Surgeon General, Thomas Longmore

Thomas Longmore was born in Southwark, London on the 10th Oct 1816. He was the eldest child of Thomas and Maria Longmore (nee Elcum). At the time of Thomas's birth his fathers occupation was that of a Surgeon with the Royal Navy

Thomas was educated at Merchant Taylors School from June 1828, at the time it was an independant boys school located in the City of London

He then studied medicine at Guy's Hospital, London and became dresser to Surgeon Mr Bransby Cooper who he helped in his private practice and in writing the life of Sir Astley Cooper. He also arranged and catalogued the museum of Sir Astley Cooper, which was later bought by the Royal College of Surgeons of England

He became Member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1841and on the 3rd Feb 1843 was gazetted as Assistant Surgeon with the 19th Regiment. He served with the 19th Regiment in the Ionian Islands, the West Indies and Canada

He returned to England on the declaration of peace in 1851 and passed the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons 

On the 3rd Mar 1854 The London Gazette stated that he was promoted to Surgeon with the 19th Regiment in the Light Division of the Eastern Army from it's first taking the field throughout the campaigns of the Siege of Sebastopol

During this period he was at his post every day, but suffered severely from the effects of frostbite. He was present at the affair of Buljanac on Sept 19th, at the Battles of the Alma, Inkerman, and Balaclava at the sortie of Oct 26th, 1854, and at the assaults of the Redan on June 18th and Sept 8th, 1855. For his services he was awarded the Medal with three Clasps, the Turkish Medal, and was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (4th Class)

On the outbreak of the Sepoy Mutiny he was sent with a detachment of his regiment to India, and served with the Army in Bengal, at first as a regimental officer, and after Dec 31st, 1858, as Deputy Inspector of Hospitals. He was appointed Sanitary Officer to the British Forces in Bengal in January, 1859, but on the reduction of the establishment in July was ordered home and received the appointment of Principal Medical Officer at Colchester

In 1860 he was appointed Professor of Military Surgery at the New Medical School by Lord Herbert who was then the War Minister, a post he would hold for nearly thirty-one years

In the census of 1961, aged 43, Thomas was recorded as living at Fort Pitt, Chatham.  He held the post of  Deputy Inspector General of Army Hospitals and was based at Fort Pitt

In March of 1862 Thomas married Mary Rosalie Helen Moorsom at Winslow in Buckinghamshire

In 1866 The Societe Imperiale de Chirurgie de Paris elected him Correspondant Etranger

In 1867 he took part, by order of the Secretary for War, in the international conferences of the societies for aid of wounded soldiers in time of war and in the same year was nominated a Companion of the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath and in 1868 he was Gazetted Honorary Surgeon to her Majesty the Queen

In the census of 1871, aged 53, Thomas had a young family and was living at The Lawns, Obelisk Road, Woolston near Southampton.  He continued to hold the post of Deputy Inspector General of Army Hospitals and was based at the Medical School at the Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley

In the London Gazette of the 18th Oct 1872 it was announced that Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals Thomas Longmore, C.B., to be promoted to Inspector-General of Hospitals as of the 19th Oct 1972

In 1872, 1873 and 1876 he represented the Government at Vienna and Brussels for the settlement of International agreements in relation to sick and wounded in war and with the mixed committee of military and medical officers, took part in establishing the bearer companies and most of the existing field hospital arrangements of the British Army

In 1874 his Observations on the Preliminary Care Necessary for Accidental Injuries was read at the annual assembly of St. John of Jerusalem, was the starting point of the St John ambulance classes

On Oct 10th, 1876, he was placed on the retired list, but was allowed to continue holding his Professorship.


In 1879 he was promoted by decree of the President of the French Republic to the rank of Officer in the Legion of Honour, the insignia which by Royal licence, he was permitted to wear

In early August of 1879, Professor Longmore became the doctor in charge of the care of Major Hackett who was severely injured in the Zulu War

In the census of 1881, Thomas was aged 64 and continued to live in Obelisk Road, Woolston with his wife and family.  He held the post of Surgeon General

In 1886 he was knighted by Queen Victoria at Osborne House, Isle of Wight

In 1887 the Military Medical Services presented a portrait of Surgeon General Longmore to the Army Medical Department by George Reid, R.S.A., of Edinburgh, which adorned the mess-room at Netley

In the census of 1891 , Thomas aged 74 continued to live in Obelisk Road, Woolston with his wife and family.  His post continued to be that of the Surgeon General

On the 30th Sep 1895 Sir Thomas Longmore died in Swanage Dorset

Publications

Synopsis of cases of Heat Apoplexy

Essay on Gunshot Wounds in Holmes System of Surgery - this essay was reprinted in the United States and formed the textbookof the surgeons of both Armies in the American Civil War

Report on the Whitworth Projectiles in War: The Medical Officers Opthalmic Manual

Treatise on the Transport of Sick and Wounded in WarAntiseptic Surgery on Battlefields: Life of Wiseman

Medal Entitlement:

Crimean Medal and three clasps
Turkish Medal

Honours:

Knight of the Legion of Honour
Officier in the Legion of Honour (1879)

Sources:

British Medical Journal

Royal College of Surgeons

Brigade Surgeon Exham Long Hiffernan

Exham Long Hiffernan was born on the 7th Sep 1830 in Aglish, County Kerry, Ireland 

The War Office announced on 16th Jun 1854, that Exham Long Hiffernan had been appointed Assistant Surgeon with the 17th Regiment of Foot (1st Yorkshire, North Riding).  While with this regiment he was on active service in the Crimean War and was awarded the Crimean Medal with the Sebastopol Clasp

He was further appointed to Staff Assistant Surgeon with the same Regiment of the 18th Mar 1862

In the London Gazette of the 8th Sep 1863 it was reported that on the same date Exham Long Hifferman was appointed to the 5th Regiment of Foot

In the London Gazetter of the 10th Jul 1866 it was announced that on the same date Staff Assistant Surgeon Hiffernan was promoted to Staff Surgeon

In the London Gazette of the 14th Sep 1866, it was announced that Surgeon Major Hiffernan, having completed twenty years full-pay service was to be promoted to Surgeon-Major, under the provisions of the Royal Warrant of 3rd February, 1866

In the London Gazette of the 24th Feb 1880 it was reported that Surgeon Major Exham Long Hiffernan was promoted to the rank of Brigade Surgeon with effect from the 27th Nov 1879

On the 1st Mar 1880 Brigade Surgeon Hiffernan arrived at the Malta Garrison and on the 9th Apr 1881 he returned to England on Sick leave.  He died on the 24th Apr 1881 and is buried at the Netley Military Cemetery, a few hundred yards from the hospital

Medal Entitlement

Crimea with Sebastopol Clasp

Sources

Malta RAMC

Netley Military Cemetery

Superintendent of Female Nurses, Helen Campbell Norman R.R.C.

Helen Campbell Norman was born on 27 January 1856, in Peshawar, India, the daughter of Field Marshal Sir Henry Wylie and Selina Eliza Norman (nee Davidson). She had one elder sister and two younger sisters

Helen's mother died in 1862 when Helen would have been six years old and her father remarried in 1865. On the census of 1871, Helen along with her sisters were scholars and living at a residential school at 10 Sussex Square, Brighton

In the census of 1881, Helen is seen working as a nurse at St Mary's Hospital, Cambridge Place, Paddington, London

Helen entered the Army Nursing Service on the 20th Sep 1882, when she was specially engaged by the Director-General for the Egyptian Campaign. She embarked for Egypt on 20th Oct 1882 and it is stated by the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps website to be the first nurse into Egypt in 1882 when Britain seized control of the Egyptian Government to protect its investments and the Suez Canal. She left Egypt on 18th Apr 1883 and arrived in England on 2nd May 1883

On the 5th Jul 1883 Helen was ordered to Windsor where she was decorated with the 15th Red Cross Decoration, this was announced in the London Gazette on the 25th May 1883



Helen was transferred to Woolwich on the 15th Dec 1884, arriving on 16th Dec 1884 where she remained for a few months before being placed under orders for Egypt in early Feb 1885 and embarked on the 15th Feb 1885, arriving at Suez on the 2nd Mar 1885. She arrived back home on the Ganges Hospital Ship on the 22nd Jun 1885

Helen joined Netley on 7th Oct 1885 and a very favourable report on her was received in Jan 1886 from Jane Deeble. She was then ordered to Devonport in Feb 1886 and arrived on 8th Feb 1886. At the time when Helen was stationed in Devonport, Plymouth there were two hospitals for the military. There was the Navy hospital at Devonport but they would not admit Army patients and fairly close by there was also a Military Hospital at Stoke Damerel used by the Army. The Military Hospital is now the home of the Devonport High School for Boys



Helen was further placed under orders for the Station Hospital, Gibraltar from Devonport and embarked from Devonport on 14th Oct 1886, arriving on 20th Oct 188.  While in Gibraltar Helen was based at the Station Hospital (also known as the Royal Naval Hospital) that was run by the Army Medical Services and had 365 beds for the treatment of both Army and Navy patients

Good reports were received from Gibraltar about Helen and she was considered to be fit for promotion. She embarked from Gibraltar headed for England on 24th Sep 1889, arriving on 29th Sep 1889 and joined Netley on 23rd Oct 1889

On the 1st Oct 1889 Helen replaced Jane Deeble as the Lady Superintendent of female nurses, a post she would hold for many years

In the census of 1891, Helen is the Lady Superintendent of Nurses at the Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley. There are six nursing sisters in residence at the hospital who are: Blanch Sarah Vaughan, Marie Meheux, Maria Wright, Fanny Susan Fawcett, Annie Noble Simpson Murray, Rebecca Rhoda Dobbin

The Boer War Nurses Database lists Helen as being on active service during the Boer War

This photograph of Helen (centre) was taken in about 1897 and appears in the 18th March 1897 edition of the Army and Navy Illustrated

Later, on the census of 1901, Helen continues to be the Lady Superintendent of Nurses at the Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley. There are twelve nursing sister in residence who are: Eliza Holland, Maria Walton, Edith D Banks, Louisa E Dore, Elizabeth Chisholm, Mary Lynch, Constance L Agg, May Rest, Ethel A Frost, Margaret Lloyd, Helen Bowie and Mary Quin

On the 13th May 1911. Helen arrived in London on the steam ship 'Marathon', this ship had started it's journey in Australia and Helen joined the ship in Tenerife

Helen died in Gunnar, Teneriffe on 31st July 1913, aged 57 (stated in the British Journal of Nursing August 9 1913 p 112).

Medal entitlement: The Egypt 1882 medal (Tel-El_Kebir bar) and the Khedives star for her service in Egypt

Sources:

Service Record, The National Archives, Kew, London (WO25/3955)
Photograph of Military Hospital, Stoke Damerel from Wikipaedia
Graphic of The Red Cross Decoration from Wikipaedia
Boer War Nurses Database

Lt. Col. Henry Joseph Crossley

Henry Joseph Crossley was born on 01 Mar 1874 at Ashes Farm, Wentworth, Nr Rotherham, Yorkshire.  He was the second born child and only son of Edward and Ellen Jane Crossley (nee Falding).  At the time of his birth, his occupation was that of a farmer

He had one older sister, Adelina Fallding Crossley who was born in 1873 and three younger sisters Alice G Crossly born in 1879, Rhoda Crossley born in 1883 and May Falding Crossley born in 1888

At the time of the 1881 census, aged 7, Henry was a scholar and still living at Ashes Farm, Wentworth, near Rotherham, Yorkshire.  He is living with his parents, sisters Adelina and Alice, grandparents from his mother’s side Joseph and Ellen Fallding and the family also have two live-in servants

By the time of the 1891 census, his elder sister Adelina is a boarder at Hanley Castle, Malvern Wells, Worcestershire and Henry, aged 17, is a medical student.  The family has moved to Barmbrough Grange Farm, near Doncaster, Yorkshire and he is living at the farm with his parents and sisters Alice, Rhoda and May.  His grandparents on his mother’s side are no longer living with the family as they will have presumably died.  The family also continue to have two live-in servants

Henry qualified as a doctor at Owens College, Manchester, picture above, and took the examinations for the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal College of Physicians on 17 Nov 1897 in London.  He then became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons and a Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians

The British Army were involved in the South African War, commonly known as the Boer War and due to the rapid expansion of the British Army the Army Medical Services were required to expand and around seven hundred civilian surgeons were enrolled for duty at the front.  Among this number was Henry

Following the Boer War, Henry was retained by the Royal Army Medical Corps and became a Lieutenant on 1st September 1902 with his previous service as a civilian surgeon counting towards service under a Royal Warrant

He is recorded as achieving the rank of Lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corp on the 1st Sep 1902.  On 17th February 1903 Henry took a course of instruction at the Depot and Training School, Royal Army Medical Corps, in Interior Economy and Discipline, in the Exercises of Stretcher Bearers and Bearer Companies, and in Field Hospital Medical Arrangements

On the 22nd Sep 1903 Henry married Maria Walton at Scunthorpe, Middlesbrough.  Maria was a Nursing Sister who trained at the London Hospital and was listed as a Nursing Sister during the Boer War and at the Royal Victoria Military Hospital.  Henry and Maria probably met during the Boer War in Africa although it is possible that they met at Netley because although Henry is not listed as being at the hospital in 1901, Maria is listed on the 1901 census as a Nursing Sister.  At the time of the marriage, Henry’s address was Sandgate, Kent and Marie’s address was unknown.  Although it is currently unknown where he was working at this time,  Shorncliffe Military Barracks are close to Sandgate

On 27th Jan 1904 Henry was posted to Madras, India, where, on 1st Mar 1906, he achieved the rank of Captain.  While in India, His daughter Betty was born in 1908, and on the 29th Jan 1909, Henry was posted back home to Yorkshire

The 1911 census shows Henry, Maria and Betty living in a four room apartment at 28 Newbiggin, Richmond, Yorkshire.  His occupation is given as Captain, Royal Army Medical Corps and they have employed a domestic nurse who lives-in, reflecting the lifestyle you would expect for an Army Medical Officer

On 22nd Oct 1913 Henry was posted back to India and was based at the Station Hospital, Barielly, India

Henry achieved the rank of Major on the 1^st Jun 1914

Henry served with the 7th (Meerut) Division, British Expeditionary Forces (BEF) during World War One.  This was an infantry division of the British Indian Army and it was part of the Indian Expeditionary Force A that were sent to reinforce the BEF fighting in France

The Division arrived in Marseilles, France between the 12th and 14th October 1914

There were several medical units in the 7th (Meerut) Division and Henry was the Commanding Officer of the 20th British Field Ambulance

On 04 April 1915 Henry achieved the rank of A/Lt. Col.

On 13 August 1915, General Sir John Nixon, commanding Indian Expeditionary Force D in Mesopotamia, requested one of the Indian infantry divisions in France as reinforcements for his advance on Baghdad

On the same day, Austen Chamberlain the Secretary of State for India,  told the Viceroy of India that he was anxious that the Indian infantry be withdrawn from France before they had to endure another winter

Although the Secretary of State for War, Lord Kitchener, objected to their withdrawal from the Western Front, orders were issued on 31 October for the two divisions of Indian Corps, 3rd (Lahore) and 7th (Meerut) Divisions to embark at Marseilles for Mesopotamia

The two divisions left their Territorial Force battalions behind, were relieved in the front line on 6 November and were due at Basra on 1 December, but their departure from Marseilles was delayed until after 25 December because of fear of submarine attack

Henry arrived in Mesopotamia probably sometime in January 1916

On 3rd Jun 1916, Henry achieved the rank of Brevet Lt. Col and A/Lt. Col from 4th Apr 1915 to 13 Feb 1920

On 28 Aug 1924, he achieved the rank of Lt.Col

Henry was again posted to India from 1925 – 1929 and retired from the Army in 1929, aged 55 

He died on 7th Jun 1936 at the British Military Hospital, Wellington, South India

The Wellington Military Hopital, pictured above, was within Wellington Barracks and had been a hill station as early as 1860.  A cantonment town grew up around the barracks taking the name Wellington. It is situated in the Niligris District of Tamil Nadu. The cantonment is home to the Madras Regiment and it also houses the Indian Defence Services Staff College. The cantonment had its own cemetery

Henry was Mentioned in Despatches on 29 Jul 1902, 22 Jun 1915, 19 Oct 1916, 27 Aug 18, 21 Feb 19

Honours

KSAM + 2 cl. 1914, British War Medal, Victory Medal, CIE – 05 Mar 1919, French Bronze Medal for Epidemics – 29 Jan 1919

The Medal of Honor of the Epidemics was awarded to people who had shown exceptional devotion combating epidemic diseases: (1) by caring for infected patients or (2) undertaking actions to contain the spread of an infectious disease, while exposing themselves to dangers of contamination

Nursing Sister Maria Walton

Maria Walton was born on the 14th Feb 1866 at Woden Croft Lodge, Hunderthwaite near Darlington, at the time this would have been in the County of Yorkshire but is now in the County of Durham.  She was the daughter of  John and Ann Ellerby Walton (nee Russell)

Maria had seven brothers and sisters but four of them died in infancy in 1961 before Maria was born.  Later, In 1868, when Maria was two years old her mother died, leaving her father with three children to care for, Maria was the youngest

During the English census of 1871, Maria aged 5, with her two elder sisters Emma and Annie were three of  five boarders at a private residence in Trentham, Staffordshire

During the English census in April 1881, Maria ages 15, was a student at The Clergy Daughters School, Casterton in Westmorland

Maria joined the London Hospital (now the Royal London Hospital) as a probationer on the 27th Jul 1892 and was appointed to the hospitals nursing staff on the 28th Aug 1894, aged 27

She resigned from the London Hospital on the 14th Jan 1896

Maria's nursing career continued and the Boer War Nurses database lists Maria as with the Princess Christian's Army Nursing Service (Reserve) during the Boer War and further states that she was on the War Office (1900) Nominal Roll with the Princess Christian 's Army Nursing Service (Reserve) as of the 30th Sep 1899 

On the census of 1901 she is listed as one of the Nursing Sisters at the Royal Victoria Military Hospital Netley with the Superintendent of Female Nurses who at that time was Helen C Norman.  There were twelve nursing sisters including Maria

On the 22nd Sep 1903 Maria married Henry Crossley at Scunthorpe, Middlesbrough.  At the time of the marriage, Henry's address was Sandgate, Kent and Maria's address was unknown

For more information on Maria's later life look here

Sidney Trevor Davies

** Sidney Trevor Davies was never at The Royal Military Hospital, Netley - he was however researched by the author **

Sidney Trevor Davies was born in London in 1886.

He attended Mill Hill School, London from 1897 - Jul 1901 and went on to study medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital London, where he qualified on 14 Feb 1908. He was a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) and Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians (LRCP). Following registration he was a resident anaestheologist and surgeon at St Bartholomews Hospital, London.

His medical registration for 1911 states his address to be 28 Shortlands Road, Shortlands, Kent. At this time he was a Tuberculosis (T.B.) Officer with Middlesex County Council, working in the Tottenham area of London.

Sidney joined the Royal Army Medical Corps on 14 Aug 1914 and was granted the temporary rank of Lieutenant on 15th Aug 1914 for the duration of the war. This was gazetted on 28 Aug 1914. His address for correspondence on his Medal Index Card was given as the Tuberculosis Dispensary, Tynemouth House, Tynemouth Road, Tottenham, London N15. This would fit with him working as a Tuberculosis Officer with the Middlesex County Council.

He was attached to the Lahore British General Hospital, which was in Marseilles Jan 1915 - April 1915.

He was also attached to the 19th British Field Ambulance which was part of the 7th (Meerut) Division, known as the Meerut Division. This division travelled to Mesopotamia in April 1916 and later moved to Egypt. Although it is not known when Sidney joined the 7th Meerut Division, the Mill Hill School roll of the Great War states that he was a Captain in the Royal Army Medical Corp in both France and Egypt during the war.

There is little information about Sidney's time in the war because the service papers of temporary officers were destroyed shortly after the war.

In 1926 he was living at 129 Old Park Avenue, Enfield, Middlesex as per the telephone directory of that year.

His medical registration for 1927, 1931, 1939, 1943 and 1951 state his address as being 140 West Green Road, London N15.

Towards the end of his career Sidney was the Assistant Medical Superintendant at Clare Hall Sanitorium and House Physician at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital

Sidney was a member of the Society of Medical Officers of Health, the branch of medicine that works to improve public health affecting populations. This would fit with his long history of working with T.B.

He died on 28 September 1957 in Wandsworth, London.

Robert Vacy Ash

Robert Vacy Ash was born on the 17th July 1845 at Stratton, Cornwall. He was the third son and fourth child of Robert Knott and Mary Ann Vacy. When he was born he was the third born son of the marriage, his elder brothers were Thomas and William, and he also had an older sister Mary Ann. At the time of his birth, his father’s occupation is listed as an Inn Keeper

On the census of 1851, aged five he was living at 62, The High Street, Stratton along with his parents, his two older brothers and an older sister. His fathers occupation is listed as Hotel Keeper

His sister Mary Ann died in 1857

On the census of 1861, aged 15 he was living in Paddington, London with an uncle and his brother William. William and Robert’s occupations are both listed as Medical Students. Meanwhile his mother Mary Ann Ash is now listed as a widow and continues to live in Stratton, Cornwall. Her occupation is listed as Inn Keeper in keeping with her carrying on the family business after the death of Robert’s father also Called Robert

Robert was admitted as a member of Royal College of Surgeons in London at a meeting of the Court of Examiners on the 24th Jul 1866, stated in the British Medical Journal of the 11th Aug 1866. He was also a Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries, Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians and had an M.B. from the University of Aberdeen

His medical registration with the General Medical Council of the UK for 1867 states that he was living at Stratton, Cornwall

In an article in the British Medical Journal of the 3rd Feb 1868, Robert was a Medical Practitioner in Grantham where he reported on a case of Intussusception of the Rectum in a 6 year old child. Intussusception occurs when a portion of the bowel slides into the next, much like the pieces of a telescope. When this occurs, it can create a blockage in the bowel and can result in swelling, inflammation, and decreased blood flow to the part of the intestines involved. Robert describes the treatment of the child, death and the post-mortem he conducted

On the census of 1871, which is generally taken in early April, Robert, aged 25, is listed as being a boarder in the home of Sarah Richardson the widow of a Surgeon. They lived at Holyrood House, South Skirlaugh, Yorkshire. His occupation is listed as General Practitioner.

On the 30th September 1871 Robert joined the Army as an Assistant Surgeon which was announced in the London Gazette of the 8th Mar 1872. On the 1st Mar 1873 he was promoted to Surgeon

On the 6th Jul 1872 Robert was posted to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa where he remained until the 18th Nov 1872. He spent a few months back in England before being posted back to the Cape of Good Hope on the 15th April 1873 where he remained until the 28th Mar 1875

Robert was then at home on leave from the 29th Mar to the 4th Jun 1875 before being posted back to the Cape of Good Hope on the 5th Jun 1875

Robert took part in the Zulu Campaign from 1878 - 1879

On the 15th Mar 1880 Robert returned home and on the 1881 census of England, Robert, aged 35, was in Quarters in the men's block at the Royal Victoria Military Hospital, Netley. His rank is listed as Surgeon

On the 12th Aug 1882 Robert sailed to Egypt as medical support for the Egyptian Campaign, including the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir

On the 11th Mar 1883 Robert returned home to England and on the 30th Sep 1883 he was promoted to Surgeon-Major

On the 7th July 1883 in the British Medical Journal, Robert discusses the causes of enteric fever (now known as typhoid fever) opening a debate for other medical professionals to respond

On the 21st July 1883 in the British Medical Journal, Robert discusses the possible causes of sea-sickness, a complaint from which he states that he suffers himself on his frequent travels by ship. He considers the sympathetic nervous system to be the cause of sea sickness and states his reasons for thinking this, again opening a debate for other medical professionals to respond

On the 11th Sep 1884 Robert married Eliza Maxwell, the daughter of Thomas Maxwell, a gentleman. Robert gives his occupation as physician and the marriage took place in St Barnabas Church, Kensington, London. At the time of the marriage Robert and Eliza were living at separate addresses in Warwick Gardens, Kensington

On the 18th Feb 1885 Robert sailed for the Bengal in India and took part in the Burmese Expedition of 1886-1887 where it is stated that:

‘’he was an officer of great ability and zeal, who has done most excellent service. Is highly qualified for the duties he has been called upon to perform’’ by DSS Turner PMO Burma

The British Medical Journal of the 12th Jan 1889 states that Robert and Eliza's second son was born on the 4th Jan 1889 at 38 Stanford Avenue, Brighton, Sussex. As Robert was stationed in India and Robert and Eliza’s second child was born in England, Eliza must have been with Robert in India and returned to England to give birth to their child. Sadly for the couple, this child was called Roland Colin Ash but sadly died in infancy

On the 28th Apr 1889 Robert returned home to England and from that date until the 17th Nov 1891 he is listed as being sick. The death of his child and marital difficulties which resulted in divorce may go some way to explain why Robert was listed as sick

On the 1891 census, Robert, aged 45, is living at a private address in Hove with his wife Eliza and son William who was born in Ayra Burgal, India and is five years old. Roberts rank is listed as Surgeon-Major. He was promoted to Lieutenant -Colonel on the 30th Sep 1891 and retired from the service on the 18th Nov 1891

During the period in which Robert was listed as being sick, the 1891 census was taken when Robert, aged 45, was living at a private address in Hove with his wife Eliza and son William who was born in Ayra Burgal, India and is five years old. Roberts rank is listed as Surgeon-Major.

He was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel on the 30th Sep 1891 as per notification on his service record and the British Medical Journal of the 24th Oct 1891

Robert retired from the service on the 18th Nov 1891

His medical registration with the General Medical Council for the UK for 1899 states he was living at 10 The Esplanade, Fleetwood, Lancashire

On the 1901 census, Robert, aged 55, continues to live at 10 the Esplanade, Fleetwood, Lancashire with his cousin Thomas Lyle who is aged 62. They are both surgeons and living on their own incomes (retired)

His medical registration with the General Medical Council for the UK for 1903 states he was living at 10 The Esplanade, Fleetwood, Lancashire where he died on the 18th September 1903, aged 58

Robert's medal entitlement was the South Africa medal 1877-1879 no clasp, The Egypt medal 1882-1889 clasp Tel-El-Kebir, The India General Service Medal 1854 clasp Burma 1885-86 and the Khedive’s star 1882