Medical Officers
Of the Malta Garrison
Lucas Ward
? – 1855

Service Record

14 Oct 1809 Purveyor Clerk. Served in the Walcheren Expedition (July–Dec 1809).

1808–1814 Served throughout the Peninsular Campaign and in the South of France and again in Belgium in 1815, being present at the surrender of Paris.

Malta 25 Dec 1823 appointed Purveyor Clerk Malta Command where he served for 31 years.

Malta 1824 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 1825 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 1826 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

8 Mar 1826 Baptism of Lucas Ward, born on 19 November 1824, son of Mary and Clerk to the Purveyor of the Forces Lucas Ward.

8 Mar 1826 Baptism of Jane Ward, born on 26 December 1825.

4 July 1826 Death of Jane Ward, aged 6 months.

Malta 26 Nov 1827 Burial of Lucas Ward, aged 3 years.

Malta 1828 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 1829 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 1830 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 1831 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 1832 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 1833 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 1834 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk. His accommodation consisted of two rooms in the General Hospital.

Malta 1835 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 1836 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 1837 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta June–Oct 1837 Epidemic of cholera in Malta.

Malta 1838 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 1839 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 16 Nov 1840 Left on a "particular service" to Constantinople, possibly as part of a group of medical officers who accompanied DIG John Davy.

Malta 23 June 1841 Returned to Malta from a "particular" service to Constantinople.

Malta 1842 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 1843 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

15 Feb 1843 Mary Ward a spinster daughter of Lucas Ward of the Medical Staff in Malta married Lt John Hughes Lloyd RN, a bachelor of the Parish of Llanfair in the County of Merioneth, North Wales. One of the witnesses was Inspector General Martin Mahony Montagu.

Malta 1844 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk at the Military Hospital, Valletta.

Malta 1845 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 1846 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 23 June 1847 On leave to England.

Malta June 1848 Returned from England.

Malta 1849 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk at the Military Hospital, Valletta.

Malta 1850 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 1851 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 1852 On garrison duty as purveyor clerk.

Malta 27 Apr 1853 Promoted Purveyor. He occupied the post of purveyor despite being in his sixties.

The Purveyor Department was abolished in 1830 but the purveyor remained under the control of the Army Medical Department although purveyors considered themselves independent of it.

Malta 25 Apr 1854 Left on the steamer Emeu, accompanied by his wife Jane, who like her husband, was also nearly 70 years of age.

The General Hospital at Scutari was opened on 10 June 1854, with Lucas Ward as Purveyor in Chief. He was in his 68th year and had over forty years service. Ward was deemed to be inefficient by the Superintendent of the Scutari Hospital Staff Surgeon Menzies.

On 20 June 1854, a Board of three medical officers with Staff Surgeon 1st Class Duncan Menzies as President and Staff Surgeons 2nd Class Anderson and George William Powell as members, was constituted on the instruction of the Director General of the Army and Ordnance Medical Department to enquire on the health and efficiency of Purveyor Ward.

The Board was of the opinion that Ward's advanced age and long service made him physically unfit for the active duties required of a purveyor with the army and recommended that he be allowed to proceed to England.

The Purveyor's Department during the War in the Crimea was subordinated to the Secretary for War and not to the Army Medical Department. Despite the recommendation of the Medical Board that Purveyor Ward be returned to England, Lord Raglan decided to keep him in post. Ward was replaced in Oct 1854 by Purveyor Matthew Wreford.

1 Jan 1855 Died at the General Hospital Scutari of Dysentery. His wife followed him to her grave a few days later.