Service memories / by Sir A.D. Home ; edited by Charles H. Melville.

  • Home, A. D. (Anthony Dickson), Sir, 1826-1914.
Date:
1912
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Service memories / by Sir A.D. Home ; edited by Charles H. Melville. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    351/376 (page 335)
    England, and his services were^lost to the force. Only a brain specially gifted with organizing power, and of remark- ably clear judgment, could have arranged with such singular effectiveness for the probable contingencies of a campaign in this climate. All Dr. Home’s calculations were subse- quently found to have been most wonderfully correct, and his successors found organized and ready to their hand a complete system.” Similar high praise was accorded to him in the despatches of the General Officer Commanding. There is no doubt that the striking success from a purely sanitary point of view (which in a tropical campaign means also a military point of view) of this expedition, in a climate which had proved so fatal to all other attempts to invade Ashanti, was very largely, if not wholly, due to the forethought and exertions of the Principal Medical Officer. Deputy Surgeon-General Home was confirmed in that rank on the 24th December, 1873, and served at home till July, 1878. He received the Knight Commandership of the Bath in March, 1874. In July, 1878, he was promoted local Surgeon-General while serving as Principal Medical Officer in Cyprus at a time when affairs in the Near East appeared to point to a war with Russia. He returned to England in April, 1879, and was permitted to retain his rank, though without pay and allowances, till promoted Surgeon-General on the 4th April, 1880. He served as Principal Medical Officer in Madras from March, 1880, to March, 1882 ; and in Bengal in the same capacity from the latter date till April, 1885. The remainder of his service, until his retirement at the age of sixty on the 29th November, 1886, was spent in England.]