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The heaviest attacks were experienced during the first phase, when in a period
of eight months the hospitals sustained damage on no fewer than 450 occasions.
Of these incidents, 156 affecting 70 of the Council's hospitals occurred during the
month of September, 1940, alone. In some incidents the damage was of a minor
nature, but in many it was severe and 10 hospitals (Fulham, St. Georges-in-the-East
(three times), St. Matthew's, Mile End, St. Giles, St. Peter's (twice), St. Andrew's,
St. Leonard's, St. Pancras, and St. Luke's) were evacuated, while others had to be
partly closed. Evacuation was in some cases only a temporary measure pending
the restoration of essential services such as gas, water, electricity and telephones,
but in others the accommodation had been destroyed or so severely damaged as to
make re-occupation of some parts of the hospital impracticable.
Although minor incidents occurred during the remainder of 1941 and in 1942
and 1943, no further serious damage was done to the hospitals until 1944, when a
series of sharp raids took place between January and April, and 51 hospitals were
affected, some being extensively damaged.
In the third and last phase of enemy action which began in June, 1944, with
the use of flying bombs (V 1) followed by rocket bombs (V 2) and continued until
March, 1945, hospitals were damaged on 138 occasions. In many cases the damage
was severe and seven hospitals (St. Mary Abbots, Mile End, Lambeth, St. Olave's,
St. Francis, St. Nicholas' and St. Clement's) had to be completely evacuated. Other
hospitals were partially evacuated. The most serious incident among this group
was at St. Bernard's Hospital where a bomb destroyed the boiler house and about
2,000 mental patients had to be transferred elsewhere forthwith.
Bombing created many extremely difficult administrative problems, particularly
when evacuation was necessary. The transfer of patients to other hospitals, the
redistribution of staff, the salvaging of stores and the diversion of supplies, and the
improvisation of emergency arrangements to maintain essential services, e.g., the
use of mobile field kitchens when a hospital kitchen was put out of action, had to be
carried out with the utmost speed. Even minor damage to ward windows and
black-out had to be made good before nightfall if accommodation was to remain
occupied. When water mains were disrupted the Fire Brigade helped by pumping
water into the storage tanks.
The elasticity of the Council's comprehensive hospital service facilitated the
solution of these problems, but the greatest credit is due to the staff of all grades
who responded cheerfully to all calls made upon them and by their energy, resource
and disregard of danger ensured that the service should continue to function. Outstanding
examples of the many acts of gallantry and devotion to duty were officially
recognised by the award of decorations to members of the staff, including one George
Cross posthumously awarded and four George Medals.
It was inevitable that the enemy attacks on London should inflict casualties
upon patients and staff, but, in view of the large number of patients in the hospitals
the loss of life was comparatively light. In all, 257 patients and 62 staff were killed,
and, at the end of 1944, 5,007 beds were permanently out of action.
In July, 1944, the Council made representations to the Minister of Health
regarding the evacuation of the Council's children's hospitals which were situated in
south London, the area most subject to attacks by flying bombs.
Evacuation
of children's
hospitals
The Minister approved the evacuation of these hospitals, and arrangements
were accordingly made for those children, who were fit, to be discharged home in
order that the parents could arrange for their evacuation under the official evacuation
scheme.
The patients remaining in the children's hospitals were disposed of as follows :—
Queen Mary's Hospital, Carshalton—180 rheumatic children transferred on
19th July, 1944, to Scotton Bank Emergency Hospital, Knaresborough, Yorkshire;
30 orthopaedic children transferred on 14th July, 1944, to the Royal National
Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore ; 29 general medical patients transferred on 16th