| Lithgow | Stewart Aaron | | Deputy Surgeon General | LITHGOW, STEWART AARON, Deputy Surgeon General, was born in 1833, at Dundee, son of Aaron Lithgow, and Lydia Stewart, and was educated at Dundee Academy, and Edinburgh University (LRCS Edinburgh 1875; MD, and BSc Edinburgh 1876); joined the Army Medical Department in 1855, Served through the Indian Mutiny 1857-9, attached to the 75th Regiment (Gordon Highlanders). He was present at the Battle of Budlekeserai (wounded); at the siege, assault and capture of Delhi, the battles of Bulandshahr and Agra, the affairs of Allygur, Akrabad and Kanoj; in the Oudh Campaign, at the actions of Alam-bagh and Dilkusa; at the Relief of Luck-now and occupation of Alambagh; at the affair of Suilee and the pursuit of Tanta Topi (Mutiny Medal with two clasps). In 1866, on the 3rd of September, at Blackheath, London, SE, he married Elizabeth Charlotte, daughter of the Reverend John Davis, Ordinary of Newgate, and of his wife, M J Cooks. Their children were: Stewart James Douglas (died in infancy); Edwin Malcolm (served in the Kent Artillery, Cameron Highlanders, resigned; became MB, ChM and FRCS, Edinburgh, and served in the European War as Captain, RAMC); and a daughter, Ethel. Assistant Surgeon S A Lithgow became Surgeon in 1867, and Surgeon Major in 1873. In 1878 he organized a large European Base Hospital at Karachi, during the Kandahar Campaign, being a PMO to the British troops at the base of operations while the Bombay Column advanced to Kandahar in 1880. He was attached respectively to the 17th Lancers, Gordon Highlanders, Carbineers and Cameron Highlanders, and was promoted to Brigade Surgeon in 1880. In 1884 and 1885 he served with the Nile Expeditionary Force as PMO, Line of Communication; was specially mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 25 August 1885]; received the Bronze Star, Medal and Clasp, and was created a CB, having been promoted to Deputy Surgeon General in 1884. He served in 1885 as PMO during the operations on the Upper Nile, and was again mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 9 February 1886], and created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 26 November 1886]: "Stewart Aaron Lithgow, CB, MD, Deputy Surgeon General, Medical Staff. For action at Ginnis". General Lithgow was the first officer to be gazetted after the institution of the Distinguished Service Order. In 1890 General Lithgow served with the Zhob Field Force as PMO, and was again mentioned in Despatches, and in the following year he was appointed Superintendent of the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, where he was a highly respected and most popular official. He was much interested in genealogical and antiquarian matters, and also wrote and was consulted by writers as an authority on genealogical subjects. General Lithgow belonged to the family of Lithgows of Drygrange, Roxburghshire, and could trace three royal descents. The property of Drygrange was a grant from the Abbey and Convent of Melrose to John Lithgow, also of Weltown, Linlithgowshire "for services rendered to the Abbey in resisting robbers and depredators". This property was sold during the lifetime of General Lithgow's grandfather, the Reverend John Lithgow, of Etal, Northumberland. A small piece of the same land is included in the property of Fanhope, Roxburghshire, now held by the family. Surgeon Major General Lithgow died on 20 September 1899, at his residence, Fanhope, Melrose.
Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book) | Army Medical Service |
