Second contingent of wounded soldiers arrive at Oldway 16 October 1914

Abridged from the Paignton Western Guardian 22 October 1914

"The second contingent of wounded soldiers from the front to reach Paignton arrived on Friday afternoon, and were conveyed in the GWR motor buses, private cars and tradesmen’s vehicles, to the American Women’s Hospital at Oldway. They numbered 125 of which about 30 were cot cases. They were representatives of various regiments, and as was the case with the first contingent which arrived some weeks ago, a great number were wounded in the feet and legs. Some however, had their heads bandaged and their arms in slings. The less seriously injured were, with assistance, able to walk to the conveyances which were waiting. They still have traces of the hardships they had undergone, the torn and tattered uniforms and haggard faces telling their own tale. The cot cases were tenderly taken out on stretchers, the work of disentrancing occupying and hour and a half.

The men arrived from Havre on the L. and S.W.R. Co’s steamer “St David” and left Southampton about 11 o’clock on Friday reaching Paignton shortly before 3 pm. When the train steamed into the station about a thousand persons had assembled in the vicinity. On the platform when it steamed into the station were Mr. Paris E. Singer, Col. Gunning (Commandant at the Hospital), the Vicar of Paignton (Rev. A.R. Fuller), Drs Bennett, Collier, Frampton and Adams. The Northumbrian R.A.M.C. (T.F.) accompanied the wounded from Southampton. In spite of their wounds the men were generally in good spirits, and appeared to be enjoying their favourite smokes."