Page 16 - QARANC Vol 20 No 1 2022

16 The Gazette QARANC Association
A new chapter for Cambridge Military Hospital
Major (Retd) Kay Foster QARANC uncovers the history of the Cambridge Military Hospital, which is beginning a new chapter
as luxury apartments, but with a statue of Florence Nightingale outside in reference to its military past.
The Cambridge Military Hospital (CMH) opened in 1879. It was named for Prince George Duke of Cambridge, the grandson of George III and cousin of Queen Victoria. He was an Army officer by profession and served as Commander-in-Chief of the Forces 1856-1895.
The hospital cost £45,758 to build and had a commanding presence set on top of Gun Hill overlooking Aldershot with its yellow Bath stone, bell tower and a large clock some 109 feet high.
Florence Nightingale’s principles for the building of a military hospital was
Jurassic Coast members Kay Foster and Sue Shrimpton (left) met with other QAs at the unveiling of the Florence Nightingale statue
utmost in the minds of the architects the Royal Engineers Department regarding matters affecting health, efficiency, administration, sunlight and the circulation of fresh air. Oh, how modern hospitals in 2020/21 could have done with these principles during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The CMH was built on a hill, known as Gun Hill, because Florence Nightingale believed that the fresh air
at the summit would help sweep away any infection. As a result of this raised location, the building which resembles a stately home and has a 109 feet tall central clock tower, inspired by the clocktower at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, is a local landmark that is visible from many miles away.
Its exceptionally high ceilings, large windows and wide corridors of the building are also reflections of Florence’s design principles to make hospitals a place of healing, both physical and mental.
The CMH closed to patients on 5 February 1996, after more than a century of providing medical care to servicemen and women, their families and the local civilian population. It’s smaller neighbour, the Louise Margaret Hospital, which opened in 1898 and it was purpose built to care for the wives and children of Army personnel, had already closed the previous year.
The last royal visit to the Cambridge Military Hospital was made on 13 April 1995 by Her Royal Highness Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowden and Colonel in Chief of the QARANC. I was serving at this time as a QA officer at the CMH and having always been a
HRH Princess Margaret made the last royal visit to the Cambridge Military Hospital in 1995