Nursing in Bude, Cornwall, UK during WW2

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I am working on a writing project and the main character is a young nurse in Bude during WW2. I'm not quite sure how to put her there or get her there -- would there have been nurses stationed at RAF Cleave? Was there a hospital in Bude at that time? Would it be likely that a young girl might go from London to Bude during the war? Also, tangentially, was anyone in town using bicycles at that time?










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    I've taken the liberty of editing the title a bit. I think all the questions asked in the body are good ones that ought to be objectively answerable, and wouldn't want anyone just reading the title and getting the wrong impression that a vague general question was being asked.
    – T.E.D.♦
    4 hours ago







  • 1




    There probably weren't nurses at RAF Cleave, because it was devoted to aerial target towing, rather than being a combat airfield. When during WWII is your story set? Shortly before D-Day, a large number of junior doctors and nurses were sent out from the large London hospitals to strengthen the local hospitals of the south of England to handle casualties from the invasion. That might provide a reason for some nurses from London to be in Bude.
    – John Dallman
    4 hours ago














up vote
3
down vote

favorite












I am working on a writing project and the main character is a young nurse in Bude during WW2. I'm not quite sure how to put her there or get her there -- would there have been nurses stationed at RAF Cleave? Was there a hospital in Bude at that time? Would it be likely that a young girl might go from London to Bude during the war? Also, tangentially, was anyone in town using bicycles at that time?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Carolyn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.















  • 3




    I've taken the liberty of editing the title a bit. I think all the questions asked in the body are good ones that ought to be objectively answerable, and wouldn't want anyone just reading the title and getting the wrong impression that a vague general question was being asked.
    – T.E.D.♦
    4 hours ago







  • 1




    There probably weren't nurses at RAF Cleave, because it was devoted to aerial target towing, rather than being a combat airfield. When during WWII is your story set? Shortly before D-Day, a large number of junior doctors and nurses were sent out from the large London hospitals to strengthen the local hospitals of the south of England to handle casualties from the invasion. That might provide a reason for some nurses from London to be in Bude.
    – John Dallman
    4 hours ago












up vote
3
down vote

favorite









up vote
3
down vote

favorite











I am working on a writing project and the main character is a young nurse in Bude during WW2. I'm not quite sure how to put her there or get her there -- would there have been nurses stationed at RAF Cleave? Was there a hospital in Bude at that time? Would it be likely that a young girl might go from London to Bude during the war? Also, tangentially, was anyone in town using bicycles at that time?










share|improve this question









New contributor




Carolyn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











I am working on a writing project and the main character is a young nurse in Bude during WW2. I'm not quite sure how to put her there or get her there -- would there have been nurses stationed at RAF Cleave? Was there a hospital in Bude at that time? Would it be likely that a young girl might go from London to Bude during the war? Also, tangentially, was anyone in town using bicycles at that time?







world-war-two united-kingdom






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Check out our Code of Conduct.











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edited 4 hours ago









John Dallman

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asked 6 hours ago









Carolyn

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Carolyn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Carolyn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.







  • 3




    I've taken the liberty of editing the title a bit. I think all the questions asked in the body are good ones that ought to be objectively answerable, and wouldn't want anyone just reading the title and getting the wrong impression that a vague general question was being asked.
    – T.E.D.♦
    4 hours ago







  • 1




    There probably weren't nurses at RAF Cleave, because it was devoted to aerial target towing, rather than being a combat airfield. When during WWII is your story set? Shortly before D-Day, a large number of junior doctors and nurses were sent out from the large London hospitals to strengthen the local hospitals of the south of England to handle casualties from the invasion. That might provide a reason for some nurses from London to be in Bude.
    – John Dallman
    4 hours ago












  • 3




    I've taken the liberty of editing the title a bit. I think all the questions asked in the body are good ones that ought to be objectively answerable, and wouldn't want anyone just reading the title and getting the wrong impression that a vague general question was being asked.
    – T.E.D.♦
    4 hours ago







  • 1




    There probably weren't nurses at RAF Cleave, because it was devoted to aerial target towing, rather than being a combat airfield. When during WWII is your story set? Shortly before D-Day, a large number of junior doctors and nurses were sent out from the large London hospitals to strengthen the local hospitals of the south of England to handle casualties from the invasion. That might provide a reason for some nurses from London to be in Bude.
    – John Dallman
    4 hours ago







3




3




I've taken the liberty of editing the title a bit. I think all the questions asked in the body are good ones that ought to be objectively answerable, and wouldn't want anyone just reading the title and getting the wrong impression that a vague general question was being asked.
– T.E.D.♦
4 hours ago





I've taken the liberty of editing the title a bit. I think all the questions asked in the body are good ones that ought to be objectively answerable, and wouldn't want anyone just reading the title and getting the wrong impression that a vague general question was being asked.
– T.E.D.♦
4 hours ago





1




1




There probably weren't nurses at RAF Cleave, because it was devoted to aerial target towing, rather than being a combat airfield. When during WWII is your story set? Shortly before D-Day, a large number of junior doctors and nurses were sent out from the large London hospitals to strengthen the local hospitals of the south of England to handle casualties from the invasion. That might provide a reason for some nurses from London to be in Bude.
– John Dallman
4 hours ago




There probably weren't nurses at RAF Cleave, because it was devoted to aerial target towing, rather than being a combat airfield. When during WWII is your story set? Shortly before D-Day, a large number of junior doctors and nurses were sent out from the large London hospitals to strengthen the local hospitals of the south of England to handle casualties from the invasion. That might provide a reason for some nurses from London to be in Bude.
– John Dallman
4 hours ago










2 Answers
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up vote
5
down vote













I can answer your tangential question: bicycles were heavily used throughout the UK during WWII. There were no gasoline rations available to civilians, except for doctors and others with a strong need for them for public service, and car ownership was very much rarer than in the modern day anyway. It would be quite normal for a nurse who didn't have accommodation at her workplace to lodge nearby and travel by bicycle.






share|improve this answer



























    up vote
    4
    down vote













    There does not appear to be any evidence that there was ever a hospital in Bude, but there are two other possibilities for your nurse.



    There has long been a hospital in Stratton which (according to Google) is just 1.8 miles (2.9 km) away by road. According to the pdf Stratton Conservation Area Appraisal, Stratton Hospital was in place before 1926 and probably long before that as a 'Hospital Road' is mentioned in 1863.



    Also, there was Winsford Cottage Hospital at Halwill Junction, 17.5 miles / 28.16 km from Bude. This was operational from 1898 until its closure in 1998.



    Although RAF Cleave was a small airfield which (as John Dallamn mentions in his comment) was not a combat airfield, there a military presence in the area. This People's War site has an account of one Raymond Edgar Jacquett, who was a 14-year-old boy in 1941:




    In 1941 when the Americans joined the war there were thousands of
    American soldiers and all their equipment and as a 14 years old boy it
    was a good time. Everything came form Okehampton to Bude by train.




    Also, Bude was one of places that children were evacuated to during WWII. Nurses would undoubtedly have been in demand so it seems perfectly feasible for a young woman to go from London to the area around Bude at the time.






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      up vote
      5
      down vote













      I can answer your tangential question: bicycles were heavily used throughout the UK during WWII. There were no gasoline rations available to civilians, except for doctors and others with a strong need for them for public service, and car ownership was very much rarer than in the modern day anyway. It would be quite normal for a nurse who didn't have accommodation at her workplace to lodge nearby and travel by bicycle.






      share|improve this answer
























        up vote
        5
        down vote













        I can answer your tangential question: bicycles were heavily used throughout the UK during WWII. There were no gasoline rations available to civilians, except for doctors and others with a strong need for them for public service, and car ownership was very much rarer than in the modern day anyway. It would be quite normal for a nurse who didn't have accommodation at her workplace to lodge nearby and travel by bicycle.






        share|improve this answer






















          up vote
          5
          down vote










          up vote
          5
          down vote









          I can answer your tangential question: bicycles were heavily used throughout the UK during WWII. There were no gasoline rations available to civilians, except for doctors and others with a strong need for them for public service, and car ownership was very much rarer than in the modern day anyway. It would be quite normal for a nurse who didn't have accommodation at her workplace to lodge nearby and travel by bicycle.






          share|improve this answer












          I can answer your tangential question: bicycles were heavily used throughout the UK during WWII. There were no gasoline rations available to civilians, except for doctors and others with a strong need for them for public service, and car ownership was very much rarer than in the modern day anyway. It would be quite normal for a nurse who didn't have accommodation at her workplace to lodge nearby and travel by bicycle.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 4 hours ago









          John Dallman

          14.2k15070




          14.2k15070




















              up vote
              4
              down vote













              There does not appear to be any evidence that there was ever a hospital in Bude, but there are two other possibilities for your nurse.



              There has long been a hospital in Stratton which (according to Google) is just 1.8 miles (2.9 km) away by road. According to the pdf Stratton Conservation Area Appraisal, Stratton Hospital was in place before 1926 and probably long before that as a 'Hospital Road' is mentioned in 1863.



              Also, there was Winsford Cottage Hospital at Halwill Junction, 17.5 miles / 28.16 km from Bude. This was operational from 1898 until its closure in 1998.



              Although RAF Cleave was a small airfield which (as John Dallamn mentions in his comment) was not a combat airfield, there a military presence in the area. This People's War site has an account of one Raymond Edgar Jacquett, who was a 14-year-old boy in 1941:




              In 1941 when the Americans joined the war there were thousands of
              American soldiers and all their equipment and as a 14 years old boy it
              was a good time. Everything came form Okehampton to Bude by train.




              Also, Bude was one of places that children were evacuated to during WWII. Nurses would undoubtedly have been in demand so it seems perfectly feasible for a young woman to go from London to the area around Bude at the time.






              share|improve this answer
























                up vote
                4
                down vote













                There does not appear to be any evidence that there was ever a hospital in Bude, but there are two other possibilities for your nurse.



                There has long been a hospital in Stratton which (according to Google) is just 1.8 miles (2.9 km) away by road. According to the pdf Stratton Conservation Area Appraisal, Stratton Hospital was in place before 1926 and probably long before that as a 'Hospital Road' is mentioned in 1863.



                Also, there was Winsford Cottage Hospital at Halwill Junction, 17.5 miles / 28.16 km from Bude. This was operational from 1898 until its closure in 1998.



                Although RAF Cleave was a small airfield which (as John Dallamn mentions in his comment) was not a combat airfield, there a military presence in the area. This People's War site has an account of one Raymond Edgar Jacquett, who was a 14-year-old boy in 1941:




                In 1941 when the Americans joined the war there were thousands of
                American soldiers and all their equipment and as a 14 years old boy it
                was a good time. Everything came form Okehampton to Bude by train.




                Also, Bude was one of places that children were evacuated to during WWII. Nurses would undoubtedly have been in demand so it seems perfectly feasible for a young woman to go from London to the area around Bude at the time.






                share|improve this answer






















                  up vote
                  4
                  down vote










                  up vote
                  4
                  down vote









                  There does not appear to be any evidence that there was ever a hospital in Bude, but there are two other possibilities for your nurse.



                  There has long been a hospital in Stratton which (according to Google) is just 1.8 miles (2.9 km) away by road. According to the pdf Stratton Conservation Area Appraisal, Stratton Hospital was in place before 1926 and probably long before that as a 'Hospital Road' is mentioned in 1863.



                  Also, there was Winsford Cottage Hospital at Halwill Junction, 17.5 miles / 28.16 km from Bude. This was operational from 1898 until its closure in 1998.



                  Although RAF Cleave was a small airfield which (as John Dallamn mentions in his comment) was not a combat airfield, there a military presence in the area. This People's War site has an account of one Raymond Edgar Jacquett, who was a 14-year-old boy in 1941:




                  In 1941 when the Americans joined the war there were thousands of
                  American soldiers and all their equipment and as a 14 years old boy it
                  was a good time. Everything came form Okehampton to Bude by train.




                  Also, Bude was one of places that children were evacuated to during WWII. Nurses would undoubtedly have been in demand so it seems perfectly feasible for a young woman to go from London to the area around Bude at the time.






                  share|improve this answer












                  There does not appear to be any evidence that there was ever a hospital in Bude, but there are two other possibilities for your nurse.



                  There has long been a hospital in Stratton which (according to Google) is just 1.8 miles (2.9 km) away by road. According to the pdf Stratton Conservation Area Appraisal, Stratton Hospital was in place before 1926 and probably long before that as a 'Hospital Road' is mentioned in 1863.



                  Also, there was Winsford Cottage Hospital at Halwill Junction, 17.5 miles / 28.16 km from Bude. This was operational from 1898 until its closure in 1998.



                  Although RAF Cleave was a small airfield which (as John Dallamn mentions in his comment) was not a combat airfield, there a military presence in the area. This People's War site has an account of one Raymond Edgar Jacquett, who was a 14-year-old boy in 1941:




                  In 1941 when the Americans joined the war there were thousands of
                  American soldiers and all their equipment and as a 14 years old boy it
                  was a good time. Everything came form Okehampton to Bude by train.




                  Also, Bude was one of places that children were evacuated to during WWII. Nurses would undoubtedly have been in demand so it seems perfectly feasible for a young woman to go from London to the area around Bude at the time.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered 2 hours ago









                  Lars Bosteen

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