No 235 Assistant Surgeon John Coates
LRCSI (1847) MD (Glas 1848)
6 Dec 1826 [Downpatrick Co Down] – 15 Mar 1895 [Hythe Kent]
Brigade Surgeon John Coates entered the Army Medical Department as an assistant surgeon in April 1850. He had no war service. He died at Hythe Kent in March 1895, at the age of 68 years.
Service Record
16 Nov 1849 Acting Assistant Surgeon.
2 Apr 1850 Became Assistant Surgeon 26th (The Cameronians) Regiment of Foot.
Malta 18 Apr 1854 Arrived on the Ceylon transport.
Malta 1855 Acting Assistant Surgeon.
Malta 25 Jan 1856 Promoted Staff Surgeon of the 2nd Class from 1st/26th on the promotion of Staff Surgeon Thomas Patrick Matthew who was granted the local rank of Staff Surgeon of the 1st Class in Turkey.
15 Apr 1856 Exchanged with Surgeon John Grogan 26th (The Cameronians) Regiment of Foot.
1857 Yellow Fever broke out in Bermuda in August 1856. Surgeon John Coates 26th Regiment arrived from England on 10 June 1856 and was in medical charge of the Royal Barracks at St George's. On 15 October 1856, Gunner and Driver Thomas Sykes RA aged 26 years stationed at Fort Victoria went down with yellow fever. The men were removed from the forts and placed under canvas and every attention paid to cleanliness and ventilation with constant inspections of the men women and children.
Gave evidence to the Commissioners appointed to investigate the circumstances connected with the first appearance of the epidemic yellow fever which prevailed in Bermuda in 1856.
4 Aug 1865 Exchanged with Surgeon Richard Gamble 1st/24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot.
Malta 13 Oct 1866 Arrived from England.
Malta 9 Aug 1867 On home leave.
Malta 16 Nov 1867 Returned from leave.
Malta 1868 Surgeon 1st/24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot.
Malta 23 Oct 1869 On home leave.
16 Nov 1869 Promoted Surgeon Major 1st/24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot.
Malta 1870 On home leave.
Malta 13 Nov 1871 Returned to Malta.
1871 Listed in the Malta Almanac as being on duty at Malta.
Malta 29 Feb 1872 Left for Gibraltar.
1 Jan 1873 Promoted Staff Surgeon Major from 1st/24th Regiment of Foot.
1873–1876 At the Royal Victoria Hospital Netley.
1876–1881 In Gibraltar.
Aug 1881 To Hythe.
15 Oct 1881 Retired with the honorary rank of Brigade Surgeon.
1884–1885 In medical charge of the School of Musketry Hythe.
15 Mar 1895 Died at Hythe from Cerebrospinal Sclerosis.
Bibliography
- Drew R., 1968. Entry No: 5016. Medical Officers in the British Army 1660 – 1960. Volume 1: 1660 – 1898. London: Wellcome Historical Medical Library.
- RAMC/PE/3/27/Drew. Manuscript for Drew's Roll.
- Succession Book Vol 5. Returns of service of medical officers in the Regular Army.
- The Malta Almanac for 1871.
- Naval and Military Medical Services. Br Med J (1895); 1: 677 (Published 23 March 1895).