Shell Shock

During the duration of the First World War, thousands of soldiers on both sides, suffered from the Shell Shock. 

The efforts of soldiers who suffered from Shell Shock, which, was caused by the heavy explosions, suffered from sleeping.  Soldiers also panicked when hearing gunshots, loud noises, shouting.

British soldiers, who were the first to report the effects, at the outbreak of the war, 1914, other symptoms were tinnitus, headaches, dizziness, amnesia and tremors.  Most of the soldiers did not show any physical sings of injury.

As the war progressed, the number of Shell Shock cases grew, doctors, still thought that it was caused by some sort of physical damage that the troops in the line were experiencing in battle. 

The idea that Shell Shock, also caused emotional issues and not just physical ones, when troops, whom were not near the shelling reporting similar symptoms.  Officials still believed that it was a physical. 

The Solider on the left, is suffered with the effects of Shell Shock

Soldiers that were suffering from Shell Shock, were taken out of frontline quickly.  Soldiers were given a few days’ rest.  If the case were light, the soldier would return back to the line, the officer was recommended to monitor the soldier’s progress.  When it was quiet, the officer was also recommended that he talked to him about anything.

If the case was more severe the, the solider was taken to the casualty clearing station for sever weeks.  If they still had not recovered, they sent on for further observations. 

Fourth-fifths of those men, who entered hospital, suffering from Shell Shock, did not return to military duty. 

Shell Shock soldiers returning from Front, were first sent to Netley Hospital, Hampshire.  Netley Hospital was first constructed during 1856, from plans drawn up by Florence Nightingale.  The hospital finally closed in 1958.

During the First World War, Netley Hospital could accommodate around 2,500 at one time and during the course of the First World War treated 50,000 soldiers, cared for by Red Cross volunteers.

Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen

Officers who suffered from Shell Shock, were sent to Craiglockhart Hospital, Edinburgh.  Probably the most famous patients there were poets, Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen.  Owen edited The Hydra, where their poems featured.

Sassoon, wrote the poem “Survivors”, Craiglockhart, October 1917.

No doubt they’ll soon get well; the shock and strain
Have caused their stammering, disconnected talk.
Of course they’re ‘longing to go out again,’—
These boys with old, scared faces, learning to walk.
They’ll soon forget their haunted nights; their cowed
Subjection to the ghosts of friends who died,—
Their dreams that drip with murder; and they’ll be proud
Of glorious war that shatter’d all their pride...
Men who went out to battle, grim and glad;
Children, with eyes that hate you, broken and mad.

Soldiers were transferred from Netley to various hospitals around the country.  In Wales, soldiers were sent to Talgarth Hospital, Talgarth, Brecknockshire.

Talgarth Hospital

Talgarth Hospital, was the asylum hospital, having been opened during 1903.  One of those Shell-Shocked soldiers was John Lewis.

John Lewis, who served with the Welsh Regiment, 6^th (Glamorgan) Battalion, Territorial Force.   He died on the 20^th October 1915, aged 47.

John Lewis's Grave

Lewis was buried in the pauper cemetery of the hospital. Its only his grave that represented by a headstone.

John Lewis's Grave

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the time of the 1911 Census, Lewis, was a Dock Labourer On Boats. Residing at 26 Vivian Street, Hafod, with his wife and 6 children

1911 Census
2nd April