Brigade-Surgeon Alfred Henry Anthonisz served in Egypt in 1882 and 1885, he also served during the Boers’ War. He is entitled to the Egypt medal clasp Suakin 1885, the Queen’s South Africa Medal clasp Cape Colony and the Khedive’s Star.
December 22nd, 1844: Born in Colombo, Sri Lanka. He was educated at Colombo Academy and Queen’s College. His parents were Gerard Henricius Anthonisz and Abigail Elizabeth Wright.
1862: He went to the Calcutta to do his medical studies. After completing his schooling he entered the Ceylon Medical Service Department where he served for two years.
1867: Graduated M.B. and C.M. from the University of Aberdeen
November 11th, 1870: His name appears for the first time in the Medical Register
Between February 20th and 27th 1871: He passed his examination for admission in the Medical Service of the Royal Navy and then entered the army as Staff-Assistant-Surgeon. On April 1st he was sent to Bombay to be stationed there.
September 12th: Married to Cristian Joanna Sim.
September 19th: Appointed Staff-Assistant –Surgeon.
1873: Promoted Surgeon and posted to the 108th Foot Regiment. His first son Alfred George Henry was born that year and would later become a civil surgeon. He died when struck by lightning in South Africa in 1901.
1874: Birth of his daughter Eshel Maud
1876: Birth of his second daughter, Winnifred Maud
1878: Stationed in Bombay
July 19th, 1879: He was elected as a member of the Asiatic Society of Bombay
1880: Birth of his second son, Edward Guy also became a surgeon and served in WW1 with the British Forces
Egypt Campaign
September 1882: Served during the Egypt Campaign in the Tel-El-Kebir Campaign at the Fork Medical Depot. He was back in United Kingdom in December.
April 1st, 1883: Promoted Surgeon Major and stationed in Barbados
June 1885: He was attached to General Graham Force in Suakin in March. He came to United Kingdom in July arriving at Portsmouth on the Troopship Jumna. He was then posted to Devonport.
1888: He was stationed in Barbados
April 1890: Transferred from Bengal to Aldershot, United Kingdom. He took charge of the Third Station Hospital in Aldershot in June.
April 1st, 1891: Promoted Staff Lieutenant-Colonel
May 15th, 1895: Promoted Brigade-Surgeon (Lieutenant-Colonel)
August 21st, 1896: Appointed to officiate the Administrative Medical Staff of the Bengal Army with the temporary rank of Surgeon-Colonel. He was officially appointed in October. In November he is appointed to officiate as Principal Medical Officer in the Oude and Rohilkind District.
April 1897: Transferred from Bengal to Gosport
Boers’ War
October 6th: Arrived in Durban, South Africa onboard the transport ship Breamer Castle with the 1st General Hospital (From the London Times of October 5th). The hospital was later sent to Cape Town South, Africa where they arrived on October 27th. (From the official history book of the Royal Army Medical Corps). He was in charge of the medical function of the hospital that was then moved in Wynberg, South Africa and then opened on October 30th.
December 1899: Promoted to the rank of Colonel.
While in South Africa in the hospital was inspected by Mrs. Richard Chamberlain and he was accused of mismanagement of the hospital. This did create a commotion and it was found that Mrs. Chamberlain had no experience in hospital management so Colonel Anthonisz was later cleared of any wrong-doing
December 24th, 1900: He left South Africa for England onboard the Wakool. He is listed as invalids. (From the London Times of December 24th).
January 1901: He was sent back to Bombay. In June, he then served in India in the Bombay Command and was appointed Principal Medical Officer Secunderabad and Belgaum Districts. In September he was transferred from Bombay to Madras.
December 22nd, 1904: Placed on the Retired Pay
February 17th, 1905: He retired
December 6th, 1907: Departed from London, United Kingdom and sailed to Calcutta, India on board Jelunga with his wife.
October 27th, 1919: Died at Coonoor, Nilgiri Hills, South India.
If you know more information on this gentleman, please leave me message so I can add it to his small biography.
Picture of Brigade-Surgeon Alfred Henry Anthonisz taken before his departure for South Africa.
