Hospital Blues: The British Hospital Uniforms of the First World War. April 2021.
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- čas přidán 11. 07. 2024
- From the Crimean War until the early 1960s 'Hospital Blue' was the convalescent uniform worn by British servicemen and women while recovering from wounds or sickness.
This short guide covers most of the main elements of the uniform.
With thanks to Kieran and Toby for their help.
my father joined the army in 1920 and he broke his leg and ended up in hospital and he used to talk about Hospital blues good video
Wow! Reading "MEN OF 18 IN 1918", by Frederick James Hodges. He referenced "hospital blues", and I had to find out what that was, since he did not elaborate. This was a very informative post, and well done.
Very interesting as usual, thank you.
When I started nursing in the RN in 1971 we had hospital blues on the wards for a time for convalescent sailors who weren’t able to be discharged home or back to their ship.. I think they were rarely worn and disappeared soon after I joined but I know that’s when I first heard the term hospital blues. I only remember a jacket and trousers.
The Canadian surgeon who pioneered reconstructive surgery for burnt pilots in the Second war, exempted his patients from wearing hospital blues.
Brilliantly informative, thank you
Thank you very much indeed!
As someone who has spent a lifetime in the textile care industry and restoration side as well, I always learn from these wonderful videos posted by you.
sorry we missed your comment, Howard! Thank you very much indeed. :)
Superb stuff, thank you!
Our pleasure, Martin! Thank you. 😁👍🏻
Excellent stuff, very interesting.
Thanks very much, RM. Much appreciated. 👍
Thank you for another really interesting talk. Every day's a school day!
Thank you very much, Andy. Our pleasure!
Great and comprehensive job on a set of clothing that although was universal, gets very little attention. Toby gets around, doesn't he!
Hi All. Great content. However do you have more info on general footwear of the British Army of the period? Keep up the good work !
Brilliant video I’ve always loved the hospital blues. Not sure if you remember me but I’m the one on Instagram who their uncle was treated by Harold Gillies👍🏻
Thank you very much. We certainly do remember! 👍
Never heard of this before. Very interesting👍
Thank you very much 👍
Learning new stuff all the time, really enjoyed it
Thanks very much, Russ. Glad you enjoyed it!
Fantastic talk Taff, very informative.
For future talks I would love a detailed one on the evolution of anti gas equipment.
Kind regards
Jeff
Thanks very much, Jeff. That is a great idea. We will see what we can do.
Very interesting thank you !
Where did you get your example of the blue uniform ? Original or reproduction ? would be interesting to show more this aspect of the war in living history.
Another great talk Taff !
Thanks, Russ!
You see the pictures of the newly convalescent and you can't help but pity them. Their ill-fed hollow eyed looks stare at you and they look haunted. By 1915, it was absolutely clear to these men that they were going to be fed back into the meat grinder no matter how many times they were wounded... That every day that they recovered their strength and healed was just one more step back towards Hell itself.
And this isn't a criticism of only the British Army. EVERY military during both War One and Two would 'recycle' men back to their units. This was why the US instituted a 'three strikes' policy in time for Vietnam... three wounds and you got sent home permanently. And, of course, nowadays with relatively secure transport it's comparatively easy replace a casualty [well, compared to a two week trip by troopship anyway]. I'm not at all sure what the UK or other NATO nations' policy about this is, but I'm guessing that it's similarly compassionate.
my great uncle howard cyphus was at the hospital in clifton, recovering from trench foot. however i have a photo of him then but without the blue armband but a patch sawn on instead, was this also done? regards
Hi there, I'm actually looking for info about the hospital issue uniform during the South African war and am happy to hear that it was pretty much unchanged in WW1. Were hospital slippers issued? Photos seem to show patients wearing boots but I'd imagine for some patients, softer footwear would be needed?
Hi Clare,
The blue uniform was worn by all patients who could get out of bed. Slippers were worn on the ward but boots were worn if going outside, or away from the hospital.
There were a number of different types of slippers. I hope that helps?
@@GreatWarHuts That does. Thanks so much.
Fantastic video. Would you know if the soldiers' personal items normally stayed with them after being wounded? I'm wondering if there was any effort to get things like pack contents back with the wounded.
Thanks very much. The effects of the dead were sent home wherever possible but there was no formal process to return items belonging to the wounded so it was usually done by their mates. Food, cigarettes, etc were shared out amongst the rest of the wounded man's Platoon and personal items were sent to their parents, wives or other relatives if an address was known.
@@GreatWarHuts By 1915, at the Casualty Clearing Station level and/or General/Stationary hospital level, items that the soldiers had on them at the time they were brought into the evacuation chain were regularly gathered by staff into a "Blighty Bag" -- also known as a "Dorothy Bag" and sent with the soldier as he was evacuated down the chain. These bags were made by volunteers for the Red Cross and other women's groups (in the Dominion, groups like the Imperial Order of Daughters of the Empire, the Women's Institute, and local Red Cross volunteer groups, as well as church groups), and supplied to the Stations and Hospitals through the Red Cross. There's a good article on them here: www.greatwarforum.org/topic/210370-dorothy-bag-exactly-what-is-it-size-image-etc/
At the back was that manikin or real human?
If you had watched it you would know the answer. 👍🏻