| Activity | Education:
Nicholson Memorial School, Lisburn, Co Antrim; Royal Belfast Academical Institution; MC BCh BAO (Belfast, 1908); DPH (Belfast and Cambridge, 1910); DTM (Liverpool, 1911)
Career:
Appointed Lieutenant, Indian Medical Service (July 1911), awarded the Victoria Cross for outstanding bravery when a medical officer on 21 January 1916, receiving the Victoria Cross as Captain. Regiment: Indian Medical Service. Date of Act Of Bravery: 21 January 1916. Campaign: 1914-1918 War. Locale: Ora Ruins, Mesopotamia. Citation reads;
'For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. Although shot through both arms and through the side, he refused to go to the hospitala, and remained as long as daylight lasteed attending to his duties under very heavy fire. In three previous actions Captain Sinton displayed the utmost bravery. '
He served until 1921 in North West Frontier Province, Mesopotamia, Afghanistan, Waziristan, Turkestan; Queen's University Research Scholar to Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (1911); ruins in Mesopotamia; transferred to civil branch, Indian Medical Service (1921-1936) worked in Pasteur Institute and Central Research Institute, put in charge of quinine and malaria inquiry (July 1921), director of Malaria Survey of India at Kasauli (1925-1936); Manson fellow, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine; malaria laboratory, Ministry of Health, Horton Hospital, Epsom; adviser on malaria to Ministry of Health; Indian Medical Reservist during WW2, commanded a hospital in India; consultant malariologist to east African force and Middle East command, retired as honorary brigadier (August 1943) but recalled and appointed consultant malariologist to War Office; returned to live in Cookstown, Co.Tyrone; member of Senate, Pro-Chancellor and President of University Association, Queen's University, Belfast; JP, high sheriff and deputy lieutenant of Co.Tyrone; Arnot memorial medallist, Irish Medical Schools' and Graduates Association (1917); MD honoris causa, Belfast (1919); honorary fellow, Ulster Medical Society (1920); DSc, Belfast (1927); Chalmers Memorial Medallist, Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (1928); Bisset-Hawkins medallist, Royal College of Physicians, London (1944); Robert Campbell memorial orator and medallist, Ulster Medical Society (1946); Mary Kingsley medallist, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (1949); Manson medallist, Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene,awarded triennially to the living author of such original work in tropical medicine or tropical hygiene as the Society thought worthy of the honour (1956)
Honours:
VC 1916: OBE |
| Source | Obituaries:
Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society 1956 vol 2 pp 269-290, plate, by Rickard Christophers
References:
R W Home, 'The Royal Society and the Empire: the colonial and Commonwealth Fellowship. Part 2. After 1847' in NR 2003 vol 57 pp 47-84
National Archives; War Office: Correspondence and Papers Concerning the Victoria Cross. Medal listing of Sinton, John Alexander. Rank: Captain. Regiment: Indian Medical Service. Date of Act Of Bravery: 21 January 1916. Campaign: 1914-1918 War. Locale: Ora Ruins, Mesopotamia. [Ref. WO 98/8/249 Medal listing of Sinton, John Alexander Rank: Captain Regiment: Indian... ] |