| Stokes | William | | Surgeon | He died at the Base Hospital, Pietermaritzburg, of pleurisy, August 18th, 1900. He was one of those distinguished surgeons who, at the end of 1899, responded to the call of his Sovereign and country and came forward to assist the Empire. He was then appointed a consulting surgeon to the army in South Africa. He was born in March 1839, and educated at the Royal School, Armagh, and Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated as BA in 1859. He became a Licentiate of the Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland, in 1862, and took his degree in medicine and surgery in the University of Dublin, 1863. After two years further study in Berlin, Paris, Vienna, and London, he commenced practice in Dublin. In June 1886, he was made a KCB, and in 1892 became Surgeon in Ordinary in Ireland to her Majesty Queen Victoria. He was an excellent writer, having written much on clinical and operative surgery; and his favourite recreations were music and travelling. Many of those who were wounded in the Natal campaign, and had the happiness and good fortune to come under his care, look back with gratitude to his skill and gentleness in dealing with their cases. In Natal he was chiefly in the hospitals of Mooi River, Pietermaritzburg, and in Ladysmith after the siege was raised. Believing the war would be over in July 1900, he had arranged if his services were not further required to return home. Some time previously Sir W Stokes had been ill from the effects of overwork, and went to Durban for a change. Writing on June 28th, he said "I am getting quite well again" and expressed a hope to soon get back to Maritzburg and Newcastle, "as there are cases waiting for me". He returned to work early in July and having visited the hospitals at Volksrust and Charlestown, he was again taken ill at Maritzburg on August 15th, and died after three days illness. He was buried in the cemetery at Fort Napier, and was interred with military honours, his appointment carrying the rank of a general officer. He was mentioned by Field Marshal Earl Roberts in his despatch of April 2nd, 1901, who wrote that the services rendered by Sir W Stokes "were of incalculable value".
Source: Dooner | Unknown |
