Christening 1918 Tree Planting Soldiers Group

Christopher Powell-Cotton (1918-2006) was christenend at All Saints Church, Birchington on 20 April 1918. Afterwards a tree was planted in the grounds of Quex Park. A group of soldiers are standing around the tree. On the right is James Cornford, the Head Gardener at Quex. On the far left is Sergeant Alexander Gibson of the 19th Battalion, Australian Infantry Force. He was a patient at the Quex Park VAD hospital for 17 days in April 1918 and stood proxy for one of the Godfathers who was away on war duty. Gibson soon returned to active duty and in June 1918 he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery. The other soldiers include some more Australians. The civilians standing behind them may be Quex Estate workers. The Quex Park VAD Hospital opened on 15 October 1914 and closed on 31 January 1919. The hospital was run by Kent/178, the Birchington Detachment. The Commandant was Hannah Powell-Cotton (1881-1964), wife of Major Percy HG Powell-Cotton (1866-1940) of Quex Park, founder of the Powell-Cotton Museum

1866 Afterwards Australians Birchington Bravery Commandant Detachment Gardener Godfathers Include Percy Planted Proxy Quex Recuperation Rehabilitation Returned Voluntary

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