- William Babtie
Lieutenant General Sir William Babtie VC KCBKCMG (7 May 1859 -11 September 1920 ) was a Scottish recipient of theVictoria Cross , the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. His Victoria Cross is displayed at theArmy Medical Services Museum inAldershot .outh Africa and the Victoria Cross
He was 40 years old, and a
major in theRoyal Army Medical Corps [LondonGazette|issue=26438|startpage=5059|date=5 September 1893 |accessdate=2008-01-15] ,British Army during theSecond Boer War when he won his VC. The full citation was published in the "London Gazette " on20 April 1900 and reads: [LondonGazette|issue=27184|startpage=2547|date=20 April 1900 |accessdate=2008-01-15]He had previously been made a
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in June 1899. [LondonGazette|issue=27091|startpage=3865|date=20 June 1899 |accessdate=2008-01-15]After South Africa
Babtie was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in April 1901, [LondonGazette|issue=27306|startpage=2706|date=
19 April 1901 |accessdate=2008-01-15] and appointed Assistant-Director, Army Medical Service in that June. [LondonGazette|issue=27326|startpage=4251|date=25 June 1901 |accessdate=2008-01-15] In 1903 he was made a Knight of theVenerable Order of Saint John . [LondonGazette|issue=27550|startpage=2921|date=8 May 1903 |accessdate=2008-01-15] He was promoted to colonel in 1907, and appointed Inspector of Medical Services. [LondonGazette|issue=28004|startpage=1833|date=15 March 1907 |accessdate=2008-01-15] [LondonGazette|issue=28014|startpage=2650|date=19 April 1907 |accessdate=2008-01-15] In 1910 he was appointed Deputy Director-General of Medical Services and granted the temporary rank ofsurgeon-general . [LondonGazette|issue=28346|startpage=1684|date=8 March 1910 |accessdate=2008-01-15] The rank was made permanent in 1911. [LondonGazette|issue=28562|startpage=9450|date=15 December 1911 |accessdate=2008-01-15] He was made aCompanion of the Bath (CB) in the 1912King's Birthday Honours . [LondonGazette|issue=28617|supp=yes|startpage=4297|endpage=4298|date=11 June 1912 |accessdate=2008-01-15] On1 June 1914 he was appointed Honorary Surgeon to the King, [LondonGazette|issue=31488|supp=yes|startpage=9948|date=1 August 1919 |accessdate=2008-01-15] holding the post until7 May 1919 First World War—Mesopotamia and Dardanelles
Babtie was appointed Director, Medical Services for the
British Indian Army in March 1914. [LondonGazette|issue=28831|supp=yes|startpage=3931|date=15 May 1914 |accessdate=2008-01-15] He was responsible for medical provision on both theMesopotamian campaign and the Dardanelles Campaign. He wasMentioned in Despatches for his services in the Dardanelles. [LondonGazette|issue=29569|supp=yes|startpage=4517|endpage=4519|date=5 May 1916 |accessdate=2008-01-15] He was appointed Director of Medical Services at theWar Office on18 March 1916 . [LondonGazette|issue=27550|startpage=2921|date=8 May 1903 |accessdate=2008-01-15] He became Inspector of Medical Services with the temporary rank of lieutenant-general on1 March 1918 . [LondonGazette|issue=30628|startpage=4490|date=12 April 1918 |accessdate=2008-01-15]However, he was severely criticised by the Mesopotamia Commission of Inquiry and received further criticism for similar failings at
Galipolli . [ [http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/babtie.htm firstworldwar.com] ]He was made a
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 1919 King's Birthday Honours. [LondonGazette|issue=31395|startpage=7425|date=6 June 1919 |accessdate=2008-01-15]References
*
Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
*The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
*Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)
*Victoria Crosses of the Anglo-Boer War (Ian Uys, 2000)External links
* [http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/surrey.htm Burial location of William Babtie] "Surrey"
* [http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/ccramc.htm Location of William Babtie's Victoria Cross] "Army Medical Services Museum"
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