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me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 21:38:52 +0800

British Army Veterinary Corps

TThe British Army used the term veterinarian surgeon to distinguish veterinarians from human surgeons. It came into use shortly after 1796, when the army appointed its first veterinarian surgeon, Professor Edward Coleman. Until then, the British government employed farriers to shoe horses, perform equine medicine, and provide general animal care.

Before 1903, veterinarian surgeons were recruited directly into cavalry regiments and became regiment members. They cared for horses only within their regiment, and sick and lame horses were often abandoned when the regiment was on the campaign. A fully formed veterinarian service came into existence after the Boer War when the army lost hundreds of thousands of horses, mainly through ill health. Major General Sir Frederick Smith, in his book A Veterinarian History of the War in South Africa from 1899 to 1902¹ , gives figures of horse casualties during the Boer War, with daily losses of 336 and a total loss of 326,000 for the whole of the war.

The Army Veterinary Corps was established in 1903 and was officered by qualified veterinarian surgeons. The great innovation of the core was that it trained subordinate staff who could be used for duties in hospitals and other veterinarian units. As a result, it became possible to organise ways of limiting the spread of contagious diseases and controlling other significant animal wastage.

In 1906, the Corps combined with the Army Veterinary Department, and in 1907, Major General Sir Frederick Smith became Director General. He set about reorganising the force and introducing modern veterinary methods and equipment.

At the outbreak of World War One, there were 364 Army Veterinary Corps officers; by 1918, this had increased to over 1600, with over half the members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons serving in the Army Veterinary Corps.

Finding an accurate record of the number of Army Veterinary Corps officers who died during the war has proved challenging in researching and developing this website. In his History of the Great War[^footnote2], Major General Sir Leyton Blenkinsop includes a table which indicates that 60 veterinary officers (including Quartermasters) were killed during the war. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons lists 67 Veterinary Surgeons who were graduates of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons who died during the war. The Commonwealth War Graves Commissions list 74 veterinary surgeons who died during the war.

The analysis section will explore this issue in further detail.

Canadian Army Veterinary Corps

Before 1910, Canadian Army veterinary surgeons were either Non-Commissioned or Commissioned Officers serving directly with mounted and artillery units.

The Army Veterinary Service (AVS) was created on 2 November 1910. It comprised qualified veterinary surgeons serving as officers and other rank-supporting personnel. Within three months of the outbreak of the First World War, veterinary surgeons were dispatched to Europe as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). A Remount Service was also created to provide reinforcement horses to the CEF. Canadian veterinarians served in the CEF and the British Army, with about 300 Canadian vets eventually seeing service in locales ranging from Europe to India, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Russia. In 1915, Canadian veterinary students in their final year were permitted to skip their final exams in exchange for enlisting in the British Army to help ease the shortage of trained veterinarians. Those who agreed were enlisted as Second Lieutenant and graduated automatically.

Seventy-two veterinary Officers served with the CEF.

Australian Army Veterinary Corps

TThe Australian Army Veterinary Corps (AAVC) was formed in 1909 to replace the Commonwealth Military Forces veterinary department. Following the establishment of permanent artillery batteries and a remount department to supply them with horses, a permanent section of the AAVC was formed in 1911. Responsibilities included veterinary care of horses and training, as well as non-commissioned officers in shoeing, horse care, and veterinary first aid.

During the First World War, 120 officers of the AAVC served overseas with the Australian Imperial Force.

New Zealand Army Veterinary Corps

The New Zealand Veterinary Corps was formed in 1907, but apart from a nucleus of officers—all qualified veterinary surgeons—it possessed no “establishment.” On the outbreak of war, immediate calls were made upon the resources of the Corps for the purchase of military horses, the provision of veterinary officers for duty on transports, and in the training of essential personnel who had to be enrolled for the carrying out of routine duties. To do this, it was necessary to utilise the services of all available qualified veterinary surgeons in New Zealand. Most of those enrolled subsequently received commissions in the New Zealand Veterinary Corps.

Early in the war, the War Office requested the New Zealand Government to send two veterinary mobile sections and two veterinary hospital sections to Egypt. Arrangements were promptly made for this purpose. Suitable men were selected for the various duties which were to be done under veterinary officers and were trained at a remount depot, which was established at Upper Hutt, New Zealand, where experts gave a series of lectures and demonstrations. These men eventually left with the third reinforcements.

Sir Frederick Smith A Veterinarian History of the War in South Africa from 1899 to 1902 (London, 1919) ↩︎

Terms & Definitions

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 21:38:52 +0800

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COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVE COMMISSION (CWGC)

When the First World War came to an end in November 1918, war graves were scattered throughout all the regions where fighting had occurred. The location and sites of many graves were no longer known, and individuals still lay unburied in areas where fighting had been the fiercest.

Where burial had occurred in established burial grounds, with clearly marked graves, the graves were simply recorded and registered. In most cases, the bodies had to be exhumed and reburied. During this process, the CWGC attempted to identify the person. Old battlefields were searched for casualties, and small cemeteries were concentrated into larger ones; names of the missing were collected from military authorities and engraved onto memorials.

To qualify for a Commonwealth War Grave, men and women of the Commonwealth military or auxiliary forces had to have died during the official war period, 4 August 1914 to 3 August 1921 and died as the result of wounds inflicted or accident occurring during active service, or disease contracted or commencing while on active service, or disease aggravated by active service.

CWGC grave markers come in a multitude of styles, materials and shapes, which reflect the service of casualties who died with the Australian, British, Canadian, and New Zealand forces.

Most will have a badge showing which force or regiment the individual served with, their rank, name, and date of death.

If their next of kin responded to us after the war, the marker may also show the casualty’s age, bear the family’s choice of religious emblem (or none), and sometimes include a personal inscription.

For the 200,000 graves where the individual could not be identified by name, the grave marker will bear as many details as could be established.

Veterinarians are remembered under a variety of different styles of Commonwealth War Graves. These include:

Commission headstone style (most commonly used) - sloped top, standardised size, engraved lettering, various stone types depending on the environmental conditions.
Flat/recumbent markers are used where there is a lack of space in a cemetery, where multiple casualties have been buried together or where the ground cannot support standing headstones.
Pedestal markers with bronze plaques are used where soil and weather conditions aren’t suitable for a standard headstone.
A pedestal marker with a stone tablet, known as a Gallipoli marker and widely used on the Gallipoli peninsula, was again chosen to suit the ground conditions and weather.

The War Graves Commission lists 74 veterinary surgeons who died during the war.

THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS’ MEMORIAL

During the South African War (1899-1902), animal losses were great. However, the First World War saw a relatively high success rate—over 2 million of the 2.5 million horses hospitalised in France returned to duty. On 27 November 1918, King George V conferred the Royal prefix on the Corps in recognition of their work.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons also wished to recognise the work of the Army veterinary Cops, and in particular, the sacrifice of its members who had died on active service.

The RCVS memorial measures 58cm in width and 123cm at its tallest. It bears the dates of the First World War and the names of the 67 members of the RCVS who died from various causes during the war. Carved at its apex is the College crest, flanked by two oak branches, symbolising patriotism, bravery and strength. An ornate scroll, below the names of the dead, gives the Latin phrase “Dulce et Decorum est Pro Patria Mori”, meaning “It is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country.”

OFFICERS DIED IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1919

The “Officers Died in the Great War 1914-1919” was originally published by His Majesty’s Stationery Office in 1919. It was published as a single volume covering all officers in the cavalry, infantry, and other corps. The dates covered for casualties are from and including 4 August 1914 to 11 November 1918. Casualties killed after the end of the war until 26 September 1919 are also included in the listing.

The publication lists the names of 53 veterinarians who died during the war.

MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES

One of the oldest Imperial forms of recognition for bravery or distinguished service is when a serviceman or servicewoman was Mentioned in Despatches.

A despatch is an official report, written by a senior commander in the field to pass on information about the progress of military operations. Commanders would include in their despatches the names of those deserving attention to their services. Mentions may be for a specific act of bravery or for a period of outstanding service. During the Boer War it became common practice to list the names at the end of a despatch.

If your name appeared in these lists you were said to have been “Mentioned in Despatches”. The despatches were usually published in The London Gazette, so a mention equated to a public commendation.

This and the Victoria Cross were the only forms of recognition for gallantry or distinguished service in action that could be made posthumously.

Prior to 1919 those Mentioned in Despatches did not receive any form of recognition other than having their names published in The London Gazette. In 1919 a certificate was introduced to acknowledge those who received mention.

The following year an emblem of bronze oak leaves was issued to individuals who had been Mentioned in Despatches between 4 August 1914 and 10 August 1920. The device was to be worn at a low angle in the centre of the ribbon of the Victory Medal. Only one device was awarded per person, even if an individual was mentioned more than once.

MILITARY CROSS

The UK Military Cross (MC) was created on 28th December 1914 for commissioned offers of the substantive rank of Captain or below and for Warrant officers. It was instituted shortly after the outbreak of the Great War of 1914-18 as there was no gallantry awards lesser than the Victoria Cross and the Distinguished Service Order, for junior Army officers

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER (DSO)

Awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat, serving under fire, and usually awarded to those above the rank of Captain.

Between 1914 and 1916, the DSO could also be awarded to staff officers when they were not under fire or in contact with the enemy, but by 1917, it was once more restricted to those who had served in the presence of the enemy.

THE 1914 STAR - THE MONS STAR

Also known as the Mons Star, the medal is a bronze star with a red, white and blue ribbon, reflecting the French Tricolore.

It was issued to British forces who had served in France or Belgium from 5 August 1914 (the declaration of war) to midnight 22 November 1914 (the end of the First Battle of Ypres).

Recipients of this medal were responsible for assisting the French to hold back the German army while new recruits could be trained and equipped. Collectively, they fully deserve a great deal of honour for their part in the first sixteen weeks of the Great War. This included the battle of Mons, the retreat to the Seine, the battles of Le Cateau, the Marne, the Aisne and the first battle of Ypres. There were approximately 378,000 1914 Stars issued.

These were soldiers that were there at the very beginning of the war and so it was primarily awarded to the ‘Old Contemptibles’, the professional pre-war soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force.

There were approximately 378,000 1914 Stars issued.

THE 1914-1915 STAR

Instituted in December 1918, the 1914−15 Star is a First World War campaign medal that was granted to military personnel, and some civilians, who served between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915.

The near identical 1914 Star was presented to those who served in Belgium and France between 5 August and 22 November 1914.

Individuals could only receive one of these two medals.

Like the 1914 Star, the 1914-15 Star was not awarded alone. The recipient had to have received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

THE BRITISH WAR MEDAL

The British War Medal was instituted by King George V in 1919 to mark the end of World War I and record the service given. The qualification period was later extended to cover post-war mine clearance and service in Russia during 1919 and 1920. The British War Medal was awarded for service in a theatre of war between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918.

The Medal was known as ‘Squeak’.

THE VICTORY MEDAL

The Victory Medal was authorised in 1919 to commemorate the victory of the Allied Forces over the Central Powers. Each of the Allied nations issued a ‘Victory Medal’ to their own nationals. Each nation used the standard ribbon but used different designs on the medal to reflect national identity and custom.

The Victory Medal was issued to all those who received the 1914 Star or the 1914-15 Star, and to most of those who were awarded the British War Medal. It was never awarded on its own.

Those who were Mentioned in Dispatches between 4th August, 1914, and 10th August, 1920, were allowed to wear an oak leaf on the ribbon of this medal.

Historical Overview

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 21:38:52 +0800

When World War One began in August 1914, armies on both sides still relied heavily on horses for transport. The War required hundreds of thousands of horses, mules, and donkeys to carry troops, pull artillery, and haul supplies to and from the front. Horses could travel through mud and over terrain where the newly developed mechanised vehicles could not go.

Horse transport and mounted troops were only effective as their animals. Strategic and tactical considerations were easily compromised without an adequate and reliable supply of fit animals at the right time and place.

Armies, therefore, recognised that the supply and care of animals was one of the crucial elements required for success in war. In addition, caring for animals wounded or injured on active service became essential.

Animals who were wounded or who became ill during the war became the responsibility of the various army veterinarian services. Major General Sir John Moore, a British general, summarised the core principle of the army veterinary services:

To get down from the front as many animals front as possible to save; in other words, to give every animal a chance.

Sir John Moore Army Veterinary Service in War (London 1921)

In supporting this principle, the various armies had some form of veterinary services service to care for their animals. As the war progressed, more and more veterinarians were required to care for sick and injured animals.

In achieving the Moore’s core principle, veterinary officers were to die from enemy fire, disease, accidents, and the impact of the war on their bodies and minds.

This website remembers those Commonwealth veterinarians who gave their lives to help achieve Moore’s key principle.

Analysis

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 21:38:52 +0800

What do we know of the Commonwealth Veterinarians who died in the Great War?

The heavy workload took a toll on the veterinary officers serving in the various Veterinary Corps, with officers dying because of enemy fire, disease, accidents or, in a small number of cases, self-inflicted injuries.

There was quite a spread in age - inevitably, many died young, some dying within a year of graduating, others who were over 50, and some who had previously served in the South African War. Between them, they served on most of the front lines of the war around the world. As a result, they are buried or commemorated in the battles field of France, Egypt, Greece, Turkey and India.

Major-General Layton. J. Blenkinsop, in his book on the Veterinary Service in the Great War, published in 1925, provides some of the early data about the members of the Army Veterinary Corps during the war. On page 28 of his book, Blenkinsop has a table of the number of AVC officers killed, wounded and died of wounds during the Great War. The numbers included by Blenkinsop include Canadian officers who were serving with the Army Veterinary Corps.

Two officers from Blenkinsop’s data were excluded from our analysis as they were Quartermasters, not Veterinarians.

While Blenkinsop does not provide a list of the actual names of the officers who died in the war, he provides the following statistics:

CAUSE OF DEATH	NUMBER
Killed in Action	4
Died of Wounds	10
Died of Disease	31
Died from Accidents	8
Died by Drowning	2
Died by Suicide	6
TOTAL	61

In analyzing Blenkinsop’s data we belive these were the names of offcers included in each section.

CAUSE OF DEATH	NAME
	Alexander Campbell ANDERSON
KILLED IN ACTION	Harry Leonard ANTHONY
	Vincent FOX
	James SHIRLEY

Vincent Fox was the first Veterinary to be killed in in the War. He was killed in action on the 26 Agust 1914. Alexander Campbell was killed in action in 1915, while Harry Anthony and James Shirley were to be killed in action in 1917.

All these deaths were to occur on the Western Front.

CAUSE OF DEATH	NAME
	Archibald Wright CAMPBELL
	John Wilson BROWNLESS
	William Arthur BUCHANAN
	Alfred HOSKIN
DIED OF WOUNDS	Hugh McColl JOHNSON
	Stuart Kirby JONES
	Robert Edward LEACH
	Marcus James STEVENSON
	George Charles TAYLOR
	Herbert Mainwarring WILLIAMS

Of those who died from their wounds, seven were serving in France, two were serving in Egypt; while one died of wounds received while serving at Gallipoli.

CAUSE OF DEATH	NAME
	Robert John BEECH
	Arthur Doyle BINGHAM
	James Blakeway
	William Hutchinson BLANCHARD
	John BRADLEY
	William Stanley CARLESS
	Frederick Ulysses CARR
	John Ladyman CLARK
	Robert William CLARKE
	Robert Bowes COCKBURN
	James Robert CRANE
	William Benn CRONYN
	Thomas EASTWOOD
	Edward EVANS
DIED OF DISEASE	George Clifford HARDING
	John Peter HEYES
	Arthur Akin HIGGINS
	Wiiliam John KEE
	Charles Henry LAMBERT
	Hubert LENOX-CONYNGHAM
	Henry Cooke LOWERY
	Bruce Metcalf McMAHON
	Frederick Owen MAYNARD
	Thomas Augistine O’BRIEN
	Arthur Richard ROUTLEDGE
	William SCOTT
	Henry William TAYLOR
	Percival THEXTON
	Warren Stanley THOMPSON
	William TULLY-CHRISTIE
	William WALSH
	James Matthew WHITE

This proved to be the hardest section to determine who among the 31 officers who died of disease because of their war service was. Again, it appears that Bleinkshop included in his data those Canadians who were serving in the Army Veterinary Corps.

By far, the largest killer in this category was respiratory disease, no doubt linked to the Spanish Flu epidemic.

CAUSE OF DEATH	NAME
	Joseph Wiiliam COE
	Alfred Henry CLAPP
DIED OF ACCIDENTS	Francis Hubert DOYLE
	William HUSTON
	Roy Herbert Charles LUCAS

Accidents included officers falling off horses,or by accidents involving railways carriages or motor lorries.

CAUSE OF DEATH	NAME
DIED BY DROWNING	Thomas Francis DONWORTH
	Daniel POLLOCK

Thomas Donworth died while bathing in the River Seine, while Daniel Pollock died in U-Boat attack on the HT Arcadian.

CAUSE OF DEATH	NAME
	Leonard Baker COLE
	Charles Cranston CORBETT
DIED BY SUICIDE	David HANNAH
	Edward William HUGHES
	William Ingham MACAULEY
	Francis ROCHE

At the outbreak of the war, the Army Veterinarian Corps provided a veterinary officer for each field formation. Thus, veterinary officers were assigned to cavalry regiments, divisional ammunition columns, infantry brigades, horse artillery brigades, and field artillery brigades. So, when a horse incurred an injury or suffered an illness, the regimental officer would diagnose the animal. If the animal needed further care, it would be transferred to the Mobile Veterinary Unit, where the officers would determine the nature of the illness or injury and treat the animal. If the recovery period was three or four days, the animal would be returned to its combat unit for further service. If the animal needed more care, it would be transferred to one of the veterinary hospitals for either surgery or more intensive care to restore its condition.

This structure reflects the units in which fallen veterinary surgeons served. Of the units identified, eighteen veterinarians died while serving in Artillery Units; seven died while serving in Mobile Veterinary Units or Veterinary Hospitals; five died while serving in Infantry Divisions; three died while serving Remount Units, and three died while working for the Indian Civil Veterinary Department.

While Blenkinsop’s data is focused on the Army Veterinary Corps, what was the pattern across all Commonwealth forces, including the Army Veterinary Corps?

THE YEAR OF DEATH

YEAR	NUMBER	FRENCH COMPARISON
1914	5	12
1915	13	32
1916	10	22
1917	26	26
1918	31	29
1919-21	10	4
UNKNOWN	0	10
TOTAL	95	135

Information of the French Veterinarians can be found at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336968685

Analysis of the deaths shows that 1917 and 1918 were the years with the most losses. During the last year of the war the impact of the Spainish Flu, killed may veterianrians.

AGE OF DEATH

AGE	NUMBER	FRENCH COMPARISON
< 30 Years	20	24
30-39	29	44
40-49	31	31
50-59	13	14
> 60 years	2	9
UNKNOWN	0	13
TOTAL	95	135

CAUSE OF DEATH

CAUSE OF DEATH	NUMBER	FRENCH COMPARISON
Killed in Action or Died of Wounds	21	34
Lost at Sea	3	7
Infectious Disease	33	54
Accidents	15	12
Cancer,Strokes,Heart Attacks etc	16	No Information
Self Inflicted Wounds	7	No Information
Not Known	0	33
TOTAL	95	135

Contact

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 21:38:52 +0800

✉️ For further information we can be contacted here.

BINGHAM, Arthur Doyle

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Fri, 31 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Personal Details

Attribute	Details
Nationality	British
Date of Birth	26 November 1868
Place of Birth	Mumbai, India
Veterinary College and Date of Graduation	-

Military Service

Attribute	Details
Last Rank	Lieutenant
Regiment/Service	Army Veterinary Corps
Secondary Regiment
Secondary Unit
First Theatre of War	Unknown Date

Casualty Details

Attribute	Details
Date of Death	03 October 1917
Age at Death	42
Place of Death	London, England
Cause of Death	Cancer

Cemetery

Attribute	Details
Cemetery	Nunhead Cemetery
Location	London, England
Grave Reference	Name recorded on Screen Wall
Commonwealth War Grave	Yes
Emblem or Badge on Headstone

Honours and Memorials

Attribute	Details
Name on RCVS Honour Board	No
Name In Officers who died in Great War	Yes
Medals and Awards	British War Medal 1914-1918 Victory Medal

Biography

Lieutenant Arthur Doyle Bingham was unique among the veterinary surgeons who died in the First World War. His Commonwealth War Grave Register shows that he served with both the Royal Flying Corps and the Army Veterinary Corps.

Arthur Doyle Bingham was born in India on 26 November 1868, the son of Major John Ashby Bingham of the Indian Ordnance Department. Arthur Bingham qualified as a veterinarian in March 1896.

Very little has been found of Lieutenant Bingham’s service during the war.

Lieutenant Bingham died from cancer on 3 October 1917. He is buried at Nunhead Cemetery London.

His death was reported in the Veterinary Record of 13 October 1917.

CLARK, John Ladyman

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Fri, 31 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Personal Details

Attribute	Details
Nationality	Canadian
Date of Birth	October 1869
Place of Birth	Papcastle, Cumbria, England
Veterinary College and Date of Graduation	Ontario Veterinary College - March 1896

Military Service

Attribute	Details
Last Rank	Captain
Regiment/Service	Army Veterinary Corps
Secondary Regiment	Indian Veterinary Corps
Secondary Unit
First Theatre of War	France 07 July 1916

Casualty Details

Attribute	Details
Date of Death	16 December 1918
Age at Death	42
Place of Death	Cairo, Egypt
Cause of Death	Heart Failure

Cemetery

Attribute	Details
Cemetery	British Cemetery
Location	Cairo, Egypt
Grave Reference	Q.187
Commonwealth War Grave	Yes - CWGC Headstone
Emblem or Badge on Headstone	Army Veterinary Corps

Honours and Memorials

Attribute	Details
Name on RCVS Honour Board	No
Name In Officers who died in Great War	No
Medals and Awards	British War Medal 1914-1918 Victory Medal

Biography

Captain John Ladyman Clark was born in Cumbria, England, in October 1869 and moved to Canada in the mid-1870s. He graduated from Ontario Veterinary College in 1896.

Following graduation, he worked as a veterinary Surgeon in Russell, Manitoba, Canada, for nineteen years.

He enlisted in the British Army and was appointed Lieutenant in the Veterinary Corps on 27 March 1916. He arrived in France in July 1917 and served with the 14th Division in France.

Clark was appointed Captain on 27 March 1917 and was transferred to Egypt.

He died in Egypt from heart failure on 16 December 1918. An inquest into his death indicated that the heart failure may have been brought on by stress and the physical nature of his work.

A private memorial in Russell Memorial Gardens in Manitoba, Canada and Avondale Cemetery Stratford, Ontario, Canada.

Media and Documents

CONNOLLY, Matthew George

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Fri, 31 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Personal Details

Attribute	Details
Nationality	Canadian
Date of Birth	05 January 1877
Place of Birth	Kincardine, Bruce County , Canada
Veterinary College and Date of Graduation	Ontario Veterinary College - 1902

Military Service

Attribute	Details
Last Rank	Captain
Regiment/Service	Army Veterinary Corps
Secondary Regiment
Secondary Unit
First Theatre of War	France Unknown Date

Casualty Details

Attribute	Details
Date of Death	04 September 1919
Age at Death	44
Place of Death	Ontario, France
Cause of Death	Fractured skull as the result of being hit by tram

Cemetery

Attribute	Details
Cemetery	Kincardine Cemetery
Location	Kincardine, Canada
Grave Reference	D1 L244 GO1
Commonwealth War Grave	Yes
Emblem or Badge on Headstone	Army Veterinary Corps

Honours and Memorials

Attribute	Details
Name on RCVS Honour Board	No
Name In Officers who died in Great War	No
Medals and Awards	British War Medal 1914-1918 Victory Medal

Biography

Captain Matthew Connolly was born in Kincardine Bruce County, Canada, on 5 January 1877. He graduated with honours from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1902.

Matthew Connolly enlisted as a private in Edmonton on 11 November 1916 and was attached to the Canadian Forestry Corps, which had been created three days after Connolly enlisted. The Forestry Corps provided lumber for the Allied war effort by cutting and preparing timber in the United Kingdom and Europe.

Connolly arrived in England on 23 March 1917 and worked in Berkshire when he was injured while on duty on 24 April 1917. He fell into an unrailed pit, striking his face on timber at the bottom of the pit, which almost cut off his nose.

Following a series of operations on his nose, Connolly transferred to the British Army Veterinary Corps and was commissioned as a temporary Lieutenant on 13 November 1917. On 13 November 1918, Connolly was appointed Temporary Captain.

Connolly served with the British Army Veterinary Corps from 13 November 1917 to 27th August 1919. Most of his service then was with the Number 1 Convalescent Horse Depot in France and the 19th Veterinary Hospital at Rouen.

Soon after returning to Canada, Captain Connolly as the result of a fractured skull as the result of being struck by a tram.

He is buried in Kincardine Cemetery.

EARLY, Frank Douglas

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Fri, 31 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Personal Details

Attribute	Details
Nationality	Canadian
Date of Birth	15 January 1888
Place of Birth	Bramption, Ontario, Canada
Veterinary College and Date of Graduation	Ontario Veterinary College - April 1913

Military Service

Attribute	Details
Last Rank	Captain
Regiment/Service	Canadian Army Veterinary Corps
Secondary Regiment	Lord Strathcon’s Horse
Secondary Unit
First Theatre of War	France 1915

Casualty Details

Attribute	Details
Date of Death	15 May 1918
Age at Death	29
Place of Death	Kingston, Canada
Cause of Death	Testicular Cancer and Sarcoma of the Liver

Cemetery

Attribute	Details
Cemetery	Bramption Cemetery
Location	Bramption, Canada
Grave Reference	Plot 22-23 Grave 1
Commonwealth War Grave	Yes - CWGC Headstone
Emblem or Badge on Headstone	Canadian Maple Leaf

Honours and Memorials

Attribute	Details
Name on RCVS Honour Board	No
Name In Officers who died in Great War	No
Medals and Awards	British War Medal 1914-1918 Victory Medal

Biography

Captain Frank Douglas Early was born in Brampton, Canada, on 15 August 1888. He graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1913 and began practising in Semans Saskatchewan, Canada.

January 1915, he was appointed to the Army Veterinary Corps and served in France.

He returned to Canada in early 1916, but in 1917, he wanted to serve overseas again. During his second service period in France, he was attached to the Strathcona Horse. In March 1917, the Regiment saw action as cavalry during the defence of the Somme front.

During his second period of service in France, he was taken seriously ill and sent back to Canada. In less than one month after his return, he died in hospital at Kingston.

Captain Early was buried with full military honours at Brompton Cemetery, Ontario.

Media and Documents

Record of Frank Early's Death

HANNAY, David

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Fri, 31 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Personal Details

Attribute	Details
Nationality	British
Date of Birth	1882
Place of Birth	Edinburgh, Midlothian , Scotland
Veterinary College and Date of Graduation	Edinburgh - May 1909

Military Service

Attribute	Details
Last Rank	Captain
Regiment/Service	Army Veterinary Corps
Secondary Regiment	Royal Horse Artillery
Secondary Unit	7th Brigade
First Theatre of War	France September 1914

Casualty Details

Attribute	Details
Date of Death	19 January 1918
Age at Death	36
Place of Death	Rouen, France
Cause of Death	Self Inflicted wounds

Cemetery

Attribute	Details
Cemetery	St.Sever Cemetery
Location	Rounen, France
Grave Reference	Officers B.5.14
Commonwealth War Grave	Yes - CWGC Headstone
Emblem or Badge on Headstone	Army Veterinary Corps

Honours and Memorials

Attribute	Details
Name on RCVS Honour Board	Yes
Name In Officers who died in Great War	Yes
Medals and Awards	British War Medal 1914-1918 Victory Medal

Biography

Captain David Hannay MRCVS was the son of William and Isabelle Hannay of Portobello, Edinburgh.

He entered the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College in October 1904 and qualified MRCVS in May 1909. After qualifying he worked as an assistant to John Hutton MRCVS at Pringlebank in Kelso, Roxburghshire, and bought the practice in February 1910 on the latter’s death.

He was commissioned as a temporary Lieutenant in the Army Veterinary Corps in September 1914 and embarked for France in the same month. He served with 7th Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery, through the early war campaigns and was awarded the 1914 Star with Bar. He was promoted to temporary Captain in September 1915.

He died, aged 36, at No. 2 Red Cross Hospital, Rouen, on 17th January 1918. His entry in the Army Register of Effects gives the cause of his death as “Self-inflicted wounds”.

He is buried in St Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France.

Captain Hannay’s death was reported in the Veterinary Record on 9 February 1918.

Media and Documents

HEYES, John Peter

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Fri, 31 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Personal Details

Attribute	Details
Nationality	British
Date of Birth	1874
Place of Birth	Wigan, Lancashire , England
Veterinary College and Date of Graduation	London - May 1895

Military Service

Attribute	Details
Last Rank	Captain
Regiment/Service	Army Veterinary Corps
Secondary Regiment	42th Division
Secondary Unit
First Theatre of War	Egypt December 1915

Casualty Details

Attribute	Details
Date of Death	06 July 1918
Age at Death	42
Place of Death	Malta
Cause of Death	Sunstroke

Cemetery

Attribute	Details
Cemetery	Pieta Military Cemetery
Location	Malta
Grave Reference	C.X.2
Commonwealth War Grave	Yes - Flat/recumbent marker
Emblem or Badge on Headstone	Army Veterinary Corps Logo

Honours and Memorials

Attribute	Details
Name on RCVS Honour Board	Yes
Name In Officers who died in Great War	Yes
Medals and Awards	1915 Star British War Medal 1914-1918 Victory Medal

Biography

Captain John Heyes FRCVS was a veterinary surgeon with premises in Upper Dickinson Street, Wigan.

Heyes’ father was a shoeing smith. At twelve years of age, he left school and assisted his father in his business. At sixteen, he had made such progress that he successfully competed at agricultural shows in various parts of the country against the leading shoeing smiths of the day.

Hayes acquiesced in his father’s wish to become a veterinary surgeon, and at 19 years of age, he proceeded to the Royal Veterinary College, where he quickly came to the front, so much so that he qualified for and was offered the position of hospital surgeon to the college. This appointment he accepted, and about two years later, he returned to Wigan and set up practice.

Heyes accepted a commission in the East Lancashire Divisional Veterinary Service sometime before the outbreak of hostilities. When the Manchester Brigade was mobilised in August 1914, he went with it to Egypt and thence to Gallipoli.

While on service in Gallipoli, Heyes had an attack of dysentery, and following that, he was knocked from his horse by a motor transport. He was severely injured, with the result that he was sent to Florence to recuperate. He improved and returned to Malta to pursue his work, and there fell victim to sunstroke, which proved fatal. He died on 6 July 1916 and was buried in Malta.

Due to the sandy conditions in the graveyard, Hayes’s headstone is laid flat.

An extract from Captain Hayes’s obituary in the Veterinary Journal states

“The war has robbed the profession of one of its most capable members… in the course of his services, Captain Heyes had great responsibilities placed on his shoulders, and we have it on the authority of soldiers who have returned that no one worked harder than did the deceased gentlemen in furtherance of the success of our arms.”

Media and Documents

MCMAHON, Bruce Metcalf

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Fri, 31 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Personal Details

Attribute	Details
Nationality	Canadian
Date of Birth	20 July 1884
Place of Birth	Frontenac County, Ontario, Canada
Veterinary College and Date of Graduation	Chicago Veterinary College - 1915

Military Service

Attribute	Details
Last Rank	Captain
Regiment/Service	Army Veterinary Corps
Secondary Regiment
Secondary Unit
First Theatre of War	France March 1916

Casualty Details

Attribute	Details
Date of Death	19 May 1919
Age at Death	42
Place of Death	Cologne, Germany
Cause of Death	Broncho-Pneumonia

Cemetery

Attribute	Details
Cemetery	Colone Southern Cemetery
Location	Cologne, Germany
Grave Reference	I.F.21
Commonwealth War Grave	Yes - CWGC Headstone
Emblem or Badge on Headstone	Royal Army Veterinary Corps

Honours and Memorials

Attribute	Details
Name on RCVS Honour Board	No
Name In Officers who died in Great War	No
Medals and Awards

Biography

Captain Bruce Metcalf Mc Mahon was born in Frontenac County, Ontario, Canada, on 20 July 1884. He graduated from the Chicago Veterinary College in 1915.

Bruce McMahon’s enlistment papers indicate that he had been working for the British Remount Commission at the time of his enlistment. Metcalf was commissioned as a Temporary Lieutenant on 22 February 1916, and on 22 February, he was promoted to Captain.

For most of his war service, Captain McMahon served in France, but after the Armistice, he was transferred to Germany.

Captain McMahon died on 3rd May 1919 from Broncho Pneumonia. He is buried in Colone Southern Cemetery in Germany.

Media and Documents

ANDERSON, Alexander Campbell

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Mon, 27 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Personal Details

Attribute	Details
Nationality	British
Date of Birth	28 June 1879
Place of Birth	Camberwell, London, England
Veterinary College and Date of Graduation	London - 14 July 1905

Military Service

Attribute	Details
Last Rank	Captain
Regiment/Service	Army Veterinary Corps
Secondary Regiment	1st Division Royal Field Artillery
Secondary Unit	27th Division
First Theatre of War	France 1914

Casualty Details

Attribute	Details
Date of Death	20 April 1915
Age at Death	35
Place of Death	Ypres, France
Cause of Death	Wounds in action caused by shell fire

Cemetery

Attribute	Details
Cemetery	Ypres Reservoir Cemetery
Location	Ypres, Belgium
Grave Reference	The exact location of his grave site is unknown. A special memorial erected
Commonwealth War Grave	Yes - CWGC Headstone
Emblem or Badge on Headstone	Army Veterinary Corps Logo

Honours and Memorials

Attribute	Details
Name on RCVS Honour Board	Yes
Name In Officers who died in Great War	Yes
Medals and Awards	1914/15 Star British War Medal 1914-1918 Victory Medal

Biography

Captain Alexander Campbell Anderson MRCVS was born in Camberwell, London, England, on June 28, 1879. He was the son of Mrs. M Anderson of Carden Road, Peckham Rye, London.

After completing his schooling at Alleyn’s School in London, he qualified from the Royal Veterinary College, London, in July 1905.

Alexander Anderson joined the Army Veterinary Corps in August 1905 and was promoted to Captain in 1910. In 1911, he served in India and was awarded the Delhi Durbar Medal for participating in the coronation of King George V as Emperor of India.

In May 1913, he was seconded for service with the Egyptian Army and stayed there until the outbreak of the Great War in August 1914.

In April 1915, Captain Anderson served as the Assistant Director of Veterinary Services of the 27th Division with his headquarters in the remnants of the Hotel Chatelaine in Ypres, which had been almost destroyed by shellfire.

On the morning of April 20, 1915, as he was leaving his office, he heard a shell coming in his direction and ran between two horses for cover. When the shell burst, a fragment struck him in the face, killing him instantly.

Captain Anderson was 35 years old when he was killed, and while his exact grave site is unknown, a special memorial had been erected for him in Ypres Reservoir Cemetery.

Captain Anderson’s death is recorded in The Veterinary Record dated May 1, 1915.

Media and Documents

Copy of Telegram informing of Captain Anderson's death

The Newcastle Daily Journal April 26 1915

ANTHONY, Harry Leonard

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Mon, 27 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Personal Details

Attribute	Details
Nationality	British
Date of Birth	01 July 1877
Place of Birth	Llandefaelog, Carmarthenshire, Wales
Veterinary College and Date of Graduation	London - July 1901

Military Service

Attribute	Details
Last Rank	Captain
Regiment/Service	Army Veterinary Corps
Secondary Regiment	1st/1st Lancaster Mobile Veterinary Section
Secondary Unit
First Theatre of War	France 10 March 1914

Casualty Details

Attribute	Details
Date of Death	02 May 1917
Age at Death	40
Place of Death	Arras, France
Cause of Death	Killed by bomb dropped from German plane

Cemetery

Attribute	Details
Cemetery	Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery Arras
Location	Arras, France
Grave Reference	IV. E. 30
Commonwealth War Grave	Yes - CWGC Headstone
Emblem or Badge on Headstone	Army Veterinary Corps Logo

Honours and Memorials

Attribute	Details
Name on RCVS Honour Board	Yes
Name In Officers who died in Great War	Yes
Medals and Awards	Mentioned in Dispatches British War Medal 1914-1918 Victory Medal

Biography

Captain Harry Leonard Anthony MRCVS was born on 1 July 1877 in Llandefaelog, Carmarthenshire, Wales, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Anthony. He graduated from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons London on 16 January 1901.

Harry Anthony served in the South African campaign of 1901 to 1902 and, after returning home, served as a Veterinary Surgeon to the Tredegar Iron and Coal Company in Wales.

At the outbreak of the Great War, Harry re-joined the army, serving with the Pembroke Yeomanry. Harry then served with the 1/1st Lancaster Mobile Section, the Army Veterinary Corps, attached to the 66th (2nd East Lancaster) Division, arriving in France on 10 March 1916.

During the war, Captain was mentioned in Dispatches.

By 1917, the Division was stationed around Arras and took a leading role in the Battle of Arras. On 2 May 1917, Captain Anderson was stationed at Arras when he was killed by a bomb dropped by a German aeroplane. He was 40 years old.

He was buried with full military honours at Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France.

Captain Anthony’s obituary in The Veterinary Journal stated:

He proved himself a capable and trustworthy officer, and his death robbed the Service of one of its best young men.

Captain Anthony’s death was also reported in the Veterinary Record dated May 19, 1917.

Media and Documents

War Diary entry noting Captain Anthony's Death

Second War Diary entry noting Captain Anthony's Death

Western Mail May 10 1917

BAKER, Charles William

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Mon, 27 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Personal Details

Attribute	Details
Nationality	Canadian
Date of Birth	1872
Place of Birth	Queenstown, Ontario, Canada
Veterinary College and Date of Graduation	Ontario Veterinary College - 1892

Military Service

Attribute	Details
Last Rank	Captain
Regiment/Service	Canadian Veterinary Corps
Secondary Regiment	Canadian Field Artillery
Secondary Unit	12th Brigade
First Theatre of War	France Unknown Date

Casualty Details

Attribute	Details
Date of Death	25 May 1917
Age at Death	46
Place of Death	London, England
Cause of Death	Broke both Tibia and Fibula in fall from horse, resultinhi blood clot in the lung

Cemetery

Attribute	Details
Cemetery	Nunhead Cemetery London
Location	London, England
Grave Reference	52.32657
Commonwealth War Grave	Yes - CWGC Headstone
Emblem or Badge on Headstone	Canadian Maple Leaf

Honours and Memorials

Attribute	Details
Name on RCVS Honour Board	No
Name In Officers who died in Great War	No
Medals and Awards	British War Medal 1914-1918 Victory Medal

Biography

Captain Charles William Baker was born in Ontario on 4 September 1872.

He graduated from the Ontario Veterinarian College in 1892. On the 4th of February 1915, he left Toronto as a Lieutenant with the British Army. After a year, he came home for two months, returned to France as a Captain, and transferred to the Canadian army.

Captain Baker served in various veterinary hospitals on the front in France. On 27 December 1916, when serving near Arras, he fell from his horse and broke both his Tibia and Fibula. He was transferred to the First General Hospital in London, where he subsequently died from a blood clot.

He is buried in the Nunhead Cemetery London.

Media and Documents

BAKER, Horace Morgan

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Mon, 27 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Personal Details

Attribute	Details
Nationality	Australian
Date of Birth	27 October 1876
Place of Birth	Leicester, Leicestershire, England
Veterinary College and Date of Graduation	Sydney University - May 1912

Military Service

Attribute	Details
Last Rank	Captain
Regiment/Service	Australian Veterinary Corps
Secondary Regiment	1st Brigade Australian Field Artillery
Secondary Unit
First Theatre of War	Egypt 1914

Casualty Details

Attribute	Details
Date of Death	15 March 1918
Age at Death	42
Place of Death	Marsailles, France
Cause of Death	Pneumonia

Cemetery

Attribute	Details
Cemetery	Mazargues War Cemetery
Location	Marsailles, France
Grave Reference	Plot IV, Row A, Grave 26
Commonwealth War Grave	Yes - CWGC Headstone
Emblem or Badge on Headstone	Australian Rising Sun

Honours and Memorials

Attribute	Details
Name on RCVS Honour Board	No
Name In Officers who died in Great War	No
Medals and Awards	British War Medal 1914-1918 Victory Medal

Biography

Captain Horace Morgan Baker was born in Leicester, England, on 27 October 1876. In 1902, he moved to Australia to study veterinary science at Sydney University. He later moved to the USA for further study at the University of Philadelphia. Before the war, Horace worked as a lecturer in Veterinary Anatomy at Sydney University. He also assisted in the establishment of the University’s Veterinary Museum.

Horace enlisted on 26th August 1914 as a Captain (Veterinary Officer) in the 3rd Infantry Brigade (Field Artillery) of the Australian Commonwealth Forces. He served in Egypt and France.

In August 1915, he suffered gastroenteritis in Alexandria. He was admitted to the 1st Australian General Hospital, Heliopolis (Egypt) with dysentery just two months later, and on 6th April 1916, was admitted to the 2nd Australian General Hospital at Boulogne, France, with a scalp wound. This was a tented hospital that mostly dealt with battle casualties.

He was transferred to Marseilles where he died on 11th April 1916 of pneumonia (probably a complication of his scalp wound). He was buried first at St Pierre Cemetery in Marseilles and then reburied at Mazargues War Cemetery.

Media and Documents

BEECH, John Robert

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Mon, 27 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Personal Details

Attribute	Details
Nationality	British
Date of Birth	02 July 1860
Place of Birth	Cork, Ireland
Veterinary College and Date of Graduation	Edinburgh - April 1881

Military Service

Attribute	Details
Last Rank	Lieutenant-Colonel
Regiment/Service	Army Veterinary Corps
Secondary Regiment	Scottish Horse
Secondary Unit	2/1st Regiment 4th Scottish Horse
First Theatre of War	-

Casualty Details

Attribute	Details
Date of Death	06 November 1915
Age at Death	55
Place of Death	Louth, East Lindsey District, Lincolnshire, England
Cause of Death	Pneumonia

Cemetery

Attribute	Details
Cemetery	Innerwick-in-Glenlyon Parish Churchyard
Location	Perthshire, Scotland
Grave Reference	-
Commonwealth War Grave	Yes - Private Headstone
Emblem or Badge on Headstone	-

Honours and Memorials

Attribute	Details
Name on RCVS Honour Board	Yes
Name In Officers who died in Great War	No
Medals and Awards	1914/15 Star British War Medal 1914-1918 Victory Medal

Biography

Lieutenant Colonel John Robert Dixon Beech CMG DSO MRCVS was the second son of James Dixon Beech and his wife, Mrs. Susan Beech of Ballintemple, County Cork.

He qualified from the Royal (Dick) Veterinary College in April 1881, at the age of 18 and being eager to see action, he joined the army as a Veterinary Surgeon in July 1881. He was attached to the Egyptian Army during the Egyptian campaign of 1882-1884, and he also served in the Sudan campaign of 1884. He then participated in the Gordon Relief Expedition to Khartoum of 1884-1885.

In 1887, he accompanied Sir Gerald Portal’s Royal mission to King Johnannis of Abyssinia, where he experienced much danger and hardship in carrying the Queen’s letter through a difficult and hostile country. He was made a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George for services on this expedition.

In September 1888, he was granted a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the 21st Hussars in recognition of his meritorious service. He continued to serve attached to the Egyptian Army and served again in the Sudan from 1888-1891. In December 1889, in recognition of his services, he was promoted to Captain in the 20th Hussars with immediate effect. In May 1891, he was recommended for the Victoria Cross for service during the battle of Toski, where he had saved the life of one of his men. However, this was later reduced to the award of the Distinguished Service Order because only Egyptian troops had been engaged during the action for which he had been recommended.

In July 1893, he left the service of the Egyptian Army and returned to Britain. During his time in Egypt and Sudan, in addition to the CMG and DSO, he was awarded the Egyptian Medal with 7 clasps, the only 7-clasp Egyptian medal ever issued, the Khedival Orders of the Medjidieh and of the Osmanieh. He had risen to the rank of Kaikamah (Lieutenant Colonel) in the Egyptian Army.

On his return to Britain, he rejoined his regiment, but in October 1894, he retired from the Army and entered the Reserve of Officers. In December 1894, he married Alexandria Marion Mackenzie, the widow of John Bullough of Meggernie Castle, Glenlyon, Perthshire.

On the outbreak of the South African War in 1899, he re-joined the army and served on General Sir John French’s Staff, first as Transport Officer and later as Assistant Provost Marshal. In August 1903, he was promoted to Major and from 1904 to 1913, he commanded the 2nd Regiment of the Scottish Horse, Imperial Yeomanry.

In July 1907, he was made a Deputy Assistant Director of Remounts and, in February 1909, was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He again retired from the army in 1913, but on the outbreak of the Great War, he again volunteered for service and, in August 1914, was given command of the 2/1st Regiment of the Scottish Horse.

He died, aged 55, at Louth in Lincolnshire on 6th November 1915 from pneumonia following a chill caught in camp and is buried in Innerwick-in-Glenlyon Parish Churchyard, Perthshire. He is buried under a private headstone.

Lieutenant Colonel Beech’s obituary appeared in The Veterinary Record on November 20, 1915.

Media and Documents

Dublin Daily Express November 12 1915

BLAKEWAY, James

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Mon, 27 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Personal Details

Attribute	Details
Nationality	British
Date of Birth	March 1882
Place of Birth	Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England
Veterinary College and Date of Graduation	London - July 1904

Military Service

Attribute	Details
Last Rank	Captain
Regiment/Service	Army Veterinary Corps
Secondary Regiment
Secondary Unit
First Theatre of War	France Unknown Date

Casualty Details

Attribute	Details
Date of Death	04 December 1918
Age at Death	36
Place of Death	Paris, France
Cause of Death	Influenza

Cemetery

Attribute	Details
Cemetery	City of Paris Cemetery
Location	Paris, France
Grave Reference	6.21.15
Commonwealth War Grave	Yes - CWGC Headstone
Emblem or Badge on Headstone	Army Veterinary Corps

Honours and Memorials

Attribute	Details
Name on RCVS Honour Board	Yes
Name In Officers who died in Great War	Yes
Medals and Awards	Victory Medal

Biography

Major James Blakeway MRCVS was the son of James Blakeway, senior, MRCVS of Stourbridge in Worcestershire.

James Blakeway qualified from the Royal Veterinary College, London, in July 1904 and practised with his father in Stourbridge.

He served in the Worcestershire Yeomanry and volunteered for service with the Army Veterinary Corps at the outbreak of war. During the war, he served as a Deputy Assistant Director of Veterinary Services with the rank of Major.

He died, aged 36, in a Military Hospital in Paris of Influenza on December 4 1918 and is buried in the City of Paris Cemetery, Pantin.

Media and Documents

BLANCHARD, William Hutchinson

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Mon, 27 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Personal Details

Attribute	Details
Nationality	Canadian
Date of Birth	23 October 1861
Place of Birth	Market Weighton, Yorkshire, England
Veterinary College and Date of Graduation	-

Military Service

Attribute	Details
Last Rank	Captain
Regiment/Service	Army Veterinary Corps
Secondary Regiment	Roayl Field Artillery
Secondary Unit	155th Brigade
First Theatre of War	France 26 March 1915

Casualty Details

Attribute	Details
Date of Death	27 September 1918
Age at Death	56
Place of Death	Toronto, Canada
Cause of Death	Cancer of Oesophagus

Cemetery

Attribute	Details
Cemetery	Mt.Pleasant Cemetery
Location	Toronto, Canada
Grave Reference	Plot B Sec.27 Lot 1
Commonwealth War Grave	Yes
Emblem or Badge on Headstone

Honours and Memorials

Attribute	Details
Name on RCVS Honour Board	No
Name In Officers who died in Great War	No
Medals and Awards	1915 Star British War Medal 1914-1918 Victory Medal

Biography

Captain William Hutchinson Blanchard was born in Market Weighton on 4 October 1861. He moved to Canada in 1882.

William Blanchard worked as a Veterinary Surgeon in Peteroboro, Canada, for approximately 30 years years

Captain Blanchard served in South Africa during the Boer War. On 24 February 1915, he enlisted in the Canadian Army Veterinary Corps but was seconded to the Army Veterinary Corps, where he was attached to the 155 Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery and served in France Field for 32 months.

In May 1917, he became ill and was forced to relinquish his commission. He returned to Canada and was admitted to the Peterboro Base Hospital. Captain Blanchard died on October 8, 1917, from oesophagus cancer.

Captain Blanchard was buried with full military honours in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.

Media and Documents

Death Certifcate

Toronto Evening Telegram October 9, 1917

BRADLEY, John

me@example.com (Graham Hodgkins & Pete Matthews) — Mon, 27 May 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Personal Details

Attribute	Details
Nationality	British
Date of Birth	1877
Place of Birth	Heaton, Bradford, England
Veterinary College and Date of Graduation	New Edinburgh - December 1901

Military Service

Attribute	Details
Last Rank	Captain
Regiment/Service	Army Veterinary Corps
Secondary Regiment	Royal Field Artillery
Secondary Unit	296th Brigade
First Theatre of War	France 1916

Casualty Details

Attribute	Details
Date of Death	17 February 1919
Age at Death	42
Place of Death	Houchin, France
Cause of Death	Bronchial Pneumonia

Cemetery

Attribute	Details
Cemetery	Houchin British Cemetery
Location	Houchin British Cemetery, France
Grave Reference	IV.A.5
Commonwealth War Grave	Yes - CWGC Headstone
Emblem or Badge on Headstone	Royal Field Artillery

Honours and Memorials

Attribute	Details
Name on RCVS Honour Board	Yes
Name In Officers who died in Great War	Yes
Medals and Awards	British War Medal 1914-1918 Victory Medal

Biography

Captain John Bradley MRCVS, son of James Bradley, was born at Heaton, Bradford, in 1877. He qualified from the New Edinburgh Veterinary College in December 1901 and, by 1906, had set up practice in Crowle, Lincolnshire.

He received a commission in the Army Veterinary Corps in 1915 and was sent to France in January 1916.

Following the signing of the Armistice, he was a veterinary surgeon with the 296th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, in the field in France, awaiting the outcome of the Peace Talks, when he caught influenza. He died in the 296th Brigade of Bronchial Pneumonia on 17 February 1919. He was 42 and is buried in Houchin British Cemetery.

Captain Bradley’s death notice appeared in The Veterinary Record dated 8 March 1919.

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BINGHAM, Arthur Doyle

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CLARK, John Ladyman

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CONNOLLY, Matthew George

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EARLY, Frank Douglas

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HANNAY, David

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HEYES, John Peter

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MCMAHON, Bruce Metcalf

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