2/14th Australian General Hospital
From Our Contribution
 Singapore campus post WW2 AWM photo 11471 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | 2/14th Australian General Hospital |
| Where formed | South Australia |
| Capacity | 400 beds |
| Locations | Townsville, Cairns, and Singapore (post war) |
General Information
This unit was formed as the 2/14th Australian Special Hospital in September 1941 from the 2/8th Special Hospital to service the Australian garrison troops in Syria. It moved to Beit Jirja and then to Bhamdoun, Syria in October. With the start of the Pacific war, they moved to Kilo 89 in Palestine in January 1942, and then left for Australia in February. On arrival in Adelaide they established a VD Clinic at Thorndon Park in April before moving to Linden Park in October.
The hospital moved to Townsville on 11 Dec 1942. Initially established near the Quarantine Station at Pallarenda, it was primarily comprised of tents with a 200 bed capacity. At thsi time it was renamed 2/14th Australian General Hospital
This was soon after increased to 400 beds as during 1943 casualties began to come in regularly from hospital ships and aircraft. The hospital was severely damaged by a cyclone that hit Townsville. As the cyclone hit in March 1944, the tent poles snapped, the tents and equipment were scattered and valuable medicines were lost. Some patients were rushed to the railway station and put on Ambulance Trains, while others were rushed to the American Naval Hospital.
The hospital was rebuilt at Mundingburra on the banks of the Ross River. For members of 2/14th Australian General Hospital it was a long hard year or two ahead until 1945, when they were selected to go to Singapore to assist with the repatriation of Australian Prisoners of War.
Staff
Patients
1941 Bhamdoun, Syria
- David Gibson 3 - Dec 1941
1942 Cape Pallarenda
- Francis Malarkey 21 - 22 Dec 1942
1943 Cape Pallarenda
- Edwin Reed Marshall 5 - 26 Sep 1943 & 11 - 26 Oct 1943
- George Charles Owens 6 - 12 Sep 1943
- Robert Henry Fletcher 25 - 30 Oct 1943
1944 Mundingburra
- Robert Henry Fletcher 1 - 14 Mar 1944
- George Victor Parkin 22 - 24 Apr 1944
- Harold Herman Hilbert 20 May - 1 Jun 1944
- Philbert John Charles Morel 25 - 26 Jun 1944
- Joseph George Lewis Jalli 21 - 22 Dec 1944
1945
- Stanley Upton Hammond 9 - 23 Feb 1945
- Francis (George) Hicks MM 19 & 19 Apr 1945
- Austin John Bevis 23 Apr 1945
- Edmond Hepple Brown MID 13 - 15 May 1945
- Philbert John Charles Morel 11 - 26 May 1945
- Herbert Patrick Carter 17 - 26 Jun 1945
- Cecil Sydney Fahey 5 - 7 Aug 1945
Singapore
- William Albert Arthur Parkin 2 - 28 Oct 1945
- Basil Fitzgerald 6 - 29 Oct 1945