The Stationary Hospital

The Stationary Hospital was a unit of the Royal Army Medical Corps.

The following information is from “War Establishments of the New Armies”, a War Office publication of 1915. It relates to hospital equipped with 400 beds.

Establishment

  • 1 Lieutenant-Colonel in charge
  • 2 Majors
  • 9 Captains, Lieutenants or Second-Lieutenants (who may be replaced by civil surgeons specially engaged)
  • 1 Quartermaster (officers)
  • 1 Warrant Officer (employed as ward master)
  • 12 Sergeants (employed 4 on nursing duties, 1 steward, 1 dispenser (who may be specially enlisted), 1 cook, 1 pack storekeeper, 1 clerk, and 3 on general duties)
  • 1 Bugler
  • 7 Corporals (employed as 1 dispenser (who may be specially enlisted), 1 cook, 1 clerk and pay administrator, 4 on general duties)
  • 98 Privates (employed 1 stewards stores, 3 cooks (of which, 1 for female nursing staff), 1 on pack stores, 1 clerk, 60 on ward duties (36 on nursing section and 24 on general duty section), 2 washermen, 16 batmen (of which, 3 for female nursing staff), 14 on general duties)

Note: of the total rank and file, 1 would be trained in use of carpentry tools, 1 would be attendant in skiagraphy and electrotherapy, 1 would be operating room attendant. Up to 20 could be specially enlisted men.

Plus, of the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service:

  • 1 Matron
  • 10 Sisters
  • 16 Staff Nurses

Plus, attached:

  • 3 Chaplains (1 each Church of England, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic if the hospital was isolated from others; there was always be 1 Church of England Chaplain for a Stationary Hospital, but not more than 1 each Presbyterian and Roman Catholic Chaplains would be allotted to a group of three General and Stationary Hospitals if they were located within a short distance.)
  • 3 batmen for Chaplains

Links

The casualty evacuation chain

The Royal Army Medical Corps

Definitions of other types of unit