Captain J. A. Morrison had his country mansion, Basildon Park in Berkshire, now owned by the National Trust, converted into a convalescent home for wounded Guards. The captain also paid for the upkeep of the hospital. It opened on 16th November 1914 and in its first 13 months around 500 cases had been admitted. Dr P. C. E. Tribe was the Commandant, with 2 nursing sisters - Miss Braid and Miss Ruddock, with assistant nurse Miss O'Beirne. It was reported though in 1915 that there were 4 nurses. Several women from Reading and Pangbourne came in to help the nurses. There were 5 orderlies from the 13th Voluntary Aid Detachment in Reading. Mr G. W. Busby was the steward and his wife the housekeeper. A Belgian chef and his assistant cooked the food. Quartermaster Sergeant Taylor was also a member of staff. The Community is aimed to be a list of whoever worked or convalesced there, however currently only few are known about mainly through reports in the Reading Mercury as digitised by www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk One patient who was there in January 1915 was a Regimental Sergt. Major Thomas "one of the best non commissioned officers in the army" (Reading Mercury 23 Jan 1915). This may have been Augustus Thomas, Service No. 20875 who died 15/3/1915 age 44 years. Other VAD staff known to have worked at Basildon Park: Miss Eleanor Mary Baverstock, of Whitchurch Rectory (Nurse) Miss Muriel Bedforth of Almondbury, Yorks. (Head Cook) Miss Winifred Burtenshaw of Sulham. (Nursing) Mrs Mary Champ of Pangbourne (Nursing) Mrs Ruth Cocks of Westminster (Cook) Miss Susan D'Albiac of White House, Whitchurch (Nursing) Frederick Dixey of NW5 (Orderly)
Created by: , Sarah900
British Army 3032 Private Berkshire Yeomanry
British Army 40164 Private Worcestershire Regiment
Died 1965
British Army 14318 Lance Corporal Grenadier Guards 1st Battalion
British Army 14318 Serjeant Grenadier Guards 1st Battalion
Born 1887
Died 1975
British Army Sister Territorial Force Nursing Service
British Army Sister Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service
Born 1887
British Army 14053 Private Grenadier Guards