Abstract
This article details the remarkable life of Dr Thomas Somerville, who qualified both as a veterinary surgeon and medical practitioner, served in two world wars and was recommended for the nation’s highest award for gallantry. In doing so, it records the life of a man whose repeated gallantry on the battlefield has been overlooked.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Connor
H
. Lest we forget: Remembering the Great War . J Med Biogr 2015 ; 23 : 183 –183 .
2.
Fernando
M
. The story of William Somerville , Sri Lanka : Hokananda , 2000 .
3.Russel J. The Somerville family. History and memories . Private publication, 2009 .
4.Surrey Mirror , 2 November 1906
5.London Gazette , 4 January 1916
6.Obituary of TV Somerville . Br Med J 1942 ; 1 : 344 –344 .
7.
Oatts
LB
. Proud heritage, volume 3: The story of the highland light infantry, 1882–1918 , London : House of Grant Ltd , 1961 .
8.London Gazette, 26 July 1918
9.War Diaries 86 General Hospital North Russian Expeditionary Force. The National Archives , WO 95/5431, 1919 .
10.J Royal Army Med Corps 1920; 34: 37–56
11.Entry for TV Somerville, Register of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons 1908–1931 .
12.Entry for Dr JWF Sandison, Medical Directory 1928 .
13.Obituary of TV Somerville, Bournemouth Echo , 25 February 1942 .
14.War Diaries, 3rd Kings Own Hussars. The National Archives , WO 166/1376, 1939 .
15.File relating to TV Somerville . Keogh Barracks, Aldershot: Army Medical Services Museum
16.
Heseltine
R
. Pippins progress: A soldier artist’s war , Suffolk : Silver Horse Press , 2001 .
17.The Hartgill Committee. The National Archives , WO 32/9790 .
18.Donnelly P, Three Good Great Man , http://www.oldframlinghamian.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=6526&g2_GA (2008, accessed October 2015) .
19.The Horse of Hanover was the regimental emblem of the 3rd Hussars .
20.War Diaries 3rd Kings Own Hussars, 1940. The National Archives , WO 169/216 .
21.Hero of the RAMC. The Listener , 1 May 1941 .
22.He was also mentioned in despatches in the same issue for his actions in December 1940. London Gazette , 9 May 1941 .
23.War Diaries 3rd Kings Own Hussars. The National Archives , WO 169/1385, 1941 .
24.Western Gazette , Doctor into battle in baby car. 2 May 1941
25.
Masters
D
. With Pennants Flying , London : Eyre & Spottiswoode , 1943 .
26.
Farran
R
. Winged Dagger , London : Cassel , 1998 .
27.
Psychoundakis
G
. The Cretan Runner , Rhode Island, USA : University of Rhode Island Press , 1980 .
28.Commonwealth War Grave Commission. http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/937103/SOMERVILLE,%20THOMAS%20VICTOR (accessed October 2015) .