Can Red Cross Hospital
Peak Hotel
Buxton
Derbyshire England
16th, May 1916
Dear Mother
Well here is another change it came as a great surprise when the
Officer came in to the London Depot and said we would have to return all the
Drugs to the Wholesale Drug house as the A.D.M.S. had decided to close the
Depot in London and let the Hospitals get their stuff from Shorncliff. If they had only waited just another week or
so I would have had my promotion and I wouldn’t of cared then. However I am here and in all likelihood I
will get something pretty good here as it is along the same kind of work as I
have been doing for the previous year.
If the dispensing amounts to anything it will be just as good an
opportunity as London would have been.
Buxton is a place of natural mineral waters and it is supposed to
contain a percentage of Radium which be taking baths in it will cure
rheumatism. So putting a long story
short, it will be a Hospital for Rheumatic cases belonging to the Can.
Contingents only.
Devonshire Hospital, Buxton (1916) - First World War | BFI.
This Hospital has been
fitted throughout by the Can Red Cross Society the men are the only things that
the government has supplied. We have
about three hundred beds several large sitting rooms and least but not last a
large dancing hall within the building one of the men was a professor of music
before he joined and needless to say we have plenty of music, etc.
They have some beautiful walks and gardens here the only thing that is
wrong is they have nothing of any life and a fellow soon gets tired of seeing
cripples and beautiful promenades.
However I am still on
this side of the Channel. A few days ago I came very near asking them to send
me back to the old unit in France but I got over it all right and I am still
here. A fellow sure has to be content with
flowers and trees and etc if he intends to live here but I guess after all said
and done it is better than having the German Artillery trying to disfigure you.
I have had no word from
anybody since a month ago, as it is very seldom I ever write anybody other than
your self. I suppose Dad is very busy
being that it is springtime and all the seeding and etc.
Well Mother this is one
son of a gun of a long letter for the Right Hon to write ‘don’t you think’ I am
almost afraid to continue lest you should succumb “nice flow of English,
eh?” Remember me to Dad and tell V-V to write as I will ans. her other
letter in a day or so.
Love Warrior
Chas
"The Peak Hydro, Buxton" Photo (above) and the following Text
Source: http://goo.gl/c9h5Az http://www.andrewsgen.com/
"In August 1914 the Peak Hydro advertised that they had "the finest ballroom in the North" as well as "the only Turkish Baths in Buxton". The hotel was described as" luxuriously furnished" and with "the finest cuisine" Then war was declared and by November 1914 the "Royal Engineers had set up a headquarters for the preliminary training of 1,800 men" at the Hydro. On 11 Aug 1916 the Duchess of Devonshire opened the Canadian Red Cross Hospital which had been set up at the hotel. The Times noted that" many Canadians were present, including Major-General Sir Sam Hughes".
"The Peak Hydro, Buxton Canadian Hospital", published by R. Sneath, 3 Paradise St., Sheffield. Posted Buxton 5 Jun 1918 In a private collection (PC) Researched by and © Ann Andrews Intended for personal use only"
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