No 621 Brigade Surgeon William Sly
LM (1857) RCS (Eng) LSA (1857)
8 Aug 1832 [Wincanton Somerset] – 6 Mar 1918
Surgeon Colonel William Sly qualified in medicine in 1857 and entered the Army Medical Department in December 1857. In 1863, he took part in the Campaign on the North West Frontier of British India with the 7th Fusiliers. He was present at the defence of the Sungales at the Umbeyla Pass, the storming of Conical Hill, the destruction of Lalloo on 15 December and the action in the Bonair Pass on 16 December. He was awarded a medal with clasp.
While an assistant surgeon with the 2nd Battalion 16th Regiment of Foot in Curragh, he published in the Army Medical Report of 1859 a Case of fissure of the caecum and extravasation of faeces: peri-caecal abscess and discharge through the bowel caused by tuberculosis.1
Service Record
8 Dec 1857 Gentleman William Sly was commissioned Staff Assistant Surgeon, vice Staff Assistant Surgeon Robert Owen Hayden, who became Assistant Surgeon 60th Foot on 3 November 1857.
28 May 1858 Assistant Surgeon 2nd/16th (Bedfordshire) Regiment of Foot. On duty in Dublin.
31 Dec 1861 Appointed Assistant Surgeon 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot on the death of Assistant Surgeon George Smith on 18 September 1861.
1863 Served on the North West Frontier India.
3 June 1864 Appointed Assistant Surgeon Royal Artillery.
11 Dec 1872 Staff Assistant Surgeon at Woolwich.
1873 On duty at Woolwich.
1 Apr 1873 Surgeon Major.
1873–1880 On duty in Bengal.
Dec 1880 Moved from Bengal to Dover.
1881 On duty in Dover.
1882 On duty in Shorncliffe.
July 1882 Selected to proceed on active service with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force.
Nov 1882 Moved from Egypt to Gibraltar.
20 June 1883 Brigade Surgeon.
Malta 16 July 1883 Arrived from England.
Malta 6 Jan 1884 Returned to England.
2 Apr 1884 Retired with the honorary rank of Deputy Surgeon-General.
12 June 1893 Surgeon Colonel W Sly attended the annual dinner of the Army Medical Staff held at the Whitehall Rooms, Hotel Metropôle London.
17 June 1895 Surgeon Colonel W Sly attended the annual dinner of the Army Medical Staff held at the Whitehall Rooms, Hotel Metropôle London.
15 June 1896 Surgeon Colonel W Sly attended the annual dinner of the Army Medical Staff held at the Whitehall Rooms, Hotel Metropôle London.
14 June 1897 Surgeon Colonel W Sly attended the annual dinner of the Army Medical Staff held at the Whitehall Rooms, Hotel Metropôle London.
Bibliography
- Drew R., 1968. Entry No: 5655. 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.
- 1Statistical, Sanitary and Medical Reports of the Army Medical Department. Army Medical Department Report for 1859, Vol I. London 1861.
- Succession Book Vol 10. Returns of service of medical officers in the Regular Army.