ON the far left, Surgeon General Sir WG Bedford – deputy director of medical services in Northern Command – inspects a new Ward M at the Keighley War Hospital at Morton Banks in 1917.
Lieutenant-Colonel William Scattery, RAMC, Keighley’s medical officer of health serving for the duration as war hospital administrator, is second from the left.
Just visible in a straw hat behind matron Miss A Hill is William Anderton Brigg, chairman of a war hospital extensions committee.
Speaking at the official opening, Surgeon-General Bedford warned that the continued “stream of wounded coming from overseas would tax our hospital accommodation to its utmost”, but hoped the new ward “would be a home of rest and a new temple of skill and tenderness to the suffering soldiers brought to that beautiful valley of the Aire.” Ward M could accommodate 120 patients inside and another 60 on the veranda The hospital and its auxiliaries dealt with 13,214 wartime cases.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here