| Administrative History | Sir Alexander Ogston departed from Aberdeen on the 15 December 1899, with introductions from Queen Victoria, to join the Army in South Africa during the Boer War. He returned from South Africa in July 1900. Although Ogston took an active role in treating those injured during the fighting he also went to South Africa to observe the medical facilities available to the army. See 'Reminiscences of three campaigns', Alexander Ogston (London, 1919) for more information.
On the 2 September 1916 Ogston left for Italy to serve as Surgeon in the Hospital of the 1st British Ambulance Unit. He returned to Aberdeen on furlough for a short period in September 1917, returning to Italy in November only to find that the hospital had been destroyed. He returned home on the 22 November 1917 and was awarded the Silver Star. Also see 'First World War journal (Volume 2), 1916-1917' (MS 3850/1/8). |