Description
Queen’s South Africa, 3 bars, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, 15103 Private John Bristow Biggs, Royal Army Medical Corps, a volunteer from the Maidstone Company Voluntary Medical Staff Corps.
Officially impressed: “15103 Pte J.B. Biggs. R.A.M.C.”
Confirmed on the medal roll, with copy service papers.
The medal roll notes he served at: “No 17 General Hospital R.A.M. Corps (Formerly No 4 Stationary Hospital)”
The roll also remarks he had “Pass through C.C. and O.F.S. In May 1901”.
During WW1, he served as a Staff Sergeant in the Canadian Army Medical Corps, due to his service being in Canada, he looks to have earned no service medals.
You can read his full Canadian Service file courtesy of the Canadian Government below:
https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B0724-S017
The Victoria Daily Times, 30th Nov 1945 Obituary:
“At the Royal Jubilee Hospital on Nov 27th, there passed away Staff Sergeant John Bartlett Biggs, at the age of 67 years.
The late Mr Biggs was born in Maidstone, Kent, England, and had resided in this city for many years.
He was a veteran of the First Great War, serving with the C.A.M.C., also served in the South African War.
He was a member of the Army and Navy Veterans Association, survived by one sister, Mrs Nancy Craven, London, England.”
John Bristow Biggs aka John Belmont Bartlett was born on 3rd August 1878 in Maidstone, Kent.
Being later baptised there at All Saints Church on 6th October 1886.
In the middle of the Boer War, John was at the time a member of the Volunteer Medical Staff Corps, Maidstone Company, when he chose to sign on for a wartime short service with the R.A.M.C. at Maidstone on 15th March 1901.
He had chosen to sign on “For a term of 1 year, unless the war in South Africa lasts longer than one year, in which case you will be detained until the War if over.”
He was swiftly deployed next month, arriving in South Africa on 20th April 1901.
He finished out the war there arriving back on 24th September 1902, he was then discharged 2 days later on 26th September 1902, having fulfilled his terms of engagement.
It was noted that his Elder Brother T. Biggs was serving in the 1st Lincoln Regiment.
After the war, he chose to emigrate over to Canada, based on our findings his middle name was not even necessarily “Bristow” he was baptised only as “John Biggs”, but signed on for the Boer War with this self given middle name, in Canada he chose to adopt the new middle names “John Barlett Biggs” or “John Belmont Bartlett Biggs”, possibly taking the middle name Belmont from the Boer War.
He returned to service whilst in Canada during World War 1, joining the Canadian Army Medical Corps.
John had Asthma and painful varicose veins in his legs, but refused to let that stop him from serving his country.
He first signed on with the 54th Bn “East Kootenays” C.E.F. on June 18th 1915, and served in Canada until 2nd April 1917 at the Army Medical Corps Training Depot No 11, C.E.F. during his time he rose up the rankings to become Staff Sergeant.
However due to his medical conditions he was medically discharged on 2nd April 1917 the Varicose Veins were “Indefinite”, and he also had “Phlebitis in Africa following Enteric Fever” from his early years in the Boer War.
Not letting that stop him he continued treatment and later “re-attested in J Unit MHCC” on 20th February 1918 at Victoria BC “In consequence of having completed treatment necessary for injuries occurred in previous service.”
John later died on 27th November 1945 in British Columbia Canada.
He was a lifelong bachelor, so the medal was likely returned to England to his sister with his effects.
