HIGHLAND WARTIME and MILITARY HOSPITALS
During both World Wars apart from very small establishments, nearly every general and fever hospital and some poorhouses were affected either by reserving beds for service personnel or by treating them as out-patients. Cameron Barracks and Fort George Military Hospitals, Inverness both had substantial additional caseloads. The list below notes where other wartime arrangements were made.
Cromwell’s Fort, Inverness 1652
Highland’s first medical hospital. Fort demolished 1662.
Fort George, Ardersier 1769
Included a hospital building at opening - later extended.
Cromarty Rope Works 1855
Temporary hospital used during Crimean War.
Cameron Barracks, Inverness 1884
Included hospital building much used during World War One.
First World War
Fort Augustus Abbey 1914
Red Cross Auxiliary (VAD) for the length of the war.
Dunrobbin Castle, Golspie 1914
Closed after serious fire in 1915.
Dunskaith House, Nigg 1914
Only briefly used due to water supply issue.
Balnagowan Castle, Kildary 1914
Closed 1915.
Naval Hospital, Invergordon (1) 1914
50 bed naval hospital run by Admiralty at Cromlet.
Kindergarten Hospital, Inverness 1914/15 (Read about it here.)
Small emergency hospital in High Church Hall for measles outbreak among Cameron Highlanders.
Cromarty Military Hospital 1915
Army Hutted hospital with 240 beds. Closed 1919.
Ivybank, Nairn 1915
Red Cross Auxiliary (VAD) for the length of the war.
Hedgefield, Inverness 1915
Red Cross Auxiliary (VAD) for the length of the war.
Seaforth Auxiliary, Strathpeffer 1916
Wing of Spa Hotel opened as auxiliary hospital by Lady Seaforth. Closed 1918
Leys Castle, Inverness 1917
Red Cross Auxiliary (VAD) closed 1918.
Fairburn House, Urray 1917
Red Cross Auxiliary (VAD). Closed 1918.
Novar House, Evanton 1917
Red Cross Auxiliary (VAD). Closed 1918.
Lochiel Arms, Fort William 1917
Red Cross Auxiliary (VAD). Mainly officers.
Naval Hospital, Invergordon (2) 1917
Hutted hospital - later the County Fever Hospital.
US Naval Hospital, Strathpeffer 1917
Occupies Pavilion, Highland and Ben Wyvis Hotels. Closed 1918.
Ardgay House 1917
Hospital for large contingent of New England Foresters. Closed 1918.
Second World War
Elsick House, Strathpeffer 1939
Army hospital later used for infectious diseases.
Dunrobbin Castle, Golspie 1939
Still open 1942 when it received Duke of Kent’s body after fatal air crash.
Duncraig Castle, Plockton 1939
Naval Hospital for the length of the war.
Achnagairn House, Beauly 1940
Red Cross Auxiliary (VAD) mainly officers. Closed 1945.
Gairloch Hotel 1939
Used by both Army and Navy during war. Provided local services also e.g. operations.
Forse House, Caithness 1940
RAF auxilary hospital during the war. Post war County residential home.
Glencoe House 1940
Auxilary Hospital during the war. Maternity 1948-56 then geriatric. Closed 2009.
Spa Hotel, Strathpeffer 1940
Ross and Cromarty Fever Hospital until 1946 after Navy requisitioned Invergordon hospital. Serious fire restricted use after 1942.
Creagdhu House, Onich 1940
Auxiliary hospital mothballed in 1941.