Surgeon Alexander Thom
MA (Aber 1791)
26 Oct 1775 – 26 Sep 1845 [Perth Canada]
Service Record
25 Sep 1795 Regimental Mate by Warrant to 88th (Connaught Rangers) Regiment.
24 Oct 1796 Surgeon's Mate 35th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot.
16 Mar 1797 Assistant Surgeon 2nd/35th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot.
30 Aug 1799 Surgeon 35th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot.
Served on Helder Expedition in Holland under General Ralph Abercrombie and HRH The Duke of York.
4 Mar 1800–25 Feb 1803 Served at Minorca and Malta.
18 July 1800 The 2nd/35th Foot reinforced the 30th and the 89th Foot in the blockade of the French garrison, which the Maltese insurgents had besieged since Sept 1798.
5 Sep 1800 Present at the surrender of the French garrison at Valletta.
20 Dec 1800 Left for Egypt with his regiment.
1801 On duty at Malta.
Nov 1802 Ordered home in consequence of the reduction of the army following the cessation of hostilities with France.
25 Feb 1803 Left for England.
17 May 1803 Surgeon 41st Regiment of Foot.
26 Aug 1803 Received his first payment of £90 7s 6d in prize money from the proceeds of the property captured in Malta on 4 September 1800. This was equivalent to that paid to a captain in the infantry.
18 Jan 1805 Received his second payment of £33 2s 6d in prize money from the proceeds of the property captured on the island of Malta on 4 September 1800.
6 July 1810 Received his third payment £3 2s 2d in prize money from the proceeds of the property captured on the island of Malta on 4 September 1800.
1803–1813 Served with 41st Regiment in Lower Canada. Made prisoner in the War of 1812.
4 Jan 1812 Received his final share worth £2 3s 3d in prize money from the proceeds of the property captured on the island of Malta on 4 September 1800.
29 July 1813 Staff Surgeon.
1815 Staff Surgeon of the military settlement at Perth in Upper Canada.
15 Feb 1817 Retired. After his retirement, he became one of the founding settlers and leaders of Perth, Ontario. He became a successful businessman-mill owner, justice of the peace, local politician and eventually district court judge.
Bibliography
- Entry No: 1635. Johnston W. Roll of Commissioned Offices in the Medical Service of the British Army. Vol 1 (20 June 1727-23 June 1898), Aberdeen (1917).
- Ross D Petty. Alexander Thom (1775–1845): Former Army Surgeon to Settlement Founder in Journal of Medical Biography.
- TNA:WO 25/3897, (1790–1847); Records of Service - Officers of the Medical Department.
- TNA:WO 164/503, Malta 1800, Prize Records Royal Hospital Chelsea first and second payments (1804–1808).
- TNA:WO 164/134, Malta 1800, Prize Records Royal Hospital Chelsea first and second payments (1811–1840).