2/8th Australian General Hospital
From Our Contribution
 19 Aug 1945 Palmalmal Plantation, Jacquinot Bay, new Britain. Members of the Australian Army Medical Women's Service int he grounds of 2/8th General Hospital marching to a Thanksgiving Service to mark the cessation of hostilities. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | 2/8th Australian General Hospital |
| Where formed | Kangaroo Point, Brisbane? |
| Date formed | 1942? |
| Locations | Kangaroo Point, Brisbane; Lae, New Guinea. |
Contents
General Information
The 2/8th Australian Special Hospital was raised at Enoggera in Queensland in August 1940, and left for the Middle East in September where they established themselves at Gaza Ridge in Palestine he following month, absorbing the 2nd Special Hospital. They remained here for the time they were in the Middle East providing prophylactic services , including outposts to each camp and leave centre. They formed the 2/14th Special Hospital in September 1941 for service in Syria, before leaving for Australia in January 1943. Following leave they reassembled in Sydney before moving north to Kangaroo Point in Brisbane in June.
In September they were restructured as the 2/8th Australian General Hospital with 200 beds, and moved to Buna in New Guinea in November, treating casualties from the Markham Valley and Finschhafen campaigns before moving to Lae in May 1944. In December 1944 the hospital's advance party moved to Jacquinot Bay on New Britain's south coast, with the rest of the hospital joining them in March 1945. In May they absorbed the 31st Hospital laundry Unit, and continued to service local troops from Jacquinot Bay until the end of the war. One member of staff died of illness while posted to this unit.
Staff
Patients
Buna, New Guinea
- Lawrence Gerald McDonough 18 - 22 Dec 1943
Jacquinot Bay, New Britain
- Herbert Patrick Carter 1 - 11 Jun 1945
- Cecil Sydney Fahey 22 - 29 Jun 1945
- Thomas Donald Neilson 19 Aug - 7 Sep 1945
Individual Honours
- 1 x British Empire Medal
1 x Royal Rec cross (1st Class)
- 11 x mentioned in Despatches
Notes
Content has come from The Unit Guide - Volume 4 - The Australian Army 1939-1945, page 4.117 - Graham R McKenzie-Smith - Big Sky Publishing - 2018