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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: Dugie4 on Tuesday 04 November 08 21:35 GMT (UK)
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Greetings!
I'm looking for some help please: I want to get the Army career history of an ancestor.
His name is Dugald Blair Brown and he joined the Army as a surgeon in 1871, and died in service (in the Punjab) in 1896. He served in the Zulu Wars, the early Boer Wars, and in India and Burma, rising to the rank of Surgeon Lieutenant Colonel by the time he died.
There's plenty of information about him on the internet, and I've got copies of censuses, birth certificate, medical qualification, and death certificate.
But what I'm interested in is his early Army career, and particularly where he was and what he was doing in 1877-8, just before he was shipped off to South Africa.
I've tried the Military Records Information section of the National Archives website and got nowhere.
Is there some way of getting access to Army records on line, or do you have to go to Kew?
And if you do go to Kew, how easy is it to get an individual officer's Army record?
Is there a separate section for Medical Officers around 1877-8?
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You are lucky as the RAMC in the entries for its officers in the Army Lists gives the station they are serving in. Without that you would have had to go to Kew and search through 20 + Muster Books.
I do not have an Army List for 1877-78. In 1884 he was stationed in Dover; in 1887 he was in Bombay. You should consider a new thread asking for an Army List lookup of the years you are interested in.
If you can get to Kew there is a complete set of Army Lists there. If you do not know his DoB there is a special 'Graduated' List that gives officer's DoBs
Ken
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Dugie,
Just to clarify he served in the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and the 1st Anglo-Boer War of 1880-81. He published an article entitled Surgical Notes on the Zulu War in The Lancet in 1879.
I've got a 1878 official Army List at home, I'll check that this afternoon and see where he was stationed prior to embarking for South Africa.
There is another, more recent, source which mentions his service record in its indices that is The Rorke's Drift Doctor by Lee Stevenson, published in 2001.
I believe that The Wellcome Library in London holds copies of his published works.
Isandlwana
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Many thanks to both km1974 and Isandlwana for your replies.
I knew about his service at Rorke's Drift (and Ulundi) and about his article in the Lancet but the book that you mention, Isandlwana, is new to me and I will order it today.
I work in the Cayman Islands so it's difficult for me to get to Kew.........if you have an Army List for 1877-8 that really would be very helpful.
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Dugie,
The official Army List for April to June 1878 has him stationed at Woolwich, which was Depot Barracks of the Royal Regiment of Artillery.
I have in my collection a contemporary photograph of the "Fort" at Helpmekaar where he performed his operations after Isandlwana & Rorke's Drift. I also have a photograph of the camp at Ladysmith where he was transferred to when he was placed on "sick-list" to recuperate due to the insanitary conditions at Helpmekaar.
Isandlwana
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Further to my entry above I've just checked my Hart's Army List 1879, which was compiled in December 1878, and he is still shown at Woolwich. I'd hazard a guess and say he embarked with the 2nd Battalion, 4th (King's Own Royal) Regiment in the second week of December 1878 onboard either the Dunrobin Castle or the Teuton.
Isandlwana
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Dugie,
The official Army List for April to June 1878 has him stationed at Woolwich, which was Depot Barracks of the Royal Regiment of Artillery.
I have in my collection a contemporary photograph of the "Fort" at Helpmekaar where he performed his operations after Isandlwana & Rorke's Drift. I also have a photograph of the camp at Ladysmith where he was transferred to when he was placed on "sick-list" to recuperate due to the insanitary conditions at Helpmekaar.
Isandlwana
Isandlwana
Many thanks for your two very informative replies.
Do you know what sort of establishment that might have been, at Woolwich? Would it have been a barracks, or might there have been a hospital there too?
Are your photopraphs digitised? If they are, might I have copies?
Best regards
Dugie
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Dugie,
Woolwich was very much a 'garrison town' during the Victorian era, with the Artillery Depot and the Royal Military Academy. The barracks were an impressive site and were only vacated last year by the Army. There was military hospital in Shooter's Hill - the Herbert Hospital built in the 1860's - it is now luxury apartments.
If you Private Message me re-the photographs I'll arrange to send you the scans.
Regards,
Isandlwana
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Dugie
I am a descendant (great grand daughter) of Dugald's brother, William a tea planter based in Ceylon, and have recently started researching family history. I grew up in South Africa but now live in the UK. I know Dugald was stationed at Woolwich at some point as I have a photo of him there with his mother, Alexandrina (I think). Also have some photos of him in Edinburgh circa. 1895 which was just before his death in the Punjab in 1896.
I visited the archive in Kew and found the following:
b Renfrew, Scotland 4/3/1847
d Mian Mir, Punjab 27/1/96 as a result of a fall from his horse.
Campaigns: 1879 - 81 South Africa. Mentioned in Despatches 21/8/79 re: Battle of Ulundi;
1885 - 86 Burma.
Asst Surgeon 30/3/1872; Surgeon Major 30/3/1884; Surgeon Lt Col 30/3/1892.
Let me know if you want to get copies of photos - I'm happy to send them.
Jules100
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Dugie
I am a descendant (great grand daughter) of Dugald's brother, William a tea planter based in Ceylon, and have recently started researching family history. I grew up in South Africa but now live in the UK. I know Dugald was stationed at Woolwich at some point as I have a photo of him there with his mother, Alexandrina (I think). Also have some photos of him in Edinburgh circa. 1895 which was just before his death in the Punjab in 1896.
I visited the archive in Kew and found the following:
b Renfrew, Scotland 4/3/1847
d Mian Mir, Punjab 27/1/96 as a result of a fall from his horse.
Campaigns: 1879 - 81 South Africa. Mentioned in Despatches 21/8/79 re: Battle of Ulundi;
1885 - 86 Burma.
Asst Surgeon 30/3/1872; Surgeon Major 30/3/1884; Surgeon Lt Col 30/3/1892.
Let me know if you want to get copies of photos - I'm happy to send them.
Jules100
Jules,
How interesting! I would very much like copies of your photos. I myself have a photo of William, and one of Dugald, (which I would be happ yo share with you) but none of Alexandrina. I have sent a message to your private box.
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Dugie4: I was looking through some old papers of my deceased mother's, and came across a letter concerning an old family story, which involved a man named Dugald Blair-Brown, surgeon and military officer, who died in a fall from his horse. I googled his name, and this site came up. It is quite an interesting story (and a bit of a surprise)! I wondered if you might be interested in reading the letter?If so, please reply.
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Lynrod,
I would certainly be interested in the contents of the letter.
If possible.
Regards,
Isandlwana
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Lynrod,
Yes, I would be interested to read the contents of this letter.
Kind regards
Dugie4
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Dugie4 and John Young. Thank you for your reply. The letter was written to my mother in 1977 by her cousin, Ena Blair Whitehead, and is several pages long, and tells the story of the family connection and her mother's childhood memories of Dugald Blair-Brown and his brother. Her mother, it seems, had been left a legacy by Dugald B-B. I am new to this page and am trying to figure out how to send you a private message. As soon as I can figure that out, I will send this to you.
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John Young, I do remember my mother had a cousin named Nita Young? My mother's sister, my Aunt Nita, was named for her. Would this be your family?
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I might be making the wrong connection here, but I think I remember my late aunt, Ena Blair Whitehead of Catsfield, Sussex, mentioning an aunt Nita.
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Dugie4 - pm'd you.
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This message is for Jules100:
I am currently writing the first biography of Dugald Blair Brown, focusing on his surgical experiences and military career. The biography, which will be 6000 words, is intended for publication in the Journal of Medical Biography (Royal Society of Medicine). From your 2008 Post, I learned that you had in your possession a photograph of Dr Brown. I have searched everywhere for an image of him, and it would be a shame to publish a paper honoring his achievements without having a picture. I am a professor of English in the City University of New York, and a biographer of 19th century medical scientists and physicians. If you have a questions or need credentials, please contact me:
I receive no commission of any kind. I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes
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HI there,
some info that may be of us to you/s, D.Blair Brown was killed by falling off a horse in Main Mir, India,
27th Jan 1896,
William Dobson Blair Brown was Tea planter, Died at Edinburgh 30th Aug 1898 ..... if this is correct info send me reply
JB :-[