Alfred Horsfall
Encyclopedia
Alfred Herbert Horsfall DSO
(29 January 1871 – 26 November 1944) was an Australian military surgeon.
Horsfall was born at Fitzroy
in Melbourne
to headmaster Jonas Horsfall and Emily, née Nichols. He graduated from the University of Melbourne
with a Master of Surgery
in 1893 and soon moved to Newcastle
, where he was appointed medical superintendent at Newcastle Hospital
; he also became a local alderman and was elected president of the Newcastle Scientific Society. He was commissioned a lieutenant
in the 2nd New South Wales Army Medical Corps Contingent in January 1900 and saw action during the Boer War
, serving in the Orange Free State
, the Transvaal
and the Orange River Colony
. He was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Distinguished Service Order
for his service. After the war he returned to Newcastle. He married Gertrude Emily Stokes at Leichhardt
in Sydney
on 21 April 1903.
Horsfall continued to serve in the Medical Corps but he resigned as a major in 1914, enlisting in the British Territorial Army. He served in Greece
and the Suez Canal
during World War I
, supervising the canal's sanitation and serving as surgeon specialist in Alexandria
until January 1917, when he was sent to England as an invalid. He returned to active service in August, serving in Palestine
until he was invalided again. He supervised the 82nd General Hospital in Salonika from March to October 1918. Following the end of the war Horsfall based himself in England but continued to travel widely. A staunch advocate of the British Empire
, he published several pamphlets supporting migration and the Britishness of the dominions. He was in Australia from 1923 to 1926 (during which time he ran for the Australian House of Representatives
as a Nationalist
), and on returning to England he lectured for the Social and Political Education League. Horsfall died in London
in 1944.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(29 January 1871 – 26 November 1944) was an Australian military surgeon.
Horsfall was born at Fitzroy
Fitzroy, Victoria
Fitzroy is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra. Its borders are Alexandra Parade , Victoria Parade , Smith Street and Nicholson Street. Fitzroy is Melbourne's...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
to headmaster Jonas Horsfall and Emily, née Nichols. He graduated from the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
with a Master of Surgery
Master of Surgery
The Master of Surgery is an advanced qualification in surgery. It is most commonly abbreviated Ch.M. or M.S., as well as M.Ch. and M.Chir. from its Latin name, Magister Chirurgiae or the English form of Master of Surgery....
in 1893 and soon moved to Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, where he was appointed medical superintendent at Newcastle Hospital
Royal Newcastle Hospital
The Royal Newcastle Hospital was, for nearly 190 years, the main hospital in the Australian city of Newcastle. The hospital stood on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the Hunter River port of Newcastle, New South Wales, from 1817 until 2007. The hospital grew in step with Newcastle from its...
; he also became a local alderman and was elected president of the Newcastle Scientific Society. He was commissioned a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the 2nd New South Wales Army Medical Corps Contingent in January 1900 and saw action during the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
, serving in the Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
, the Transvaal
Transvaal
The Transvaal is the name of an area of northern South Africa. The land originally comprised most of the independent Boer South African Republic, which had existed since 1856, despite two previous attempts by the British of varying success to establish supremacy...
and the Orange River Colony
Orange River Colony
The Orange River Colony was the British colony created after this nation first occupied and then annexed the independent Orange Free State in the Second Boer War...
. He was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
for his service. After the war he returned to Newcastle. He married Gertrude Emily Stokes at Leichhardt
Leichhardt, New South Wales
Leichhardt is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. Leichhardt is located 5 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
on 21 April 1903.
Horsfall continued to serve in the Medical Corps but he resigned as a major in 1914, enlisting in the British Territorial Army. He served in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, supervising the canal's sanitation and serving as surgeon specialist in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
until January 1917, when he was sent to England as an invalid. He returned to active service in August, serving in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
until he was invalided again. He supervised the 82nd General Hospital in Salonika from March to October 1918. Following the end of the war Horsfall based himself in England but continued to travel widely. A staunch advocate of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, he published several pamphlets supporting migration and the Britishness of the dominions. He was in Australia from 1923 to 1926 (during which time he ran for the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
as a Nationalist
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
), and on returning to England he lectured for the Social and Political Education League. Horsfall died in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1944.