TOPIC:

Hello. I'm hoping to find information that will identify places/units my grandfather Dr. C.F. Ackland, civil surgeon,(from Devon, medical degree from Edinburgh Univ.) was attached to during the Anglo-Boer War. Photographs of him during the war are captioned rather loosely, if at all. e.g. some photos refer to the 4th Regiment Mounted Infantry, but this regiment is not listed as such in Unit information. Did surgeons go out into the battlefield or were they stationed always at field hospitals? My grandmother Minnie McNeill(trained at Royal Belfast Hospital) was a nursing sister with The Army Nursing Service Reserve and married Dr Ackland after the war. Some photos identify her at No.20 General Hospital. I'm in the process of having these photos copied before they deteriorate further. I also have two 'signature' table cloths she embroidered with the names of soldiers and crew on hospital ships returning to England. I'd like to give these items to an archive, when I can provide more accurate information . Any suggestions, please?

Hello amcneillt and welcome to the forum.

Tracing civil surgeons in the war can be a difficult task. This is because there are few records of them.

The 4th Mounted Infantry was a collection of different units so you're right that you won't find it listed under the units. I am having trouble identifying this particular MI so will need to do some digging.

He is listed the medal roll WO100/226p76 for the clasps SA01 and SA02 but there is no information against his name.

It would be worth searching the archives of the BMJ to see if you can find mention of him or an obituary.

Best wishes
David

Hello David,

Thank you for your welcome and reply to my query re my grandfather Dr C.F. Ackland. I have his QSA medal with clasps SA01 and SA02 and Cape Colony and Orange Free State. His KSA medal is missing, assuming he was awarded one. I will follow your suggestion to search the BMJ archives, but since he emigrated to Australia in 1913, where he died in 1924, I doubt the archives will throw much light on him. All I have is a collection of photographs - some of him in the field, and with fellow RAMC officers, poorly captioned, if at all! My aim is to provide more detailed information, and give them to an archive.

Thanking you,
Best wishes,
amcneillt