On the 6th November 1917 Charles Henry Bush (my first cousin three times removed), serving as a corporal with the Royal Army Medical Corps at New End Military Hospital, Hampstead was severely reprimanded by Lt. Colonel Reid for not complying with an order given by a warrant officer and for referring to his commanding officer in disrespectful language. The incident was reported by acting sergeant Major Briggs and by acting sergeant Brown.
Charles was born in Wimbledon in 1878, the son of Charles Henry Bush and Caroline Wigman, he was one of 5 children, he had an elder sister and brother Louisa and Alfred and younger siblings Nellie and William. His father Charles had died young at only 34 and his mother had re-married to William Clack, a scavenger with Wimbledon Borough Council, having a further 7 children. All living at 11 Ashbourne Terrace, Wimbledon, which had been the Bush family home before his father's death.
He married Edith Pearson on 12th June 1905 and had their first child, Charles Alfred exactly 1 year later. By 1911 Charles, Edith & Charles along with their 2nd son Herbert were living at 69 Pelham Road, Wimbledon, with Charles' occupation listed as a bill poster for a theatre. Herbert died a few months later just as their daughter Edith was born.
Charles was 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair and was 36 when the Great War started.
After serving in France during 1914, initially at No. 9 General Hospital in Nantes and then at Rouen, he was posted to New End Military Hospital in December 1914. Charles’ older brother Alfred had also served in the Royal Army Medical Corps and was attached to the 4th London Mounted Brigade but had been killed in Gallipoli in August 1915.
Charles was Chief Clerk at the Hospital and he was regarded by his superior officers as a highly proficient. It was not however the first time he had been in trouble with his superior officers.
Charles Bush had served with the Royal Army Medical Corps alongside his older brother Alfred Charles Morris Bush during the Boer War in South Africa from 1901 – 1904 and during his service in South Africa was employed as the clerk to the office of the PMO Cape Colony,
Whilst stationed in Kimberley, Cape Colony in August 1902, he disobeyed company orders, leaving the camp improperly dressed. In February 1903, he again left the camp improperly dressed and also overstaying his pass – both time he was confined to barracks for seven days and on the second occasion he also lost one day’s pay.
However, his most serious offence occurred in December 1903, when he was charged with neglect of duty by leaving the door of the lunatic ward unlocked for which he was confined to barracks for ten days.
I would expect that ward would have been for soldiers suffering from what is now known as PTSD and in the First World War became known as shell shock.
One wonders if not complying with an order and disrespectful language went something like "well that's a stupid order and whoever gave it is a fool as well" which somehow sounds quite familiar.
Charles was born in Wimbledon in 1878, the son of Charles Henry Bush and Caroline Wigman, he was one of 5 children, he had an elder sister and brother Louisa and Alfred and younger siblings Nellie and William. His father Charles had died young at only 34 and his mother had re-married to William Clack, a scavenger with Wimbledon Borough Council, having a further 7 children. All living at 11 Ashbourne Terrace, Wimbledon, which had been the Bush family home before his father's death.
He married Edith Pearson on 12th June 1905 and had their first child, Charles Alfred exactly 1 year later. By 1911 Charles, Edith & Charles along with their 2nd son Herbert were living at 69 Pelham Road, Wimbledon, with Charles' occupation listed as a bill poster for a theatre. Herbert died a few months later just as their daughter Edith was born.
Charles was 5 feet 7 inches tall, with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair and was 36 when the Great War started.
After serving in France during 1914, initially at No. 9 General Hospital in Nantes and then at Rouen, he was posted to New End Military Hospital in December 1914. Charles’ older brother Alfred had also served in the Royal Army Medical Corps and was attached to the 4th London Mounted Brigade but had been killed in Gallipoli in August 1915.
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| New End Military Hospital, Hampstead |
Charles was Chief Clerk at the Hospital and he was regarded by his superior officers as a highly proficient. It was not however the first time he had been in trouble with his superior officers.
Charles Bush had served with the Royal Army Medical Corps alongside his older brother Alfred Charles Morris Bush during the Boer War in South Africa from 1901 – 1904 and during his service in South Africa was employed as the clerk to the office of the PMO Cape Colony,
Whilst stationed in Kimberley, Cape Colony in August 1902, he disobeyed company orders, leaving the camp improperly dressed. In February 1903, he again left the camp improperly dressed and also overstaying his pass – both time he was confined to barracks for seven days and on the second occasion he also lost one day’s pay.
However, his most serious offence occurred in December 1903, when he was charged with neglect of duty by leaving the door of the lunatic ward unlocked for which he was confined to barracks for ten days.
I would expect that ward would have been for soldiers suffering from what is now known as PTSD and in the First World War became known as shell shock.
One wonders if not complying with an order and disrespectful language went something like "well that's a stupid order and whoever gave it is a fool as well" which somehow sounds quite familiar.
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