Detailing casualties treated following two air raids in Salisbury

Salisbury Infirmary during World War 2

Extracts taken from the ‘Salisbury Infirmary – Resident Medical Officers Report Book 1942-1948’ provide a glimpse of daily life at the hospital during World War 2.

Air raids in Salisbury

Report for week ending Friday, August 14th 1942

Remarks: As a result of the two air raid incidents this week, 13 patients received treatment here; of these only 3 required admission and none were seriously injured. The number of casualties was too few to bring our special casualty receiving plans in to action; one criticism was made on both occasions, – and I feel it should be made known, namely that far too many well-meaning, would-be helpers crowded into the receiving rooms, and hampered the normal working of the Casualty Department. W Spence

Salisbury planned for full scale invasion

Report for week ending Friday, September 25th 1942

Remarks: Over the weekend there has been a full scale invasion exercise in this city in which this hospital fully participated. At the Infirmary itself “saturation point” was presumed at midnight on Friday; – the work went smoothly according to the scheme worked out in previous practices. On Saturday we opened Leehurst Convent as an emergency hospital, where we saw – in all – 119 supposed casualties, of these, 75 were kept for the night and fed, giving us a good opportunity of forming a judgement as to the working facilities of the Convent; it would appear that with a little adaption, a considerable amount of useful emergency work could be done there. W Spence

 

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