'Then & Now'
'Refocusing Perspectives: Then and Now Photography of the First World War.
The Highway of Suffering:
From The Somme to Camp Summerdown
Part 2. Back to Blighty.
From The Somme to Camp Summerdown
Part 2. Back to Blighty.
Fig. 8a. HMHS Dieppe This is the Hospital Ship Thomas was sent back to England on. To date I have not been able to established when it set sail or to which port. Below could be a before or after image as it is undated. Enquiries continue. © Tim Webb via shipsnostalgia.com
Fig. 8b. Le Steamer 'Dieppe' An undated postcard of TSS Dieppe, a passenger service between Newhaven and Dieppe. It was built in 1905 for London Brighton & South Coast Railway Co and used as an Ambulance Ship throughout WW1. In 1933 it was purchased by Lord Moyne and renamed ROSAURA. It was whilst staying on board Edward and Mrs Simpson began their relationship. During WW2 it was converted into a boarding vessel but was lost to a mine off Tobruk in 1944. © Alan Graham LRPS (Author's own Postcard).
Fig. 9a. Ambulance Trains from Dover arrived at Charing Cross Station after the afternoon rush hour. Platform 6 is the only platform with a wall next to the inbound train. © IWM (Art.IWM ART 2758)
Fig. 9b. Platform 6 at Charing Cross Station, like all platforms, has had a mezzanine floor built over it. The original wall can still be seen above the train. © Alan Graham LRPS
Fig. 10a. Charing Cross Station. Apart from photographs a number of paintings exists of events including this one of wounded soldiers being transported away from Charing Cross Station. © IWM (Art.IWM Art 2759)
Fig. 10b. Today most of the Charing cross Hotel above the station and the Cross can be recognised from the painting. © Alan Graham LRPS
Fig. 11a. Forecourt, Charing Cross Station. Although they tried to bring the wounded into London after workers had gone home crowds still gathered. © IWM (Q 78037)
Fig. 11b. It is noticeable in this image the railings and gates have been changed since WW1. © Alan Graham LRPS
Fig. 12a. Charing Cross Hospital was the nearest hospital to Charing Cross. Wounded where ferried all over London and the Home Counties. © IWM (Q 53275)
Fig. 12b. Today the archway still exists but the frontage to the old hospital has changed. It is now Charing Cross Police Station and I was questioned why I wanted this image... © Alan Graham LRPS
Fig. 13a. Quiet for the Wounded banner outside Charing Cross Hospital. interesting reminders needed to be made to those still living normal lives in London.© IWM (Q 53311)
Fig. 13b. This image shows much of the facade on the hospital has been changed. © Alan Graham LRPS
Fig. 14a. The London Ambulance Column. The sheer volume of wounded arriving into London caught the authorities off guard. The Red Cross and ambulance service couldn't deal with the volume so a voluntary service was formed manned mainly by the insurance industry. Clerks and secretaries worked in the City by day and drove ambulances and tendered wounded between stations and hospitals in the evenings. Here you see Gower Mews, behind the LAC head quarters being used as a storage for supplies. © Wellcome Libraries
Fig. 14b. Today the left side of the mews has been replaced and the cobbles have gone. the postman in the photograph did say the cobbles were still there when he began doing the round 30 years ago. © Alan Graham LRPS
Fig. 14c. One of my most successful 'Then & Now' combined images. Wellcome Libraries, unlike the IWM, allow such changes. © Wellcome Libraries & Alan Graham LRPS
Fig. 15a. University College Hospital, WC1. Records shows Thomas was treated at the UCH arriving on the 18th October 1916 just 9 days after being wounded. When this project started at Senate House just down the road I had no idea of this connection with UCL. This poster is undated but remains the only image I have found of the hospital from that time. © Wellcome Libraries
Fig. 15b. Not much appears to have changed with the Cruciform Building except for it's surroundings.
© Alan Graham LRPS
© Alan Graham LRPS
Fig. 16a Postcard of Camp Summerdown, Eastbourne. Convalescence centres were set up to get the wounded fit again to return to the Front. Camp Summerdown was a large area on the north-west edge of Eastbourne. Housing had started to encroach onto the countryside which helped in identifying the location where recovering soldiers where made to march. This would have helped fitness and discipline. © Eastbourne Heritage Centre.
Fig. 16b. The two houses built back in 1916 are still standing but the area has now a large suburban estate around a private golf course. © Alan Graham LRPS
Fig. 16c. 'Then & Now' combined. The two houses match but the rolling hills are now covered in trees. © Eastbourne Heritage Centre & Alan Graham LRPS
Fig. 17a. Postcard of The Guardroom, Camp Summerdown. New roads were laid out around the camp which still exists today. This track became Old Camp Road. © Eastbourne Heritage Centre
Fig. 17b. Old Camp Road today. © Alan Graham LRPS
Fig. 17c. 'Then & Now', Old Camp Road and Guardroom combined image. Thomas arrived at Camp Summerdown on the 22nd November 1916. He was discharged back to regular service on the 17th April 1917. Just in time for him to join his Field Ambulance ahead of the Battle of Messines and the Third Battle of Ypres which some called Passchendaele... © Eastbourne Heritage Centre & Alan Graham LRPS
© Alan Graham 2021