In the face of huge amounts of bomb damage, both Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals remained opened throughout the war, treating casualties from across London.
One photo shows a huge gap where St Thomas’ Hospital buildings once stood, revealing the Houses of Parliament on the opposite side of the river (above).
Ten staff at St Thomas’ lost their lives in the bombings, though amazingly no patients were killed.
The Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation has launched an appeal for people to come forward with their stories to coincide with a service of remembrance marking 75 years since the bombs first landed.
Sir Hugh Taylor, chairman of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘The Blitz was a significant period in the history of Guy’s and St Thomas’, and the history of London.
‘Staff at the hospitals did their best for their patients in terrible conditions, sometimes even sterilising their equipment on Primus stoves so that they could work in the converted basement wards when the hot water wasn’t running.’
The bombings prompted a Royal visit in September 1940
Taylor added: ‘The first bombs hit the hospitals on 8 and 9 September 1940. ‘Now, 75 years on, we will remember the doctors, nurses and physiotherapists who died at St Thomas’ during the Blitz.
‘We are eager to hear from people who have memories or stories about our hospitals during the war, and for them to join us as we remember the sacrifice of the staff who lost their lives.’
The remembrance service will take place from 12.30-12.45pm on 10 September, in the St Thomas’ Hospital gardens. For details email chaplains@gstt.nhs.uk
The Emergency Theatres in what was formerly the Laundry Sorting Room
