No 548 Surgeon Major Augustus Morphew MRCS (Eng 1855)
9 June 1833 [Sevenoaks Kent] – 20 Nov 1915 [Mundesley Norfolk]
Surgeon Major Augustus Morphew entered the Army Medical Department as an assistant surgeon in 1856. In December 1861 he served as Principal Medical Officer of the Quiah Expedition on the West Coast of Africa (Sierra Leone).
He was present at the capture and destruction of Massongha on 10 December 1861, the storming and destruction of the stockades and war fences at Madonkia on 19 December 1861, the capture of the Fetish town of Robea on 28 December 1861 (wounded in action), and of the towns of Majembah and Majohn on 17 January 1862.
Service Record
18 Jan 1856 Appointed Acting Assistant Surgeon.
18 Jan 1856 Appointed Staff Assistant Surgeon.
1856–1862 Served in the Gold Coast, Gambia and Sierra Leone.
18 June 1861 Promoted Staff Surgeon.
2 Dec 1861 Left Freetown (Sierra Leone) for Waterloo, a frontier town about 30 miles from Freetown. Served on the Quiah Expedition; hostilities ended in January 1862 with the men returning to Freetown.
18 June 1861 Appointed Staff Surgeon, vice Waldegrave Rock Thompson who became Surgeon 2nd/West India Regiment.
2 Dec 1862 Surgeon 1st/West India Regiment.
25 June 1863 Appointed Staff Surgeon.
1864–1865 Served in the Bahamas.
1866–1867 Served in Colchester.
29 May 1867 Surgeon the 1st/The Royal Regiment of Foot.
3 May 1871 Exchanged with Staff Surgeon Alexander Clark Ross.
1871 On duty at Gravesend.
5 Oct 1872 Surgeon 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot. Remained as their medical officer until 1877 when he moved to the Staff Malta.
1 Mar 1873 Promoted Surgeon–Major.
Malta 24 Feb 1877 Arrived from England.
Malta 1878 On garrison duty.
Malta 1879 On garrison duty.
Malta 9 Sep 1880 To England on leave.
28 Dec 1880 Returned from leave.
Malta 1881 On garrison duty.
Malta 17 Feb 1882 Left Malta.
Censured by the Director General for his lack of zeal, judgement, and general capacity. Doubts were expressed as to his fitness for promotion.
Mar 1882 Arrived at Bull Point, Devon.
1884 Arrived at Bengal.
17 Mar 1888 Served in Bengal since the beginning of 1884. Directed to proceed to England in HMS Crocodile during the present trooping season, and was detailed for duty with troops. HMS Crocodile was due to leave Bombay on 17 March 1888.
May 1888 Change of station from Bengal to Woolwich.
9 June 1889 Retired to Norwich.
Bibliography
- Drew R., 1968. Entry No: 5559. 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 10. Returns of service of medical officers in the Regular Army.
- Naval and Military Medical Services Br Med J (1888), 561; (Published 10 March 1888).
- Naval and Military Medical Services Br Med J (1888), 667; (Published 24 March 1888).
- Naval and Military Medical Services Br Med J (1888), 1413; (Published 30 June 1888).