of its starting strength. David Jones, an Englishman serving with15th Royal Welsh Fusiliers (London Welsh), was one of those wounded in this battle. In later years he was known as an engraver and sculptor, but he also wrote “In Parenthesis”, about his experiences at the Mametz Wood.
16th Battalion Welsh Regiment (Cardiff City)
The Mametz Ward painting was commissioned in remembrance of those from the 16th Battalion Welsh Regiment (Cardiff City) who died in the battle for Mametz Wood. These service battalions were raised by Kitchener as part of the ‘New Army’, and many of these were formed from specific companies or areas (the ‘pals’ battalions.). They were designated service battalions as those joining up were engaged into service for the duration of the war only. The new battalions were formed as part of an existing regiment so that there would be administrative and training facilities in place to support them. The Welsh Regiment (based in Cardiff) had two regular and one reserve battalion at the start of the war, plus 14 battalions in the Territorial Force. 12 new service battalions were formed as part of the Welsh Regiment for Kitchener’s New Army.
There are many records in the Glamorgan Archives and elsewhere, relating to the battle for Mametz Wood. Rosemary Nicholson, a volunteer at the archive, has put together a detailed list of those who died, and this is available online.
Also available is the war diary covering this period which sets out the stark reality of the battles on the Somme[2]. In the diary the Commanding Officer and his command team outline the key events of each day. The entries for the end of June detail the movement of the battalion towards its position for the battle of the Somme. At the end of June the diary indicates that the strength of the battalion was:
Officers 44; Warrant Officers 4; Sergeants and Staff Sergeants 46; Corporals 44; Privates 980. Total all ranks 1118
The entry for the 7th July outlines the actions on the first day of the battle for Mametz Wood:
8:30am Battn, under orders, drawn up on their own side of slope facing MAMETZ WOOD in lines of platoons with a 2 platoon frontage. 11th SWB in support. 10th SWB in reserve. Own Artillery ceased firing at Wood at 8:30am, and first lines of Battn proceeded over the crest of the slope but came instantly under heavy Machine Gun frontal fire from MAMETZ WOOD and enfilade fire from FLATIRON COPSE and SABOT COPSE and the German second System, which ran between MAMETZ WOOD and BAZENTIN LE PETIT WOOD. Battn suffered heavily, and had to withdraw to their own side of the crest. Battn made two more attacks, but position was much too exposed for any hope of success, and orders were received to cease operations. 11th SWB attempted to approach the WOOD through a gulley running between CATERPILLAR WOOD and slope mentioned above, but Machine Gun fire drove them back.
Our losses: 6 Officers killed, 6 wounded, 268 Ordinary Ranks killed, missing or wounded.
Weather very wet, this adding greatly to exhaustion of troops. Battn received orders to return to their Bivouac. Moved off 10:30pm. Arrived 4am.
The entry for the 10th July covers the second phase of the battle:
Battalion “stood to” at 3am as Reserve to 113 and 114 Infantry Brigades, who attacked MAMETZ WOOD from South, with success, but heavy casualties. About 9pm Battn received orders to reinforce 113 & 114 Brigades in MAMETZ WOOD. Reached WOOD about 11pm, and reported to Brigadier General Marden, under whose orders they operated until arrival of Brig, Gen. Evans the following morning, under Brig. Gen Evans’ instruction, Battn took up position along Railway running through Western side of WOOD, with the right flank about 300 years from North end of the WOOD. On the right of Battn were 17th RWF and on left the 15th & 13th Battns RWF; on Eastern side of Central drive through the WOOD were 10th & 11th SWB. The line was subsequently altered, so that Batt held a position parallel with Northern edge of WOOD at about 300 yards distance from N of WOOD. 17th RWF on their right running as far as central drive. 10th Welsh came in on their left and16th RWF relived 15th RWF. The line dug itself in.
Line received orders to advance to Northern, North Eastern and North Western edges of WOOD, attack to start 3pm; but 20 mins before 3pm our Artillery set up terrific barrage which caught our line; many casualties to Officers and O.R’s and Battn rather shaken. 10th Welsh moved forward later in the afternoon to the North Western line of the WOOD, but owing to weakness in numbers of the 17th RWF, our Battn had orders to hold the line, and proceeded to improve their positions.
6pm. Enemy commenced to bombard our positions with 5.9’s and kept this up ceaselessly. After dark 10th Welsh returned to original line, having been driven back by Minenwerfen and thereafter in addition to 5.9’s , enemy bombarded own front with gas shells and Minenwerfer.
The diary then details the withdrawal of the battalion from the from line after further losses of 1 Officer killed, 2 Officers wounded, 3 Officers suffering from Shell Shock. 67 OR’s killed or wounded. It was to be some time before the battalion was sent into the front line again at Ypres 1917.
The Painting
The Artist
Margaret Lindsay Williams was born in Cardiff, the eldest of the two daughters of Samuel A. Williams, a shipbroker of Barry Docks and Martha Margaret Lindsay. She lived much of her life at Windsor Road, Barry. Prodigiously talented, Williams entered the Cardiff Art School at 13 in 1902. In 1905, she continued her training at Pelham Street School of Art in London in preparation for the Royal Academy Schools where she enrolled in 1906. She was the youngest student ever and first Welsh artist to win the academy’s gold medal in art for her painting ‘The City of Refuge’ in 1911. She painted historical scenes and portraits in a formal, conservative style that was strongly influenced by her teacher John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) who also encouraged her to travel around France, Holland and Italy.
The Content
There are a number of interesting features in the painting as well as the people who are described below. On the windowsill on the right hand side of the painting the artist has painted a vase of Arum or Calla Lilies. These flowers have been used by artists to symbolise different things. The Christian Easter service uses the calla lily meaning as a symbol of 'Resurrection'. The cone-like flowers are thought to symbolise trumpets heralding victory. Calla lilies also symbolise Christ's passion on the cross. They are thought to be a symbol of Jesus' Resurrection. Throughout history, calla lilies have been expressed in art and paintings with the Virgin Mary or with the Angel of Annunciation. This is because they symbolise purity, holiness and faith. Calla lilies are strong symbols of rebirth at spring, youth and innocence[3].
As well as the wounded soldiers, the artist painted two of the medical staff (one military and one civilian) and two of the nursing staff. It is thought that these people can be identified (bearing in mind the loss of the original plaque).
Colonel David Hepburn
The officer in uniform is the Commanding Officer, Colonel David Hepburn. He was born in Milnathort on 30 October 1858, the son of John Hepburn, a local vet, and Elizabeth Dunn. He attended Brand's School in the town. He studied anatomy at the University of Edinburgh but moved specifically to human anatomy and medicine, graduating around 1880. He remained at Edinburgh and subsequently became Professor of Anatomy. In 1903 he moved to Cardiff as Professor of Anatomy in the University College. At the outbreak of WW1 he was the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in the same university. He had been a member of the Territorial Force for some time and was made Commanding Officer of the 3rd Western General Hospital centred on the Cardiff Royal Infirmary[4] [5].
Civilian Consultant
The Territorial Force Nursing Service
The nurses both have a ‘T’ on the lower border of their tippet which indicates they are members of the Territorial Force Nursing Service (TFNS).
The Territorial Force Nursing Service (TFNS) was established in 1908. This was part of the Haldane reforms, and was expected to provide nursing staff for the 23 territorial force general hospitals planned for the UK in the event of war[6]. Haldane’s reform of the army, based on a review of what took place in South Africa during the Boer War, involved the creation of a striking force, later renamed as the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), comprising of six divisions and a cavalry division, supported by elements from the militia and yeomanry, and a Territorial Force, created from the Volunteers and residual elements of the militia and yeomanry, which could support and expand the striking force in war. When Haldane’s bill went through Parliament he was forced to amend it so that the Territorial Force was created for home use only. In the event a significant number of Territorial units served overseas including hospitals, as well as individual TFNS nurses[7]. In 1914 there were about 8,140 nurses in the TFNS[8]. When war broke out a substantial number of nurses who had served in the Boer War were part of the various army nursing services[9]. A number of hospitals had been identified before the war for use and operation by the Territorial Force. They were generally based at existing civilian 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.
Principal Matron Miss EAM Wilson RRC
Miss Elizabeth Annie Montgomery Wilson RRC, was Principal Matron at the 3rd Western General Hospital, Cardiff, and is seen on the left of the painting with the medical officers. She trained at the Adelaide Hospital, Dublin[10], and was Sister at the West Kent Hospital, Maidstone. After holding the position of Matron at the Tewkesbury Hospital and at Cromwell House, Highgate, she was appointed Lady Superintendent at King Edward VII’s Hospital, Cardiff (then the Cardiff Infirmary), a position she held for over twenty-two years[11].
She saw active service in the Boer War, having joined Princess Christian’s Army Nursing Service (Reserve) on June 16, 1900. She served at No. 10 General Hospital at Norvals Pont[12], and at No. 6 General Hospital in Johannesburg[13]. When the Territorial Force Nursing Service was inaugurated, she was appointed Principal Matron for the 3rd Western General Hospital and its extensions, responsible for the organisation of the nurses for between 2,000 and 3,000 beds. The Cardiff Infirmary was the headquarters of the 3rd Western General Hospital, with extensions at Neath and Newport, and a number of smaller extensions and annexes, including Red Cross hospitals. As well as the Principal Matron there were TFNS Matrons at Neath and Newport. Miss Wilson was awarded the Royal Red Cross in 1916[14] and her Boer War and RRC medal ribbons can just be seen on her tippet in the painting.
Sister Mary Jones ARRC
The nurse on the right of the picture is a Sister because she has two scarlet rings on her sleeves. This was the hardest of the 4 foreground figures to identify. Fortunately, a member of the QARANC Association who nursed this Sister (at the Cardiff Royal Infirmary) contacted me to say:
I actually nursed this amazing lady in CRI in 1975. She was on the trauma ward on traction and while bathing her she asked me about Mametz Ward (that ward was under restoration at the time). She told me stories of her nursing days ie looking after leaches for drawing blood and maggots for wound cleaning. She was a quiet private lady who watched every move we made and just smiled. She didn’t like our uniforms I recall. One day she asked me “Nurse Jones are you going for a break soon”? I told her I was and she asked me was there still a massive painting in the entrance hall. I went to find this painting and found it a bit depressing to be honest. I had to crouch to look at the immaculate polished brass plate wondering what was I looking for. I was shocked that the Sister attending the soldier in the painting was in fact Miss Mary Jones, the lady on the ward. I went back and took her hand to apologise for being so familiar to her. She smiled and then told me her career history and how CRI was taken over in WW1 to receive soldiers, and why Mametz ward was named after the battle that slaughtered the Welsh regiments.
Sister Mary Jones was from Rhydargaeu, near Carmarthen. She trained at the King Edward VII Hospital in Cardiff, enrolling in the TFNS on the 21st January 1910. In 1914 she was mobilised to the 3rd Western General Hospital, serving at the Cardiff Royal Infirmary. She was awarded the Associate Royal Red Cross (ARRC) on the 8th April 1919. She was demobilised on the 14th April 1919 but remained in the TFNS. She transferred to the Territorial Army Nursing Service when it was formed and was promoted to Assistant Matron in 1922. She resigned from TANS in 1927 on marriage.[15].
Other TFNS nurses at the Cardiff Royal Infirmary
Miss Wilson mentions Miss K. M. Daniel who wanted to serve overseas. TFNS nurses were recruited for home service and could not be posted overseas. As the need for trained nurses overseas grew, TFNS nurses were asked to volunteer. Sister Katherine May Daniel had been working at Bedford House, Surgical Home, Cardiff before mobilisation, and had volunteered for service overseas, but was seen as too delicate. She remained in Cardiff until 1918. Her confidential report in May 1918 showed her to be “ … an experienced sister, very capable, administration good. Is generally well liked and has a good influence … devoted to her work”. She was medically reassessed and this time accepted for overseas duty in France, where she remained until she was demobilised. She remained in the TFNS until 1927[16].
Miss Wilson had also mentioned Miss Newman in her letter, who she wanted to stay in Cardiff. Sister Frances Ethel Newman was in private nursing, at the Westminster Hospital, London prior to being mobilised. She was based in the Cavalry Barracks Hospital, Newport once she joined the 3rd Western General Hospital. In 1918 Matron Fletcher reported that Miss Newman “… is a thoroughly reliable Sister, has power of initiative and good influence. A little dour in manner, but capable and willing”. She did not go overseas and remained at Newport for the duration of the war. After she was demobilised she remained in the TFNS until 1927 when she married[17].
The Matron of the Cavalry Barracks section of the 3rd Western General Hospital was Miss Sarah Jane Fletcher, who was working as Temporary Matron at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary, Wigan, before being mobilised. She joined the hospital as a Sister and was promoted to Matron on 18th August 1917[18].
The Matron of the Neath section was Miss Volta Anne Billing. She had been working as a Sister and then Matron at the County Hospital in York. She was awarded the Royal Red Cross in 1917[19]. She volunteered for service overseas and served in Salonika, where she was Mentioned in Dispatches[20].
In Miss Fletcher’s records are a list of other nurses in the TFNS who were demobilised at the end of the war:
Staff Nurses:
- Miss Mary E. Conroy
- Miss Ellen Charters
- Miss Mary Eliza Davies
- Miss Gwen Davies
- Miss Sarah Jane Harries
- Miss Edith Howard
- Miss Milly Harding
- Miss Annie Jones
- Miss Hilda Lipacombe
- Miss Edith Lovell
- Miss Sophia Pratt
- Miss Catherine M. Parry
- Miss Ellen Walsh
- Miss Maria Jones Morris
- Miss Mabel Harriet Jones
- Miss Annie McIvor
- Miss Ethel Spruce
- Miss Mary Margaret Lewis
- Miss Minnie Surrage
- Miss Ellen Edge
Sisters
- Miss Edith Ellison
- Miss G. Williams
References
- ↑ South Wales Branch Western Front Association
- ↑ Nicholson, R. (2016) 16th Cardiff City Battalion Welsh Regiment at Mametz Wood. https://glamarchives.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/16th-Cardiff-City-Battalion-Welsh-Regiment-at-Mametz-Wood.pdf
- ↑ Reiss, M. (2013) Lily. London: Reaktion Books
- ↑ David Hepburn: Wikipedia Article https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hepburn
- ↑ Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 51 , 1932 , pp. 210 - 211 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0370164600023208
- ↑ War Office (1908) Standing Orders for the Territorial Forces Nursing Service. London: War Office
- ↑ Spiers, EM. (1980) Haldane's reform of the regular army: scope for revision. British Journal of International Studies 6 (1) April 1980, pp.69-81
- ↑ Spires, KA & Bates, DC (2014) Beatrice Allsop, une infirmière sur le front occidental. Soins, no 786 - jun, 83-87
- ↑ Spires, KA (2013) Nurses in the Boer War (1899-1902) London South Bank University: Unpublished PhD Thesis
- ↑ War Office (1900) Nominal Roll of Princess Christian's Army Nursing Service (Reserve) as at 30th September
- ↑ The British Journal of Nursing, March 11 1916, p.225
- ↑ The National Archives: WO 100/229 QSA Medal Roll p63 created at No10 General Hospital, Norvals Pont; dated July 15, 1901
- ↑ The National Archives: WO 100/229 QSA Medal Roll p52 created at No6 General Hospital, Johannesburg; dated July 23, 1901
- ↑ London Gazette, 14 January, 1916. P. 617
- ↑ The National Archives: War Office 399/ 12487
- ↑ The National Archives: WO 399/ 10742
- ↑ The National Archives: WO 399/ 13552
- ↑ The National Archives: WO 399/ 11271
- ↑ London Gazette, October 24, 1917 p. 10973
- ↑ London Gazette, January 30, 1919. P. 148
