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Papers relating to military service, 1939 - 1945

 File
Reference Code: GBR/0269/DCPP/WHI/2/5

Scope and Contents

From the Series:

Includes some copies of originals held by the Whitby family relating to Sir Lionel's life, military (both World Wars) and medical career, with some biographical information. Includes: copies of medical certificates, 1918-27; letter from Clementine Churchill, 4 September 1944, thanking Brigadier Whitby for 'looking after Winston' and two letters from 'Leo' to his wife from Chateau Frontenac, 10-11 September 1944 (describing the long journey to the Quebec Conference and various meetings with Churchill) and 16 September (the last day of the Second Quebec Conference, attended by Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt) describing the dinner at the Citadel, when Whitby sat next to Roosevelt, and discussions with Churchill afterwards; 1948 talk to the Cambridge University Medical Society on 'The Career of Medicine'; Article 'The Medical Student in Britain and in America: A Contrast' by Whitby, reprinted from 'The Middlesex Hospital Journal (August 1955); Commemorative Oration on the Occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of the RAMC, given by Sir Gordon Gordon-Taylor, 25 June 1958, BMA House, Tavistock Square relating to Whitby and his First World War injuries; A S MacNalty's description of Whitby from the 'History of the College Club of the Royal College of Physicians of London (1964). Also includes WW1 commission certificate and a sketch made by Whitby during the First World War 'Sketch from Hill 560' (from the Balkans / Salonika campaign possibly), marked 'weather sunny', showing the location of various rocks etc, with a postcard showing the landscape in the Ypres salient during the war.

Dates

  • Creation: 1939 - 1945

Conditions Governing Access

From the Fonds:

Generally open.

Biographical / Historical

In 1938, Dr Whitby was promoted to Colonel in the Royal Army Medical Corps, Territorial Army. On the outbreak of war, he was called up for active service, transferred to the Territorial Army (Commands and Staff) and appointed commanding officer of the Army Blood Transfusion Service. He was promoted to Brigadier in 1942 and conducted a tour of hospitals in North Africa the following year to meet with doctors to discuss their uses and requirements for blood and plasma etc. The development of the Army Blood Transfusion Service under Brigadier Whitby's command was described by Major-General Ogilvie in 1945 as "the greatest surgical advance of this war, more important even than penicillin".

Extent

1 file(s)

Language of Materials

English

Related Materials

Academic papers re Army Blood Transfusion Service in WW2, DCPP/WHI/1

Finding aid date

2019-09-25 11:31:25+00:00

Repository Details

Part of the Downing College Repository

Contact:
Downing College Archive
Downing College
Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB2 1DQ United Kingdom
+44 (0)1223 762905