Hello Paul
Welcome to the forum.
Here is a little bit of information relating to Major Donegan , do you have any information relating to your Grandfather's time in South Africa? A name might help.
James Francis Donegan .
Promoted to Surgeon Major in July 1898, he then served in the Boer War in command of the 18th British Field Hospital and took part in operations in Natal, 1899, including the action at Talana and the defence of Ladysmith, including operations on 10 December 1899 and 6 January 1900. He then served in operations in Natal, March-June 1900, including the action at Laing’s Nek; operations in the Transvaal, east of Pretoria, including the actions at Riet Vlei, Belfast and Lydenburg; operations in the Transvaal, November 1900-31 May 1902; operations in the Orange River Colony, 30 November 1900-31 May 1902 and on the Zululand frontier of Natal in September-October 1901. For his services he was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 8 February 1901) and recommended for special recognition.
During the siege of Ladysmith Donegan had a series of clashes with the Principal Medical Officer, Colonel Exham. He contended that hospital conditions were kept needlessly bad and that the cause was the man in overall charge of the garrison’s health. Keeping a detailed account, Donegan noted that in January he had been verbally instructed to cut off all medical comforts to the sick men of the 18th Field Hospital, even to the extent of stopping the pitifully small allowances of sago, arrowroot and brandy. Asking for the order to be given in writing provoked Exham to threaten Donegan with dismissal. Donegan wrote, ‘All he cares about is to have some medicines and medical comforts when the relief column comes in & then pretend he made a most splendid defence whereas in reality he is leaving the men to starve at present & does not care....’ Worse than this hoarding of medicines and medical comforts for appearances sake was the further charge that same items were being diverted by Exham to his associates amongst the civilians, journalists and influential officers - Donegan being forced by Exham to invoice goods as if it were used by the 18th Field Hospital whereas they went straight into the hands of Exham’s cronies. To add insult to injury, Exham was fussy with regard to the appearance of the makeshift hospital wards. A comment from Donegan is recorded, ‘God Almighty! We have four doctors for 120 patients scattered over three churches and thirty-six tents, and the P.M.O. only worries about whether the man’s clothes are neatly folded, or if their boots are in a line ...’
Donegan was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in the R.A.M.C. on 28 July 1906. He went on to serve in WWI in Mesopotamia I believe.
Regards
Dave
