Although there is no 100 percent certain method of identifying the number of deaths that occurred in the Glenroy Military Isolation Hospital, the probable figure is six.
Family Notices for three of the deceased clearly identified Glenroy Hospital as the place of death; Victorian Births, Deaths and Marriages however show “Cbelfield” (Campbellfield) as the district for NAISMITH, “Cbellfield ” for BAKER, and “Cbfield” for PERKINS.
Filtering Deaths between 1915 and 1917 (the years the hospital operated) using these three codes as the Place of Death reveals 28 entries under these three variations.
Of these, 13 were Female and thus eliminated, as were another five under the age of 15 (including what appears to be twin 14-year-old brothers named Hooper), while three others at ages 79, 84 and105(!) can also be ignored.
That leaves seven males of an enlistment age; these comprised the six at Glenroy Hospital, the other a serviceman Oscar Hunter CHIVERS, but who died in the Clearing Hospital at the Broadmeadows Camp with the location of his demise incorrectly recorded.
BAKER, William Tarrant He enlisted 5 February, 1916 as a 27-year-old labourer with his father William in Broadford as next of kin. Nominally assigned as 4973, 24th Infantry, 13th Reinforcements, he was in Broadmeadows Camp for over before being admitted at Glenroy on 7 June and dying there of measles bronchial pneumonia of the 19th. His unit embarked on 28 July. Born Broadford, interred Broadford Cemetery.
NAISMITH, William Swanson He enlisted on 12 July, 1915 as a 23-year-old grocer and accountant, his father James in Portland as next of kin. He had served three years with the Naval Cadets and was assigned in camp to No. 2 Company, Naval Brigade Train before he died 29 August, 1915 from influenza and cardiac failure; it is not recorded when he was admitted to Glenroy, but the Death Advice suggests he was being treated for a month before his death. Born Natimuk, interred Portland Public Cemetery.
DEATHS – NAISMITH — On the 28th August, 1915, at the Military Hospital, Glenroy, William Swanson Naismith, second son of Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Naismith, Portland, aged 23 years.
PERKINS, Eric Bruce Born Nhill, enlisted 3 June, 1916 as a 21-year-old farmer with his widowed mother Clara (late father, William) at Ouyen as next of kin. He was assigned as V45908 when he entered the Domain Camp on 19 June at while in training Records show that he was treated for measles and later pneumonia for a total of 26 days before he died at 4.00 a.m., 13 September, 1916, interred privately.
BEREAVEMENT NOTICE. MRS. PERKINS and Family desire to tender their heartfelt Thanks to their many friends for their kind expressions of sympathy in their recent sad bereavement, to the Ouyen Rifle Club, and especially to the Doctors, Nurses, and Staff of the Glenroy Military Hospital for their kind attention to their loved one and to themselves in their hour of deepest sorrow.
RYAN, Rudolph He enlisted on 12 July, 1915 as a 32-year-old travelling salesman with his mother Annie at Warrnambool as next of kin. He was nominally assigned to the 10th Reinforcements, 7 Infantry but was spent less than three weeks in camp before being admitted to Glenroy where he died from tuberculosis on 16 August. Born Allendale, he was buried with military honours at the Coburg General Cemetery; father Thomas deceased.
RYAN.–In memory of our brother, Private Rudolph (Rody) Ryan, who died at Glenroy Military Hospital, August 16, 1915. R.I.P. (M. R., J. R., M. P. R., on active service)
KIRK, Donald He enlisted 11 September, 1915 as a 32-year-old cheese factory manager in Toowoomba with his father in country N.S.W. and originally assigned as 1685, 2nd Light Horse, but he subsequently appears to have been transferred to Broadmeadows to attend a Signalling School. He died on 30 October, 1915 (apparently ten days after admission) from measles and broncho-pneumonia, interred Coburg Cemetery. Perhaps as an indication of conditions at Glenroy, his file contains a note confirming his father had been advised, but as an immediate burial was imperative, nothing could be done to return his remains interstate.
KIRK — At Glenroy Military Hospital, Victoria on 30th ultimo, Donald, aged 32, fourth son of Mr. James Kirk, of Myocum, of pneumonia.
WALSH, John Thomas Born Merino, he enlisted at Hamilton, 23 March, 1916 as a 37-year-old farmer and road contractor with an elder sister Mrs. Bridget Murphy as next of kin. He first entered camp at Ballarat, but around ten days later transferred to Broadmeadows and then admitted to Glenroy on 16 July. Nominally assigned to 20th Reinforcements, 5th Infantry, he died of measles and pneumonia 26 July, 1916 Interred Digby Cemetery (Merino and Digby are neighboring towns around 30km west of Hamilton).
The other serviceman listed as dying was William (Edward) TROTT, a 21-year-old wood merchant from Auburn who died 15 May, 1915, but in the Clearing Hospital at the Broadmeadows Camp – his listing under Campbellfield may have been an error, as there were undoubtedly other deaths at the camp hospital.
The Place of Death on the AWM Roll of Honour for Kirk, Naismith and Walsh shows as the Glenroy Hospital, Baker and Perkins simply as “Australia” and Ryan “Victoria”.
There could, of course, have been other deaths recorded under further variations of “Campbellfield”; the hospital undoubtedly kept records, but it is unlikely that they would ever have released to the public.
