2/13th Australian General Hospital
From Our Contribution
 St Patrick's Boys School, Singapore | |
 1941 Tampoi, Malaya - tents used as Isolation Ward AWM P01344.005 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | 2/13th Australian General Hospital |
| Where formed | Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne |
| Date formed | 11 Aug 1941 |
| Capacity | 600 - 1,200 patients |
| Locations | Melbourne, Singapore |
General Information
The unit was hastily formed in Caulfield, a suburb of Melbourne in August 1941 and when equipped it sailed from Melbourne for Singapore on 2 Sep 1941. Arriving there on 15 Sep 1941 it was established in St Patrick's Boys School on the south coast of the island. Between 21 and 23 Nov 1941 the hospital relocated to Tampoi in Malaya, where it increased its capacity to 1,200 patients. Most AIF casualties in the Johore area were treated by the hospital before it was forced to relocate to Singapore on 23 Jan 1942 where it established a 700 bed facility in its former location on the south coast.
Mounting casualties during the defence of Singapore soon over whelmed the facility and with defeat likely the nurses were evacuated on three ships - the last group on the Vyner Brooke. The hospital continued to treat injured troops after the surrender until the Japanese authorities forced all medical until to merge into one under British leadership.
13 of its members were captured by the Japanese while six died during their posting to the hospital staff. Three of its nurses were murdered by the Japanese on Banka Island, and three men died of illness, one in NSW, one in Singapore, and one on Labuan Island North Borneo.
Staff
- Bessie Christina Ellen Taylor 1 Sep 1941 - 1 Feb 1942
Patients
- William Albert Arthur Parkin 6 - 18 Jan 1942
- Charles William (Tiny) Gray 8 - 27 Jun 1942 & 29 Jul - 3 Aug 1942
- † Edgar Joseph Howard 31 Mar - 5 Apr 1942
- † Fred Whitaker 26 Aug - 3 Nov 1942
- † Herbert Michael (Bert) Rubery 19 - 27 Oct 1942 & 13 - 23 Feb 1943
Individual Honours
- 1 x Officer of the Order of the British Empire
- 2 x Member of the Order of the British Empire
- 9 x Mentioned in Despatches
- 1 x Royal Red Cross (2nd Class)