South African Veterinary Corps

James Arthur WORSLEY

Captain and veterinary surgeon

His story

James Arthur WORSLEY was born in England on 10 October 1866 and qualified MRCVS in London in 1887. He entered the Cape Civil Veterinary Department in 1897, served with the Cape Mounted Riflemen from 1903 to 1907, and was District Veterinary Surgeon at Butterworth by 1908. As a captain in the South African Veterinary Corps he died at the Prieska Hotel on 21 August 1914. The civil death registration records the inquest verdict that he accidentally took an overdose of morphia. He is commemorated at Prieska (Garden of Remembrance) Cemetery.

Before the war

Nationality / Service: South African service (born England)
Date of Birth: 10 October 1866
Place of Birth: England
Civilian Occupation: Qualified veterinary surgeon (MRCVS, London, 1887)
Pre-war Residence: Butterworth, Transkei (civil death registration)

Military service

Last Rank: Captain and veterinary surgeon
Regiment/Service: South African Veterinary Corps
Earlier / Other Service: Cape Civil Veterinary Department from 1897; Cape Mounted Riflemen, 1903–1907; District Veterinary Surgeon, Butterworth, by 1908

Medals and commemoration

Death and burial

Date of Death: 21 August 1914
Place of Death: Prieska Hotel, South Africa
Cause of Death: Accidental overdose of morphia (inquest verdict recorded in civil death registration)
Cemetery / Memorial: PRIESKA (GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE) CEMETERY
Commonwealth War Grave: CWGC-indexed; see individual link

Sources and further reading

Cite this biography

Graham Hodgkins and Pete Matthews, “James Arthur Worsley”, Veterinary Virtual War Memorial, https://vetsremembered.org/people/sa_james_arthur_worsley/.

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