Index to the Royal Victoria Hospital Register 1914-1916

PRONI holds a register of war casualties who were treated in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast (RVH) between September 1914 and November 1916 (PRONI Reference: HOS/2/1/4/1). To support your research, we have developed an index to the entries in register.

RVH Register in context

Upon the outbreak of hostilities in 1914, the existing facilities for the reception of wounded soldiers from the front were soon overwhelmed.  In response, various types of hospitals were thrust into action.  As Belfast’s main civil hospital, the RVH played a key part in this effort.  It received its first few casualties in September and October 1914, with numbers increasing dramatically from November 1914. The hospital was paid directly by the military authorities, at a flat daily rate per individual (3 shillings 7 pence, later rising to 4 shillings). 

Being a voluntary hospital relying on subscription and charitable donation, it was imperative for the RVH to keep a clear record of who was coming into its care, how long they were treated and how much this equated to in covering cost.  PRONI holds the applicable admission register for army soldiers and officers chargeable to the War Office, for the years 1914 to 1916.

This record is exceedingly rare, as similar examples were destroyed en masse by UK military authorities after the war.

Listing 700 soldiers from various regiments, this volume notes (where available) their:

• name

• rank

• service number

• regiment

• battalion number

• date of admission

• date of discharge

Local regiments listed in the register include the Irish Guards and the Royal Irish Rifles; those from Britain include the Royal Berkshire Regiment, the Royal Scots Fusiliers and the Welsh Guards; while soldiers from New Zealand, Canada and Australia were also treated.    

The register has been digitised and is available to view by searching the PRONI reference (HOS/2/1/4/1) in the eCatalogue.

About the Index

This index was created to provide greater access to the details recorded in the RVH First World War Register, and can be downloaded using the link below.

The spreadsheet is sorted by alphabetically by surname, but data can be sorted by soldier’s name, rank, service number, regiment, battalion number, date of admission or date of discharge.  Alternatively, you can search the database for the information you need.  The corresponding page number for each entry in the Register is recorded in the spreadsheet.