Q 029

Q 029

Soldiers wearing their ‘Blue hospital suits” stand in front of the Swan Hotel in 1915.

“When he arrived in England, a battle wounded soldier was sent to a hospital specialising in his type of wound or to one of the numerous convalescent establishments scattered through the uk. There, he was issued with a special hospital uniform consisting of a blue single-breasted jacket with a white lining – worn open at the neck, blue trousers, a white shirt and a red tie. To complete the outfit he wore his own khaki service cap with its regimental badge. The suit was also known as ‘blue invalid uniform’, ‘hospital suit’ and ‘hospital blues’. Curiously it had no pockets”.

  All images on this site © Godfrey Andrews ALRESFORD HERITAGE