Huskards VAD Hospital, Ingatestone
Huskards was owned by Colonel Frank Hilder MP and his wife Evelyn.
It was open and as 55 bed auxiliary hospital from September 1914 to January 19th 1919 during which time Mrs Evelyn M Hilder had been commandant.
Sister Benson was in charge of wards in the barn and Mrs Wellesley Piggot of the house wards.
By October 1914 the first contingent of Belgian and British patients had arrived.
In March 1915 there were 37 patients at Huskards and a concert was held staring many of the patients including Cpl Duligal ( Shropshire LI), Cpl Hiron, Bombardier Ashwin, Bombardier Noond, Bombardier Cotterell and Gunner Gunster.
In July 1916 the patients team played the Vicars team at Cricket with a win for the wounded soldiers. Amongst their team members were CSM Emery, Sgt Nelson, Cpl Tarbett and Privates Kerr, Daly and Wilson.
On 25 May 1917 the Countess of Warwick, President of Essex Red Cross, visited the hospital and was met with a guard of honour led Sgt Major Broadley of the Cameron Highlanders and RQMS Eagle.
Recognising that by then 1500 patients had been treated at the hospital badges and certificates were presented by the Countess to the following
Mrs Hilder ( Commandant) , Mrs Neild ( Lady Supt), Mrs Sidgwick ( Asst Commandant), Mrs Benson ( Quartermaster), Mrs C Browne ( Asst QM).
Nurses E Barnett, M Barnett, L Barnett, J Balls, H Coleby, A DuCane, A Foster, E Hilder, M Kortwright, H Kenyon, E Matcham, F Minnett, H Noakes, D Rose, L Raven, K Raven, E Smith, S Urquart and G West.
A Silver cup was to be presented to Medical Officer , Dr J Stirling Hamilton.
In August 1917 the highlight was a sports day organised by Sgt Barclay, Cpl Redbond, Cpl Templeton and PO Lawrence. Competitors included Mssrs Mosely, Jenkins, Hill, Turner, Watson, Velate, Daniels, Ayton and Rossner. Featuring in the nursing races were Sisters Maturin, Jensen, Annie and Ethel
In 1917the hospital was acting as an auxiliary to the 3rd London General Hospital at Wandsworth and so many of the patients were Australian and so the hospital was visited by a number of Senior Australian Officers including Rt Hon Andrew Fisher who was the High Commissioner for Australia.
On 19 January 1919 the last few patients were collected by motor bus and taken to Chelmsford Railway Station for their journeys home.
After the patients had left there was a tea party and concert for 80 members of staff, supporters , gunners and searchlight parties at which Colonel Hilder presented each nurse with a writing case containing a certificate bearing the words " A memento of the service rendered to Huskards Auxiliary Hospital, Ingatestone, Sep 1914 to Jan 1919, from Evelyn M Hilder"
Dr Hamilton. the medical officer of the hospital, was presented with a silver tobacco box, suitably inscribed.
