Medical Officers

A partial list of early Medical Officers who served with the Queen’s Own Rifles, primarily in the nineteenth century:

26 May 1860 – Surgeon James Thorburn, MD (Retired with rank of Surgeon Major 18 Jan 1881) [SC50.F6]
26 May 1860 – Assistant-Surgeon Frank Bull (Died 20 Jan 1863) [SC50.F6]
30 Aug 1861 – Surgeon James Richardson, MD
17 Mar 1865 – Lieutenant and Assistant-Surgeon James Rowell [SC50.F11] (Retired 19 Jan 1866)
19 Jan 1866 – Lieutenant and Assistant-Surgeon Samuel P. May (Served during Fenian Raids and retired 19 Aug 1877)
30 Nov 1877 – Captain and Assistant-Surgeon Norman Bethune (Retired 26 Dec 1879) He was the grandfather of the famous Doctor Norman Bethune.
13 Jan 1881? – Major and Surgeon Frederick W. Strange (Transferred to Infantry School Corps, 31 Dec 1893 and later Surgeon Lieutenant Colonel in Royal Canadian Regiment)
29 Apr 1881 – Lieutenant and Assistant Surgeon Joseph W. Lesslie, MD (Promoted Captain August 30, 1884, served during Northwest Rebellion in 1885 and resigned 13 Apr 1895)
16 May 1884 – Lieutenant and Assistant Surgeon William Nattrass
13 Apr 1895 – Lieutenant Surgeon William Nattrass (Promoted Surgeon Major 1896, transferred to Royal Regiment of Canadian Infantry 8 Jul 1897, transferred to the Militia Army Medical Service after its creation in 1899)
8 Feb 1896 – Lieutenant and Assistant Surgeon Lester I. Palmer, MD
31 Jul 1897 – Surgeon Major Lister I. Palmer MD
1910 – Surgeon Captain F. Winnett; Surgeon Captain P. G. Goldsmith (on Trip to England) [RHist p94]

3rd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force:

The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, continued:

1922 Dec
- Captain J.A. Linton (1st Bn)
- Captain William E. Sinclair (2nd Bn)
- Major F. Winnett (Corps Reserve)
c1924 [FO18.F10]
- Colonel Wallace A. Scott, CMG (1st Bn)
- Captain William E. Sinclair, MC (2nd Bn)
10 Dec 1924 – Major (later) Lieutenant Colonel A. E. MacDonald, MC, ED (Also served as MO with 3rd Bn, CEF during WWI from Aug 1917 to 1919)
1925
- Lieutenant H.W. Beecher Locke (1st Bn)
- Captain A.E. MacDonald, MC, ED (2nd Bn)
1932
- Lieutenant C.D. Gossage (1st Bn)
- Captain A.E. MacDonald, MC, ED (2nd Bn)
- Lieutenant A.R. Wilkins (1st Bn)
1935
- Captain C.D. Gossage (1st Bn)
- Captain A.E. MacDonald, MC, ED (2nd Bn)
- Lieutenant A.R. Wilkins (1st Bn)
1937
- Captain A.E. MacDonald, MC, ED
- Lieutenant A.R. Wilkins
1940’s (during WWII) – 2nd Battalion – Captain R. Wilkins, Captain J. G. Ferguson, Lieutenant W.H. Cruickshank

Ist Battalion (WWII)

1941 – Major J. H. Nesbit [RHist p143]
1941 – Lieutenant M. K. Gordon RCAMC [RHist p161]
1941 April 9 – Captain R. D. MacLaren RCAMC [RHist p161]
1942 – Feb 22 – Captain R. D. McLaren was transferred to 22 Fd. Amb. and was replaced by Captain A. Kirsch. [RHist p179]
1944 Jun 7 – Captain Kirsch wounded and evacuated to England and replaced by Major M. Bruser
1944 Jul 13 til end of war – Captain R. D. Oatway R.C.AM.C. [RHist p197]

2nd Battalion (WWII)