From late 1914, the Field Ambulance of the Scottish Horse Mounted Brigade was posted to Northumberland and stationed at Bedlington (16 miles north of Newcastle and close to the port of Blyth), and later Newcastle where the wounded were received at First Northern General Hospital. Training took place at Blagdon and Morpeth, wooded areas with many streams and a road network, which were ideal for military training.
The six photograph albums in this section represent a full documentary record of the SHMB’s Home Service, and include: SHMB Field Ambulance officers; stretcher squads and stretcher drills; training for transporting wounded and first aid dressing; constructing operating tents, bridges and dressing stations; field training in Cramlington for trench warfare; digging trenches and laterines; officers’ camp life at Bedlington; pay parade and ration collecting; pitching tents and loading ambulances; surgical operating car designed by Henry Wade, and equipment; route marches and pipers; Newcastle billet at disused biscuit factory; Armstrong College which was converted into the First Northern General Hospital showing grounds, wards, dispensary, pack and linen store and medical and nursing personnel; casualties from the Battle of Neuve Chapelle (March 1915) showing patients with various wounds, mostly gunshot.
