The interior of a hospital train, 1900 (c)

Photograph, Boer War (1899-1902), 1900 (c).

During the Boer War hospital trains were either expressly built for the purpose or adapted from existing rolling stock. The 'Princess Christian' hospital train was specifically constructed for the British Central Red Cross Committee. It cost £14,000, mainly raised by HRH Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, and consisted of seven carriages.

Four ward carriages carried invalids on three-tier bunks; another carried two nurses and two orderlies, together with hospital linen and other medical stores; the sixth housed a dining room, dispensary and two medical officers, and the seventh comprised a kitchen, pantry and guard's compartment. It was completely self-contained and carried everything needed for staff and patients to survive, even if cut off from sources of supply for two weeks.

From an album of 24 photographs.