Impression sketch
of wounded recovering at Roehampton House - by Jamie. From an original image
that can be seen at: <http://digital.nls.uk/great-war/soldier/wounded/queen-marys.html>
[Accessed: 10 April 2016]
One of many
British towns,
Set in the Severn
Valley Shropshire,
Bridgnorth - divided
into
High Town and Low
Town - as with
Other commune’s
volunteers,
Would number 255
men
In the first
months of war.
One young man
among
The many was, in
1911, working
In a fish and
poultry shop -
To live with his
mother on Listley
Street - among
the first this
Eli Jones
enlisted 11 August
To join Coldstream
Guards.
Part of the
Expeditionary
Army, the 1st
Battalion Coldstream
Guards were to
see action
About Le Bassee -
there Private
Eli Jones was to
join the
Battalion - who,
having been
In action, now
reformed.
In the fifth
month of war
An inspection by
the King, meeting
The Coldstream
Battalion
On a wet 3
December - with Private
Eli Jones
possibly among
The new draft -
afterwards
At Strazeele
training ground.
Private Eli
showed promise
Enough, to become
Lance Corporal
By 19 December -
the day after,
Orders came to
march to Givenchy -
The task was to
recapture
Trenches taken by
Germans
A day before - in
two days of fights.
While the forces
was relieved
On 22, 185 other
ranks were reported
Missing or
wounded - likely
Lance Corporal
Jones was among
Missing - his
severe wounds
Preventing his moving
until
Rescued from the
battlefield.
The state of his
injuries made
It necessary to
amputate both legs
Above the knee
joint - after
Recovery he
arrived back in England,
New Years day
1915; the date
Eli Jones
officially became
Lance Corporal
Jones.
War awareness of
the home
Front, had recognised soldier's needs.
In new style
warfare, with
Injuries
resulting from loss of limbs.
At the sight of
amputees, Mary
Eleanor
Gwynne Holford visited
Queen
Alexandra's Hospital.
After her meeting
with a private
Chapman, whose
wounds had left him
Without both arms,
she saw
Wards of disabled
men - Mrs Holford
Considered how
they should
Not be discharged
home too
Soon, without
rehabilitation.
What these severely
wounded
Soldiers needed
were correct fittings
Of artificial
limbs - with her
Connections of
high profile figures,
Mrs Holford set
out to raise
A public appeal
by use of press,
To raise
substantial funds.
On passing
through the wards,
The sight of
disabled men prompted
Her to think, their discharge
Home should
include correct fitting
Of a suitable, artificial limb.
With help Mary
set to raise
Monies, appealing
to public.
The result formed
into shape
Of a
rehabilitation hospital - a chosen
Site was a soldier’s
billet
Of Roehampton
House, a stately home
Requisitioned by
war office -
From an idea
February 1915
The doors opened
28 June 1915.
Success of
Roehampton House
Continued to grow - with up numbers
Of patients at
100, arriving
Each week - Lance
Corporal Eli Jones
Being a
Coldstream Guard
Was one of Double
amputees
Who came to
notice of press.
Having been a
client, of what
Became known as
the human repair
Factory, the story
noted that
On joining up he
was 6ft 2 1/2 inches -
When, for convenience
sake
His artificial
limbs shortened
His stature down to 5
ft 10 in.
Such story might
not be spoilt
By truth, as
indicated by his attestation
Papers, stating he
was 5ft 9 3/8,
Disputing truth
of newspapers, although
The report went
on to tell how
Eli Jones, discharged
from army
16 August 1915, had a new task.
The ex soldier
was employed
By makers of artificial limbs, J.F Rowley.
That each day
only with help
Of a walking
stick Eli Jones walks over
The workshops of
Roehampton
House, to assist
making artificial
Legs for his maimed
comrades.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916.
Limbs For Maimed Heroes - Guardsman's Reduced Stature. The Daily Telegraph,
[online] 7 April 1916.
P.3. Col.2. Available at:
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12208472/Daily-Telegraph-April-7-1916.html> [Accessed: 10 April 2016].
Source: File: The
Human Repair Factory at Roehampton - Rehabilitation of Amputees. Online.
Available at: <http://blog.maryevans.com/2013/09/the-human-repair-factory-at-roehampton-rehabilitation-of-amputees.html>
Accessed 10 April 2016
Source: File:
Lost Hospitals Of London - Queen Mary's Hospital. Online. Available at:
<http://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/queenmaryroehampton.html> Accessed 10 April 2016
Source: File:
History of the Bridgnorth War Memorial - Private Eli Jones. Online. Available
at: <http://www.greglewin.co.uk/Memorial/history.php> Accessed 10 April
2016
Mann, J., 2016.
100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 10 April
2016).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
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