93 Indian General Hospital

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by Spidermonkey, Jun 19, 2022.

  1. Spidermonkey

    Spidermonkey Member

    Hi everyone,

    I’m trying to find out where the 93 IGH (Comb) RAMC was stationed between 21.01.43 - 03.08.46.

    My grandfather worked as a ward clerk there during this time. He wouldn’t ever talk about the war apart from he was there when Changi Prison was liberated and (we guess) the horrors that came into the hospital. His release papers say place was Singapore and worked in the M.I. room. Again guessing this is a records room. His service no: 14523105 Clifford Henry Green. The military records online doesn’t seem to list him. So wondering if anyone knows anything about this hospital, where it was etc. He spent time in India (having been diverted from Italy?) and Burma but again unsure if this was with the 93 IGH.

    Kind regards

    Tracy
     
  2. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Tracy,

    Welcome aboard. This website is an amazing resource and usually we can help. I will PM you in a moment some pointers.

    Meantime try this reference point for WW2 military hospitals, it is the main one cited when others ask. However it is not for Indian General Hospitals alas: Hospitals WW2 - Scarlet Finders

    On my very limited reading wartime general hospitals were not near the front line and some were hundreds of miles away to serve non-combat needs. I think Scarlet Finders helps to explain how medical services worked.

    There is one previous thread on 93 IGH: 93 Indain General Hospital (COMB.)

    An Indian soldier who died when with them: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2674770/ You could search on the CWGC database to see if others from the IGH died, this could help plot their route during the war.

    The MI Room is explained via Google Books: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/On_all_fronts/dWcDQZws9fwC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq="93+indian+general+hospital"&pg=PA143&printsec=frontcover

    Their move to Burma, as IGH used this time for the same book: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/On_all_fronts/dWcDQZws9fwC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq="93+IGH"+++"hospital"&pg=PA149&printsec=frontcover

    A different book: https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Army_Medical_Services/2J5QAQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq="93+IGH"+++"hospital"&pg=PA526&printsec=frontcover

    In September 1946 they were in Singapore, somewhere in this local newspaper re a soccer match: NewspaperSG - The Straits Times, 5 September 1946

    Military hospitals are not easy to find online as they rarely feature, e.g. memoirs and official records are sparse (if they survived). Obtaining your subject's Service Record is the best option, although it takes time.
     
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2022
    Spidermonkey and 4jonboy like this.
  3. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Tracy welcome

    You will not find his records online so dont sign up for any site that promises it.

    Apply for his service records link here follow the process
    Get a copy of military service records
    Required
    Date of birth
    Death cert
    £30 required
    apply as soon as you can although there is a long wait
    it takes the guessing out of it
    once you have them then you can build the exact picture of his service time line

    regards
    Clive
     
    Last edited: Jun 19, 2022
  4. Skoyen89

    Skoyen89 Senior Member

    The military hospitals often have a War Diary at Kew in the WO177 Series. I don't have that one.
     
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  5. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Could possibly be WO 177/2253. Although titled 93 General Hospital it is in the Indian General Sub Series. Also it covers the period Oct 44-Dec 46, the British 93 General Hospital was disbanded Jan 46.

    Tim
     
    Spidermonkey likes this.
  6. Spidermonkey

    Spidermonkey Member


    Thank you Clive I will see if we have his death certificate and apply. Appreciated.
     
  7. Spidermonkey

    Spidermonkey Member

    Thank you Tim. I didn’t know records like this exist. How on earth do you look at them at Kew?
     
  8. Spidermonkey

    Spidermonkey Member

    This was fascinating and just reading a few of the linked pages from books about life in the IGH has really helped me understand more what was going on and what my grandfathers role was.
    Thank you.
     
  9. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    An update on my earlier remark: You could search on the CWGC database to see if others from the IGH died, this could help plot their route during the war.

    Oddly the record referring to one fatality appears to be the only mention of the 93 IGH - though I have only looked through half of the results. I was not aware the Indian Army Medical Corps was only formed in April 1943, previously there was the Indian Hospital Corps and the Indian Medical Service. See: Army Medical Corps (India) - Wikipedia I did note the names of the hospitals changed at times with combined and base, with many having no number i.e 93. So, in summary searching the CWGC data does not help.

    There is a 1943 article (first pg. only) on the formation: Formation of Indian Army Medical Corps
     
    Last edited: Jun 21, 2022
  10. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    a couple of forum members offer a copy service at a reasonable rate
     
    timuk likes this.
  11. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Sorry I'm no expert at this but there are numerous threads on this site regarding research at Kew. Meanwhile I've sent TNA a message asking them to check the title of WO 177/2253.

    Tim
     
  12. Spidermonkey

    Spidermonkey Member

    Not sure this helps. I’m a bit bamboozled by all the acronyms etc.
     

    Attached Files:

  13. davidbfpo

    davidbfpo Patron Patron

    Last edited: Jun 21, 2022
  14. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    Carpenter/Joiner was his trade on enlistment not his employment with 93 IGH which was as a Clerk.

    Tim
     

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