Person    | Male  Born 21/3/1881  Died 22/6/1900

Private Bertie Doe

Categories: Medicine

Countries: South Africa

War dead, Other war i

Commemorated on a memorial as having died in a war, not WW1 or WW2.

Private Bertie Doe

Resident of Willesden who volunteered and died in the Anglo Boer War, 1899-1900. Died of dysentery at Ladysmith.

Our colleague, Andrew Behan, has endeavoured to research this man who is shown as 'B. DOE' on the Willesden Boer War memorial. From The South African Military History Society website we know his name, rank and number was Private Bertie Doe, No.973 and he had been attached to the Metropolitan Corps (Wembley) of the St John Ambulance Brigade when he volunteered to serve overseas in the Second Boer War.

We believe that Bertie Doe was born on 21 March 1881 in Barking, Essex (now Greater London), the fourth of the nine children of William John Doe (1853-1908) and Sarah Ann Doe née Tomlin (1850-1923). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1881 in the Romford Registration District, Essex (now Greater London). On 1 May 1881 he was baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Mossford Green, Barkingside, Ilford, Essex (now Greater London).

His eight siblings were: Edith May Doe (b.1875); Alice Mary Doe (b.1876); George Edward Doe (1878-1947); Grace Sarah Doe (1883-1968); Albert Edward Doe (1885-1915); Lily Doe (b.1887); Sarah Ann Doe (b.1889) and Daisy Doe (1891-1966).

In the 1881 census he was shown as aged 1 month, living at 6 Vaughan Cottages, Barkingside, with his parents and two elder siblings: Edith May Doe and George Edward Doe. His father was described as a constable in the Metropolitan Police.

He was shown as a 10-year-old scholar in the 1891 census, living at 5 Ship Street, Poplar, London, with his parents and six siblings: Edith May Doe; George Edward Doe; Grace Sarah Doe; Albert Edward Doe; Sarah Ann Doe and Daisy Doe. His father was still listed as a constable in the Metropolitan Police.

He died, aged 19 years, on 22 June 1900 at Ladysmith, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, from dysentery and his body was buried nearby in the Intombi Netural Camp Cemetery. The location of his grave is now unknown as all the headstones were removed to new positions near to the cemetery memorial upon which he is commemorated. He is also shown as 'Doe. B.' in the St John Ambulance Book of Remembrance in St George's Cathedral, Cape Town, South Africa and, incorrectly, as being a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps on the main Boer War Memorial at Ladysmith, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa.

From the angloboerwar.com website, we learn that he was posthumously awarded the Willesden Tribute Medal. He would have also been posthumously awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal and the St John Ambulance Brigade Boer War Medal.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Private Bertie Doe

Commemorated ati

Willesden Boer War memorial

In 1997 someone saw this plaque and posted about it on an on-line forum, with...

Read More

Other Subjects

Erasmus Wilson F.R.S

Erasmus Wilson F.R.S

Surgeon, dermatologist and philanthropist.  Born Marylebone High Street. Died at home in Kent.

Person, Medicine, Philanthropy

1 memorial
St George's Hospital

St George's Hospital

Set up when the entire medical staff of the Westminster Hospital resigned in a dispute concerning the new location for that hospital. St George's was established in Knightsbridge for the country ai...

Group, Medicine

3 memorials
William Harvey

William Harvey

Born at Folkestone, Kent. Discovered and proved the circulation of the blood.

Person, Medicine

2 memorials
Women’s Transport Service (FANY)

Women’s Transport Service (FANY)

All-women unit, affiliated to the TA, formed as the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry and active in both nursing and intelligence work during WW1 and WW2.  The original role was to ride horseback (hence "...

Group, Armed Forces, Espionage, Medicine

1 memorial
Capt. H. A. Fenton, LMSSA (London)

Capt. H. A. Fenton, LMSSA (London)

Assistant Commissioner in the St John Ambulance Brigade, No. 1 (Prince of Wales's) District, 1928-1939. Officer in the Order of St John. SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 19 MARCH, 1946 carries th...

Person, Armed Forces, Emergency Services, Medicine, Politics & Administration

1 memorial