Up the creek

[JessBoo]

A colleague just told me she read in a book that the phrase "up the creek without a paddle" originated in Gosport, where injured soldiers had to go up the creek to get to Hasler hospital. It didn't sound very plausible to me, but I found this on it,

This saying originates from Gosport England Hasler to be exact its from where injured saliors would be sent up the creek, a river in Hasler and then loaded onto another boat that was on rails and then pulled up to Hasler Hospital (Parts of the rail system are still there) hence the saying UP THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE.

Here.
And this link says that the injured could get to the hospital via the creek without breaking quarantine.

i can't find anythign definite, though. It seems to be a local legend. Any ideas, anyone?