William Babtie
Major, Royal Army Medical Corps
- Register No.
- 43 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Major all Majors →
- Unit
- Royal Army Medical Corps all Royal Army Medical Corps VCs →
- Date of action
- 15 December 1899 on this day → all of 1899 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second Boer War
- London Gazette
- 20th April 1900 on this day → all of 1900 →
- Born
- 7th May 1859 at Dumbarton, Scotland
- Died
- 11th September 1920 at Knocke, Belgium
- Memorial / grave
- Not recorded
- Medal held by
- the Army Medical Services Museum
Digest of citation
On 15th December 1899 at the Battle of Colenso, South Africa, Major Babtie rode under heavy rifle fire to attend to the wounded who were lying in advanced donga close to the rear of the guns. When he arrived at the donga he attended to them all, going from place to place, exposed to the heavy rifle fire which greeted anyone who showed himself. Later in the day, Major Babtie went out with another officer * to bring in a Lieutenant* who was lying wounded on the veldt –This also under very heavy fire
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
BABTIE, William (Reg. No.43) (later Sir William)
Major* Royal Army Medical Corps.
London Gazetted on 20th April 1900 VC Medal's Custodian is the Army Medical Services Museum.
Born on: 7th May 1859 at Dumbarton, Scotland.
Died on: 11th September 1920 at Knocke, Belgium Memorial at: Not recorded Citation reads On 15th December 1899 at the Battle of Colenso, South Africa, Major Babtie rode under heavy rifle fire to attend to the wounded who were lying in advanced donga close to the rear of the guns. When he arrived at the donga he attended to them all, going from place to place, exposed to the heavy rifle fire which greeted anyone who showed himself. Later in the day, Major Babtie went out with another officer * to bring in a Lieutenant* who was lying wounded on the veldt –This also under very heavy fire.
*See CONGREVE,W.N. Reg No.241. Also ROBERTS F.H.S. Reg No.1060.
Additional information: From 1910-1914 he was the Deputy Director \\\general of the Army Medical Services and then as Director of Medical Services in India from 1914 to 1915. He then became Director and later Inspector of the War Office Medical Services from 1916-19. He was Knight of the Order of St. John. He held the following decorations: K.C.B. &K.C.M.G. *Finally Lt. General He was the eldest son of John Babtie J.P. of Dumbarton and was educated at the University of Glasgow taking his MB degree in 1880. He joined the Army Medical Service on 30th July 1881. From 1897-98 he served as the Senior Medical Officer during the International occupation of Crete where he was created a CMG(1899). He also served on the Natal Army Staff in South Africa. He was present at all the following operations in Natal and Eastern Transvaal. His bravery was commended by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who called him ‘the gallant Babtie, a brave surgeon' during the battle of Colenso, where Babtie won his VC. (Reason for death at Knocke to be researched.)
Additional information
From 1910-1914 he was the Deputy Director \\\general of the Army Medical Services and then as Director of Medical Services in India from 1914 to 1915. He then became Director and later Inspector of the War Office Medical Services from 1916-19. He was Knight of the Order of St. John. He held the following decorations: K.C.B. &K.C.M.G. *Finally Lt. General He was the eldest son of John Babtie J.P. of Dumbarton and was educated at the University of Glasgow taking his MB degree in 1880. He joined the Army Medical Service on 30th July 1881. From 1897-98 he served as the Senior Medical Officer during the International occupation of Crete where he was created a CMG(1899). He also served on the Natal Army Staff in South Africa. He was present at all the following operations in Natal and Eastern Transvaal. His bravery was commended by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who called him ‘the gallant Babtie, a brave surgeon' during the battle of Colenso, where Babtie won his VC. (Reason for death at Knocke to be researched.)
*See CONGREVE,W.N. Reg No.241. Also ROBERTS F.H.S. Reg No.1060.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Not recorded
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