Description
Queen’s South Africa, bar Cape Colony, KSA, 2 bars, Corporal later Quartermaster Wallace Catherall, Royal Army Medical Corps, commissioned in 1917 during WW1.
QSA Officially impressed: “11024 L. Cpl. W. Catherall. R.A.M.C.”
KSA Officially impressed: “11024 Corpl. W. Catherall. R.A.M.C.”
Both confirmed on the medal rolls.
KSA roll devotes a whole page just to him, noting he was with “8 Coy Royal Army Medical Corps”. It notes that he had also served as “No 1 General Hospital” during the war.
With copy service papers.
Wallace Catherall was born during 1878 in Dorking, Surrey.
He first joined what was known at the time as the Medical Staff Corps on 6th March 1896.
Appointed 3rd Class Orderly, 7th August 1896
Appointed 2nd Class Orderly, 1st December 1897
1st Class Orderly, 1st October 1898
Lance Corporal, 12th October 1900
Corporal, 1st July 1901.
Appointed Lance Sergeant on 1st April 1909, Sergeant on 1st July 1911.
Then Staff Sergeant on 12th October 1914 (Papers record Promoted in the Field in France), becoming Acting Sergeant major on 24th October 1916.
He saw the following postings prior to his commission over 21 years of service:
Home, 6th March 1896 – 5th October 1899
South Africa, 6th October 1899 – 21st June 1902
Home, 22nd June 1902 – 13th October 1910
Mauritius, 14th October 1910 – 24th Jan 1913
Home, 25th Jan 1913 – 12th August 1914
British Expeditionary Force in France, 13th August 1914 – 14th August 1917
For his consistent “Long Service and Good Conduct” he received the medal and gratuity during the war on 1st Oct 1914.
His records show only 1 blemish in his otherwise spotless service, when he was a youngster in the RAMC at Bedford Camp on 13th May 1899 he was sentenced to 14 days confined to the barracks for: “Irregular conduct, attempting to receive Beer at Hospital when on Special Orderly Duty.”
Following 21 years service and serving as Staff Sergeant, Acting Quarter Master Sergeant, he was “Discharged in consequence of his appointment to His Majesty Commission as Temporary Quartermaster R.A.M. Corps” on 13th April 1917.
His Character was “Exemplary”
“Thoroughly reliable and trustworthy. He is a qualified dispenser, trained in Nursing and Ambulance Duties. Holds the medal for long service and good conduct.
Wallace finished out the war as a commissioned Quartermaster with the R.A.M.C.
His officer’s service records are at the National Archives WO339/95726
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1149549
After the war he is shown on the 1911 Census living in Richmond Surrey where he worked as a Steward (Civil Subordinate) at the South African Military Hospital in Richmond Park.
He remained in Richmond, still there in the 1939 Census shown as a Clerk Civil Service & Pensioner in the RAMC.
He died in Chelsea, London during 1948.
