Medical Department 1884-1901
This unit was first raised in 1884 as the Medical Branch with the only officers being Surgeon Major James W. Hope and Surgeon Charles B Elliot. By 1889 the unit still had just 2 Surgeons. In 1890 the unit was renamed to the Medical Department and often referred to as the Medical Staff. In 1893 it had a strength of 5 Surgeons having doubled in size in just 4 years. In the latter years of the WADF’s history this unit rose dramatically in size, from 8 in 1899 to 18 in 1900 to 11 in 1903.
Year | Medical Officers | Surgeon Officers | Surgeons | Total |
1884 | – | 1 | 1 | 2 |
1889 | – | – | 2 | 2 |
1893 | – | – | 5 | 5 |
1894 | – | 4 | 2 | 6 |
1897 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
1899 | 5 | 4 | – | 9 |
1900 | 17 | 2 | – | 19 |
1903 | 12 | – | – | 12 |
On the 1st January 1901 a veterinary department of 1 officer (Captain Le Souef) was created.
On the 1st July 1903 the Medical Department was absorbed into the newly created Australian Army Medical Corps.
During the 2nd Boer War 6 members of the Medical Department served in South Africa. 1 in each of the 6 WAMI’s. 1 medical officer was wounded and 2 were Mentioned in Despatches.
1st WAMI
Name | Rank | Birthplace | Job | Age | Service Notes | Campaign Notes |
George F McWilliams | Maj (Medical Staff) | VIC | Previous Service in the Prince Of Wales Light Horse (15 Months), Melbourne University Company (2 Years) 8 Years in the Medical Staff | Appointed chief Medical officer for all Australian Forces |
2nd WAMI
John M Y Stewart | Captain (Medical Staff) Maj (Medical Staff) (Sep 1901) | Scotland | Medical Officer | 34 | Previous Service in the 1st Lankashire (5 Years), Guildford Infantry W.A. (5 Years) 1 Year in the Medical Staff | |
3rd WAMI
Frederick J Ingoldby | Cpt (Medical Staff) Maj (Medical Staff) (Dec 1900) | 7 Years in the Medical Staff (Mostly attached to the Permanent Artillery) | Wounded in the Battle Of Koster River 19/7/00 Was given MID | |||
4th WAMI
Walter Gibson | Cpt (Medical Staff) | 4 Months in the Medical Staff | ||||
5th WAMI
Joseph I Flynn | Cpt (Medical Staff) | 6 Months in the Medical Staff | ||||
6th WAMI
Francis Bentley Reid | Cpt (Medical Staff) | 6 Months in the Medical Staff | Mentioned in C.O. Despatches | |||
COMMANDING OFFICERS
Surgeon Major James W. Hope (26th March 1884 – 2nd January 1886)
Lieutenant Colonel Charles B Elliot (2nd January 1886 – 30th September 1902)
Major Arthur Thomas White (30th September 1902 – 1st July 1903)
LIST OF OFFICERS
Lieutenant Colonel
Charles B Elliot (26/3/84-30/9/02)
Served as the surgeon for the Geraldton Rifles in 1884. He then became an unattached Surgeon from 1884-1894 rising to the rank of Surgeon-Captain. Served in the Medical Department from 1894-1899 rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He then served as the Medical Officer for the Geraldton District from 1899 to his retirement in 1902.
Majors
James W. Hope (26/3/84-2/1/86)
Previously had served in the York Rifles as a Captain between 1878 and 1879. He was appointed Surgeon Major.
Arthur T White (26/4/89-1/7/03)
Served as a Surgeon from 1889-1899 rising to the rank of Surgeon-Captain. Served in as a Medical officer in the Medical Department from 1899-1903 rising to the rank of Major. Continued to serve in the Australian Army Medical Corps from 1903-1916 rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Commanded the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital in 1916 in the Great War. Was promoted to Colonel in 1917 and continued to serve in the A.A.M.C. until 1922. Was awarded the C.M.G., MID, 3 war medals and 1 long service medal.
George F McWilliams (5/8/91-1/7/03)
Served as a Surgeon in the Medical staff from 1891-1899 rising to the rank of Surgeon-Captain. In 1899 he was designated the medical officer of Perth with the rank of Major. He served in the 2nd Boer War as a medical officer with the 1st WAMI rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He had previously served as an enlisted in the Southern Troop of Light Horse from 1882-1883 and the Melbourne University Corps from 1884-1886. He was awarded 1 war medal.
John M Y Stewart (17/2/99-1/7/03)
Served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Guildford Infantry from 1894-1899. Became a Captain in the Medical Staff in 1899 and was made chief medical officer of Guildford soon after. He served with the 2nd WAMI as the medical Captain in South Africa. Upon returning home In 1901 he was promoted to Major and 2 years later retired.
He returned in 1914 with the rank of Major and was given command of the 2nd Australian General Hospital AIF for service in the Great War. In 1917 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and was given command of the 15th Field Ambulance AIF which he commanded until the end of the war. He retired in 1920 with the honorary rank of Colonel. He was awarded the C.B.E., DSO, an MID, 4 War Medals and 1 Long Service Medal.
Captains
Frederick J Ingoldby (14/3/93-13/2/00)
Served as the Surgeon-Captain of the Permanent Force Artillery from 1893-1900. Served in the 2nd Boer War with the 3rd WAMI as a medical officer rising to the rank of Major. He was wounded at the Battle of Koster River. He was awarded a MID and 1 war medal.
John A O’Meehan (23/11/93-1/10/96)
Was a Surgeon-Captain
Charles Lovegrove (11/10/94-1/9/02)
Was a Surgeon-Captain.
Thomas H Robinson (7/2/95-1/7/03)
Was originally as Surgeon from 1895-1898 rising to the rank of Captain. Served on the medical staff from 1898-1903. Continued to serve in the Australian Army Medical Corps until 1909.
Charles Swanston (4/9/99-1/7/03)
Continued to serve in the Australian Army Medical Corps until 1906.
Edward J A Haynes (5/12/99-1/7/03)
Previous military service in NSW and with the Perth Mounted Rifles from 1894-1895. Continued to serve in the Australian Army Medical Corps until the end of 1903.
Walter Gibson (6/12/99-15/3/00)
Served in the 2nd Boer War as a medical officer with the 4th WAMI. He received 1 war medal.
Somerville B Davies (3/4/00-1/7/03)
Previously served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the York Infantry for 7 months in 1896. Continued to serve in the Australian Army Medical Corps until the end of 1903.
Ernest A Le Souef (1/1/01-1/7/03)
CO of the Veterinary Department. Served as a Lieutenant from 1901-1903 and as a Captain in 1903. After 1903 he became part of the Australian Army Veterinary Corps, by 1911 rising to the rank of Major. In 1912 he became chief veterinary officer of the 5th Military District (WA). From 1916-1917 he served in the great war. He retired in 1926.
Lieutenants
George W Barber (1/9/00-1/7/03)
Served as the medical staff officer to the Goldfields Battalion of Infantry from 1900-1903. Served as part of the Australian Army Medical Corps from 1903-1914 rising to the rank of Major. Served in the Great war with the 2nd Australian Station Hospital from 1914-1916 and commanded the unit from 1915-1916. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1916 and commanded the A.D.M.S. 4th Division from 1916-1918 and then the D.D.M.S. from 1918-1919. Returned home from the war and was the P.M.O. for the 5th Military District (W.A.) from 1919 to 1921 rising to the rank of Colonel. Was the D.D.M.S. of the 5th District Base from 1921-1925. Promoted to Major General and assigned to the D.G.M.S. Army Headquarters from 1925-1934. He was awarded the CB, CMG, DSO, MID (6 Times), 3 war medals and 1 foreign medal (Croix De Guirre from France).
Walter A S Bridgeford (1/9/00-1/7/03)
Continued to serve in the Australian Army Medical Corps from 1903-1905.
Joseph I Flynn (1/9/00-11/12/00)
Served in the 2nd Boer War with the 5th WAMI as a medical officer rising to the rank of Captain. He received 1 war medal.
Josiah Corlis (1/9/00-1/9/02)
Henry O Irwin (1/9/00-19/12/03)
Francis B Reid (1/9/00-8/3/01)
Served in the 2nd Boer War with the 6th WAMI as a medical officer rising to the rank of Captain. He was awarded 1 war medal;
Dr. Owen F Paget (1/12/00-1/7/03)
Continued to serve in the Australian Army Medical Corps from 1903-1908 rising to the rank of Captain. Retired from 1908-1913. Was again Captain from 1913-1919. Had served as an enlisted in the Charterhouse School Volunteers and the Cambridge University Volunteers.
Dr. Richard N F Rockett (15/12/00-1/7/03)
Continued to serve in the A.A.V.C. until 1905.
Dr. Simon C Joel (27/2/01-1/7/03)
Continued to serve in the Australian Army Medical Corps from 1903-1920 rising to the rank of Captain.
