THIS WAS one of the motor ambulances which served in the Keighley War Hospital and its Auxiliaries between 1916 and 1919.
They were described as having been “transformed from private touring cars into up-to-date ambulances”, made available by owners like Sir Harry Smith of yew bank, Percy Clough of The Knowle, and JH Craven of The Beeches. This example had been lent by Mr TH Haggis, of Cross Roads.
In addition to routine ferrying of patients between Morton Banks, Fell Lane and Victoria Hospitals and two at Skipton, these ambulances– often by night – met a total of 73 trains carrying 10,235 wounded from overseas.
Describing a typical such arrival, Lt-Col William Scatterty, War Hospital Administrator, penned a varied picture of “the Northumberland miner, a tough little Cockney, kilted Jock, the Dublin Fusilier, Canadians, Australians, right to be joking about getting rid New Zealanders, Rhodesians, Duke’s Son, Cooks, like in all head-gear , happy, content, because once more in Blighty”.
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