South African Medical Corps

[johking]

Does anyone know how I could find out more about what role the South African Medical Corps played in the South West Africa theatre?

My gt gt uncle was a Colonel and Assistant Director (according to his entry in the Medical Directory) and I would like to find out more about what he did. His name was Dr Oswald James CURRIE, born 1860 in London, emigrated to SA in 1894. He was awarded the 1915 Star so I know he was involved somehow.

Also is there a similar forum to this about the Boer War? He was also involved in that and we have a photo of him in uniform that I am keen to identify.

It seems to me that I need a specialised reference work that deals with the role of medics in the SA Defence Force in the Boer War and the Great War. If anyone can help I would be very grateful

Thanks

Jo

[aconnolly]

Jo

The British Medical histories published after the war are very detailed and vol. I has considerable detail on the RAMC in South West Africa. However whilst there are numerous references to the interaction of British and South African medical services, there is no reference to Dr Currie.

I do not know of a South African history of the Medical Corps, but given that Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand all published Medical histories after the war, Sth Africa may have.

The link below is to a bookseller in Sth Africa. I have bought a rare miliitary medical text from him before. He may well know if a specific history exists.

Good luck!

Regards

Andrew

Link to Book dealer

[johking]

Andrew

I had just about given up on this thread. Thank you very much for your reply. I have sent the book shop an email and we will see what transpires.

Since I wrote the query I've been lucky enough to find an entry for Oswald Currie in the Dictionary of South African Biography, which has given me very helpful information about his WW1 career:

"In 1913 he was made a lieutenant-colonel in the South African Medical Corps (Reserve of Officers) and in 1914 acted as assistant district surgeon for number 1 Military district. During the first world war (1914-1918) he saw service in the SW African Campaign became medical officer to the cantonments at Potchefstroom and eventually served in E. Africa until Dec. 1918. He retired in Dec. 1919 with the rank of honorary Colonel and was placed on the officer’s reserve."

Thanks to another posting on this list:

http://www.imperial-research.net/gswa_oob.htm

I have found out that No 1 General Hospital was at Wynberg, which is where Oswald was a surgeon before the war, so that all ties in with him being assistant district surgeon for number 1 Military district.

Does the 'cantonments at Potchefstroom' mean anything to you?

Thanks again

Jo

[aconnolly]

Jo

I suspect the 'cantonments at Potchefstroom' was a hospital to serve the region around Potchefstroom whcih apparently is in northern SA. Potchefstroom is an old city with a fair bit of history - perhaps try the City Council? Afraid I cannot find any more detail at present.

Andrew

[johking]

Andrew

No problems. Chris from this forum just emailed me to tell me that Potch was a hub where a lot of different units went through or were stationed so it would be difficult to narrow down his service there.

He also told me about this link which is a diary kept by a doctor in SA in WW1:

http://www.ku.edu/carrie/specoll/medical/docdiary/doc1.htm

- perfect background reading for me. However, if you want to read it there is a problem with the subsequent chapter links. They appear to be broken but whover wrote the code has put .html instead of .htm as the extension so if you remove the 'l' from the end of the address each time they work.

Cheers

Jo

PS That bookseller you recommended replied very promptly, but was not aware of any work that deals specifically with the Medical forces.

[Kathie]

Jo,

I have come to your topic a bit late.

1. I know of nothing dealing with the SAMC in GSWA or anywhere else. I have been looking and have asked at the Military Museum in Jhb and at the SADF archives in Pretoria.

2. Potchefstroom is in what used to be called the Orange Free State and is now called North West Province. It is an old Republic town and important in Boer War days. Hence, the cantonments. This is where the British army planted themselves down after the Boer War. They were there until WWI when SA said that the Brits could go back home to fight and SA would attend to its own defence. The cantonments were ready and waiting for the SA Infantry to go there, be attested, allocated to different regiments of teh SAI, be trained and then sent off to catch ships to whereever. Throughout the War Potchefstroom was THE place for all SA soldiers to start off.

3. The Wynberg hospital is stil there. Lvoely old building in trees. I have driven past. I have seen in old papers plenty of references to soldiers there and ladies looking after them. Mainly SA soldiers returned from German East aFrica adn also British soldiers from GEA and elsewhere.

4.No more information about SAMC Im afraid.

5. I know Colectors Treasury. I have bought there. They are good and know what they are doing. If tehy havent got I doubt anyone here can.

Kathie

[KONDOA]

No mention of Currie in the SA Official History unfortunately.

Roop

[johking]

Hi Kathie and Roop and thanks very much for your insights and help

Jo

[Jonathan D'Hooghe]

I have just found this old topic- so hope it's ok to flag it up again.

Private John Claude Holland - a Nottingham lad killed on 14th April 1918 but CWGC says he was serving with the South African Medical Corps in Belgium rather than SW Africa - can any SAMC experts shed any light on this for me please?

Thank you

Jonathan