WW1 Inpatients at Manchester’s Alderman Thomas Turnbull Hospital: A Rare Glimpse Into Wartime Recovery

This WW1 photograph shows a large number of inpatients in front of a British hospital. The memorial stone on the front, reads ‘Alderman Thomas Turnbull Hospital’, and has the name, ‘Manchester’.

I acquired this photograph from a flea-market in my local town and therefore decided to do a little research and use a magnifying glass to pick up detail.

Facial injury treatment during World War One

The group of about 150 wounded and convalescing servicemen seem to have mostly eye, nose and chin wounds, suggesting the hospital specialised in facial injuries. Apart from rifle and machine gunfire, a large number of injuries were caused by the metal fragments from exploding shells, often causing blindness, deafness and burns to exposed skin. Injuries often required regular cleansing and dressing leading to long periods of convalescence. In the community, some civilians were shocked at how disfigured the inpatients were.

World War One Manchester Military Hospital

Colonial soldiers in British hospitals WW1

The servicemen in the photo are wearing hospital blue uniform with a white-facing collar and red tie. Between the two sergeants in the centre of the second row from the bottom, is a coloured colonial soldier with long service stripes.

A colonial black soldier amidst a sea of white faces, likely from South Africa.

A Rare Presence: The Colonial Soldier in the Photograph

This image shows a close up view of some of the servicemen and their injuries. The field service badges showing are Seaforth Highlanders, Worcestershire Regiment and a Glengarry headwear. Most of the servicemen are in their prime with just a few in middle age.

Notice the man of colour in the centre of the photograph. He is looking ahead whilst the others are looking at the camera. This suggests the attitudes of the times and how the colonials were viewed and treated.

WW1 Battlefield Medicine: A Royal Army Medical Corps Orderly and His Lifesaving Equipment

Explore the role of the Royal Army Medical Corps in WW1 through a rare photograph showing a medical orderly with early battlefield dressings, sphagnum moss bandages and Great War medical practices. I came across this photograph on a stand in a flea market not far from where I live.

How the Royal Army Medical Corps treated wounds in WW1

This world war one photograph shows a stoic Royal Army Medical Corp with medicinal gear in readiness for what the Great War had in store. The absorbency of the field dressings became paramount, as heavy blood loss was common on the battlefield.

A medial orderly in front of bell tents

Medical Practices in the Great War

Here, this RAMC serviceman carries a kit, likely comprising antiseptic wound dressings of muslin and wool, which would be used as an immediate application to a wound until the stretcher bearers arrived. For very heavy blood loss, bog moss from Scotland was used for high absorbency and antiseptic properties. Sphagnum, as it was called, was collected by children in Scottish bogs.

Early antiseptic techniques in the Great War

The practice spread throughout Ireland, Europe and Canada before the end of the war. The dressings were kept in an airtight waterproof pouch to keep the dressings clean and dry. Soldiers on the field were eventually required to keep a dressing pouch in his pocket, should a RAMC cannot be located.

Basic applications were used, such as hydrochloric acid to clean wounds and ether to subdue the patient. With such little resources at hand on the field, little wonder the risk of infections and complications were high. WW1 battlefield medicine was incredibly basic and medicinal care needed development. The bell tents in the background reflect the standards of care and conditions behind the lines 

WW1 Convalescent Servicemen and VAD Nurses: A Rare Outdoor Hospital Photograph

Explore a rare WW1 photograph showing wounded servicemen and VAD nurses outside a military hospital, highlighting convalescence, hospital blues and the vital role of Voluntary Aid Detachment nurses. This photo show outdoor recovery practices in WW1 hospitals

Photograph of WW1 servicemen with VAD nurses

This WW1 photograph, taken outside the hospital grounds, demonstrates the principle that fresh air is good for health. Here we see approximately 30 wounded and convalescing WW1 servicemen with their nurses. A rare jovial air is reflected by the character in the foreground, reclined upon the lawn in debonair fashion, wearing his sling like a fashion accessory.

Wounded WW1 Servicemen with VAD Nurses outside a Military Hospital

WW1 Military Hospital Photograph

Some of the casualties have been brought outdoors on their beds or wheelchairs, having donned their hospital uniforms for the shot. The fabric would have been Oxford blue with white collar and red tie.

A large number of these servicemen had suffered wounds caused by rifle and machine gunfire, as well as shrapnel from exploding shells. Such injuries required regular cleaning and dressing. Servicemen often had long periods of convalescence.

The Vital Role of VAD Nurses During WW1

The nurses pictured are VAD (Voluntary Aid Detachment) who, from a war office appeal, had stepped forward to do their bit for their country. Many of the women were from the order of St. John and the Red Cross to serve as nurses at home and in British hospitals. The VAD also served at casualty clearing stations near the front line. After learning basic first aid and how to deal with simple fractures, many VAD nurses also drove ambulances. 

British Red Cross Nurses in a Hampshire Hospital: A 1914 Photograph on the Eve of WW1

Explore a rare 1914 photograph of British Red Cross nurses in a Hampshire hospital, capturing the atmosphere just days before WW1 and the early lives of VAD and trained nurses. Always on the lookout for old photos, this one caught my eye. The sepia tinge seems in keeping with the age of the photo.

A Rare Pre‑WW1 Photograph of a Hampshire Hospital

This old photo of an English hospital has a Victorian feel. The interior shows wooden rafters, open plan with an air of high discipline judging by the postures of the nurses and the starchy British Cross uniforms. See all the nurses standing neatly in a row.

British Red Cross Nurses in a Hampshire Hospital Prior to WW1

At the back of the photograph, a nurse called Gracie writes the date, which is 31 July 1914, although the date displayed on the front gives the date 27 May 1914. Hants, discloses the location being Hampshire, a county on the south coast of England.

The Life and Work of British Red Cross Nurses

The date on the rear would have been 3 days after war broke out, which was July 28 1914. A cloud of uncertainty and dread must have pervaded over the room. But the belief of doing right by your country would have bolstered morale.

The wards would have comprised a mixture of trained nurses, and volunteers, known as Voluntary Aid Detachments (VAD). Matrons and sisters would have presided.

A Personal Message from Nurse Grace

Notice this message dating back to before the First World War

The handwritten note from Gracie on the back of the photograph reads:

“Ear Ida,

I have marked myself and my special friend. I am the short one, of course. I am looking forward to seeing you soon. Please write.

Love, Gracie”.

Beneath is the note: “received last night”.

It's little inscriptions like these that brings the image to life. A clearer picture can be seen of the times and of the people.

WW1 Squaddies outside a Bell Tent: the Lazy Tribe with Haunted Faces WW1

A century-old photograph captures a rare and disarming moment on the Western Front: eight World War I privates gathered outside their bell tent.

A Rare Glimpse of Humour on the Western Front

playfully posing as the self‑styled “Lazy Tribe.” With theatrically applied bandages, a staged limp and a painted‑on black eye, the scene hints at a brief attempt to inject humour into the bleakness of trench life. Yet behind the light‑hearted performance, the expressions of these young men reveal a deeper story—one of exhaustion, camaraderie and the haunting weight of war that no joke could fully disguise.

This World War 1 photograph shows eight privates outside of their bell tent. It would appear that these squaddies are made up to look wounded. A contrived feel pervades over the theatrically-applied bandages, a ‘black’ eye and a limp.

The Lazy Tribe in front of a Bell Tent during WW1

The Lazy Tribe: A Rare Moment of Humour in a WW1 Bell Tent

At such grim times as on the Western front, a little humour may help lift the spirits. Sharing good and bad times would no doubt form a lifelong bond, if all the privates pictured had survived the terrible experiences of the trenches.

This ‘Lazy Tribe’ may have lifted the mood for an instant, as can be seen in this shot, but the haunted look on some of their faces tells a different story.

WW1 Dentistry: Photograph of RAMC Staff Waiting outside a Dental Surgery

A rare World War I photograph captures two medics of the Royal Army Medical Corps standing outside a makeshift dental surgery, quietly waiting as soldiers inside endure the crude and often painful treatments of the era.

Dental Treatment for Soldiers During WW1

At a time when dentistry was still developing and proper regulation was decades away, many recruits suffered from poor dental health, and extractions were often the only remedy available. This image offers a stark glimpse into an overlooked aspect of wartime life—one where medical improvisation, limited resources and the relentless demands of the front line shaped the daily reality for both patients and the medics who treated them.

In more detail, this rare photograph shows two medics of the Royal Army Corps waiting outside a dentist’s surgery during World War 1. Dental treatment dished out within, would likely have been basic and unpleasant.

Medics of the Royal Army Waiting outside A Dental Surgery during WW1

Early 20th‑century Dental Practices in wartime

Dentistry during this time was in its infancy. Many recruits for the armed forces were rejected because of poor dental health due to ignorance. Dentistry in the United Kingdom was not properly regulated until 1921. And even then, volunteers and unqualified recruits dished out the treatment, due to shortage of qualified dentists.

  

Many recruits would have suffered toothache, which would have resulted in tooth extraction, as there was little other treatment available.

The Royal Army Dental Corps

Even Douglas Haig suffered a bout of toothache during the Battle of Aisne, having no qualified dental surgeons at hand. To guard against a similar fate befalling the troops, mobile dental units were despatched to battlefields to treat dental ailments of the soldiers. This enabled the forces to remain on the field. But it was not until 1923 that the Royal Army Dental Corps was formed.

The British Dental Association continued to print its journal despite the cost of the war. Sharing valuable information about the treatment of facial injuries such as that of the jaw and lower face was vital for dentists working on the field. Antiseptics and ether was widely used.

Early Ford Model T Field Ambulance Training in WW1

A rare early photograph captures a Ford Model T field ambulance during a World War I training exercise at a Royal Army Medical Corps barracks in Britain. Five medical orderlies stand ready for instruction as they rehearse loading procedures using two comrades posed as casualties. This staged yet revealing scene highlights the rapid evolution of military ambulance services—from slow, uncomfortable horse‑drawn wagons to the first motorised vehicles that transformed battlefield medical care.

From Horse‑Drawn Ambulances to Motorised Medical Transport

This photographs shows an early Ford Model T Field Ambulance used on a training exercise in a Royal Army Medical Corps barracks in Britain. Five medical orderlies await instructions from their sergeant as they practice loading procedures using two of their comrades on stretchers as make-believe casualties.

Horse Drawn Ambulance attended by medical staff during World War 1.

Training the Royal Army Medical Corps for Battlefield Casualties

Ambulances during this time comprised of a canvas top on a wooden frame which were horse drawn. As can be appreciated, the Medical Corps faced many challenges, not least the lack of speed the vehicles were able to travel. The ride would have been bumpy and conditions inside would have been basic and uncomfortable.

The Shift Toward Motorised Ambulances by 1916

But by 1916, the Red Cross saw the first motorised ambulances. It didn’t take long before the horse-drawn variety was phased out. Similarly, equipment within was changing rapidly, seeing the first two-way radios, more advanced medical equipment and trained physicians.

To aid the war effort, undertakers donated hearses, as these could ferry a patient whilst supine.

In 1900, more than 300,000 horses were used in London alone. They pulled everything from buses and trams and delivery vans. The start of World War One saw a huge rise in demand, but the motor engine was about to change everything.

The German A7V Tank Adalbert: A Flawed Giant of World War I

A striking photograph shows the German A7V tank Adalbert—one of the few armoured vehicles fielded by Germany in World War I—being transported on a railway flat car with two crew members aboard. 

Originally named Hagen, then König Wilhelm, the tank’s repeated renaming reflected its troubled service history and flawed design. Despite seeing action in several 1918 battles, including Villers‑Bretonneux, the A7V proved slow, unreliable and easily outmatched by the superior British Mark tanks. This image captures a rare glimpse of a machine that symbolised both Germany’s ambitions and the limitations of early armoured warfare.

A7V Adalbert: A Rare Photograph of Germany’s Early Tank Design

This picture of the German A7V Tank, Adalbert with two of its crew being transported upon a railway flat car. It did not see much success. Its original name was changed twice due to its poor design.

The tank saw action in 1918 at Villiers, Bretonneux, Midway between Amiens and St Quentin under its original name, Hagen. In thick fog on the morning of the 24April, the total German tank force of A7Vs, which came to just 12, confronted the British Mark III and IV tanks. The Mark designs were far superior.

The AV7 Tank renamed Adalbert was not very successful as a fighting machine

German Tanks in WW1

Although the A7Vs destroyed a few machine guns, they were inevitably outmatched. Hagen broke down and was repaired. It was later renamed Konig Wilhelm after the Kaiser, and served at River Matz in June 1918. But further mishaps meant a royal name was not considered suitable. The tank was reverted to the name, Adalbert and went on to serve at St Etienne in July. After the war, Adalbert was taken by French forces.

Konig Wilhelm Tanks: A story of the A7V tank in World War One

With a length of 24 feet with half inch metal plates, the A7Cs weighed over 30 tons. Powered by 2 x H.P. engines, the tank at 5pmh needed a gallon of fuel to travel just 2 miles. It had one main armament at the front and six machine guns on all sides. Eighteen servicemen were needed to operate it.

In 1918, 100 A7Vs had been ordered, but only 20 were completed. As an armoured fighting vehicle, the A7V posed little threat. It was large, clumsy, awkward and slow, managing only to lumber about in the mud. Many toppled sideways into a trench or with their caterpillar tracks revolving on the same spot.

Most A7V tanks became hopelessly bogged down in the battlefields’ liquid mud.

RAMC Stretcher Bearers Transporting a Wounded Soldier in WW1

A rare and seemingly spontaneous World War I photograph captures Royal Army Medical Corps stretcher bearers carrying a wounded soldier toward a waiting horse‑drawn ambulance as members of the public look on.

Stretcher Bearers Transporting a Wounded Soldier

Taken in a moment of urgency and realism, the image reflects the daily challenges faced by the RAMC, whose role was vital yet often overshadowed by the chaos of the battlefield. With medical treatment still in its infancy and transport limited to slow, uncomfortable ambulances, stretcher bearers became the lifeline between the trenches and the nearest hospital—offering the only hope of survival for many injured servicemen.

This World War One Photograph appears to be taken in an instant by a passer-by.

With members of the public looking on, the Royal Army Medical Corp is caught by the photographer as they carry a wounded soldier towards a horse drawn ambulance lined up at a nearby station.

Stretcher Bearers of  the RAMC Taking a Soldier to a Nearby Hospital

The Rapid Growth of the Royal Army Medical Corps

By the outbreak of 1914 – 1918 war, the RAMC had only been in existence for 16 years. But the numbers of staff flourished from just 9000 in 1898 to 113,000 by the end of the war.

The difficult situations of the field and the muddy trenches meant the corps learned many valuable lessons, one of which was the importance of sanitation, medical obedience and observance of authority. With chaos reigning all around, adhering to regulations was vital.

Sadly, medical treatment was still in its infancy in WW1, with ambulances still horse-drawn. If a soldier was deemed not to make it, was killed by allies to put him out of his misery. In other situations, the RAMC could do little but sew wounds and apply dressings. In this case, the soldier was fortunate to survive his term in the field.

World War I in Pictures: Royal Army Medical Corps in Front of Bell Tent with Message to Mother

A poignant 1914 photograph captures three members of the Royal Army Medical Corps standing proudly outside a bell tent, accompanied by a handwritten message from a son to his mother.

A Rare 1914 Photograph of the Royal Army Medical Corps

Taken at the Stanhope RAMC Barracks in Aldershot, the image reflects the early days of the Corps, whose members travelled with infantry units and faced the harsh realities of battlefield medicine. More than just a military portrait, the photograph preserves a deeply personal moment—one young man reassuring his family that he had returned safely, just as the First World War was beginning to reshape countless lives.

This photograph of members of The Royal Army Medical Corps was taken at the start of World War 1 and bears a touching message from a son to his mother.

Founded in 1873, the RAMC travelled with infantrymen and dealt with war wounds on the field and within military hospitals.

Members of the RAMC Standing in Front of a Bell Tent in World War 1

The Role of the RAMC in the Early Years of World War One

The RAMC wore military uniforms, but were not seen as combatants themselves. However, they would be seen within areas of combat with stretchers, ferrying wounded soldiers and the dying to a place where treatment could be administered. As can be appreciated, the RAMC officers faced challenging situations which were at times impossible. Often, these medical staff became casualties themselves.

This photo shows three members of the Royal Army Corps from Stanhope RAMC Barracks, Aldershot.

A Son’s Touching Message to His Mother in 1914

This photograph was salvaged from a flea-market in Warwickshire. On the rear was a half-penny stamp, franked with the date: 24 October 1914. The recipient is a Mrs. Guernsey (I shall not give the entire address), Alexander Road, East Twickenham, Middlesex.

In pencil, the message reads:

“Dear Mother, a few lines to let you know I arrived back safely. How do you like my photo? I will write again in a few days to let you know more.

Love to all,

Alf.”

It can be worked out that one of the men pictured is ‘Alf’ who likely is an ambulance driver or medical officer.

A valuable artefact that needs preservation.