Item VT R-10697 - Dr. Tilley and His Guinea Pigs

Shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, the British Ministry of Health as part of its Emergency Medical Service scheme selected the Queen Victoria Cottage Hospital at East Grinstead, Sussex, England, as one of the specialist centres to deal with plastic surgery, burns and jaw injuries. The Ministry appointed A.H. McIndoe, B.B.E., Consultant in Plastic Surgery to the Royal Air Force (RAF), and W. Kelsey Fry, Consultant in Dental Surgery to the RAF, to head their respective fields at the Hospital.

From the earliest days of the war, Canadian airmen requiring this form of specialized treatment, as well as other similarly injured Allied Air Force personnel, were sent to the Hospital. In January, 1942, Canadian surgeon Wing Commander A. Ross Tilley was posted to the Hospital. The number of casualties received soon exceeded all available beds and the Canadian Government authorized the construction and equipment of a special Royal Canadian Air Force Wing designed to accommodate fifty patients. Dr. Tilley was promoted to the rank of Group Captain, and in June 1944, received the Order of the British Empire.

The construction of the Canadian Wing began in December 1943. Built and staffed by Canadians, the Wing opened in July 1944. On September 5th, 1945 the Canadian Wing was officially handed over to the Board of Management of the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead by Fredric Hudd, Acting High Commissioner for Canada.

Because of the nature of the injuries, many new techniques in plastic surgery were introduced at the Hospital with the result that the patients christened themselves "Guinea Pigs." The Maxillonian Club, so named because patients were treated by the Maxillo-Facial Unit, was founded on July 20, 1941, its initial aim being "to promote good fellowship among, and to maintain contact with, approved frequenters of the Queen Victoria Hospital." The name was later changed to the Guinea Pig Club. The Club was soon after granted charitable status.

The Club had over 640 members, 176 of whom were Canadian. A Canadian Wing, or branch, of the Guinea Pig Club was organized in 1948. Although the Canadian Wing branch is still in existence (2007), it held its last reunion and issued its last newsletter in 2006. The Club executive has been predominately based in Saskatchewan since the 1980s.