After a request for memories appeared in the Daily Echo on the 8th January 2013, I had a few phone calls from people who had visited or stayed at Netley for various reasons.

 

"A friend of mine found out that her son Joe was in Netley Hospital in the Second World War and asked if I could visit him for her. I lived in Millbrook so I got the tram to Southampton, then one to the floating bridge. When I got off the other side at Woolston, it was very cold. I walked along the shore to Netley hospital, opened the huge door into a room with a marble floor. There was so much going on - lots of nurses and orderlies pushing stretchers on wheels. I asked if they had a Joe in one of the wards and was told to try and find him myself as they didn't know. Eventually, one of the patients pointed him out to me and I went over to him. He was in a very bad way and didn't know me. I knew that there was no hope for him and said my goodbyes. I can remember the noise and smell of the place and there were metal buckets everywhere. I left and travelled back home to my cold room. I remember having to relight the range. I had to send my friend a telegram telling her the sad news about her son. I will never forget that place."

 

From Doreen Allen nee Bull aged 89 years young.

 

 

George Curl was an apprentice gas fitter there in the 1930's. He helped fix the boilers, fires and lights if they needed it. He told me about the hospital that was built in India which was very similar to the one at Netley.

 

 

Peter Jelley was 14 years of age and he was a volunteer with the Red Cross in WWII. He and 3 friends were picked up near Derby Road by a U.S. Truck every Wednesday evening for a few hours, They also went on Saturdays and stayed overnight in the hospital. He regularly wrote letters for patients unable to write, he kept in contact with some after the War. He also took the wheelchair bound on walks through the grounds. He took in bait, line and hooks to fish from the pier with G I's. (Paul Keast went to visit Peter)

 

Jerry Thompson has fond memories of his grandad Staff Sergeant J. W. Hunton RAMC who was a Chelsea Pensioner and who used to go to Netley in the summer for his holidays. He had a bright red coat for the summer, and a black one for winter time he recalls.

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