Biography of Sir William Alexander Mackinnon

William Alexander Mackinnon was Director-General of the Army Medical Service (1889 -1896). He studied Medicine at the Univeristy of Glasgow and Edinburgh, graduating LRCS from Edinburgh in 1851 and FRCS in 1873.

In 1853, Mackinnon entered the army as Assistant-Surgeon in the 42nd Highlanders, serving in the Crimean War in Alma, Balaklava, and Sevastopol. Thereafter, Mackinnon saw active service during the New Zealand Maori war (1863-66); he was assistant Professor of Surgery at Netly (1866-73); Senior Medical Officer of Sir Garnet Wolseley’s Ashanti Force 1873-74; Principal Medical Officer at Aldershot, Colchester, Hong Kong, and at Malta 1874-82; Head of the medical Branch of the Director-General’s Office in London, 1882-87; and Principal Medical Officer at Gibraltar, 1887-89.

Mackinnon received a Knighthood and served as an Honorary Surgeon to the Queen. He died at London on 28 October 1897, aged 67.

Mackinnon received an honorary LLD from the University of Glasgow in 1891. He bequeathed £2000 to the University of Glasgow to found Scholarships.

Sources

Archival Materials

• Addison, W. Innes, A Roll of the Graduates of the University of Glasgow from 31st December, 1727 to 31st Decmeber, 1897, with short biographical notes, Glasgow : J. MacLehose & Sons, 1898.

Summary

Sir William Alexander Mackinnon
Born 27 June 1830.
Died 28 October 1897.
GU Degree: LLD, 1891;
University Link: Graduate
Occupation categories: military; surgeons
English snippet: Honorary graduate of the University of Glasgow, Surgeon-Major-General
Record last updated: 13th Jul 2015

Country Associations

Scotland, Skye
Place of Birth

England, London
Place of Death

Ghana, No Region

Malta, No Region

New Zealand, No Region

Spain, Gibraltar

Ukraine, No Region

University Connections

University Roles

• Graduate [View Sir William Alexander Mackinnon's record in the list of graduates]