Dr William Edward Glover

1924 Map of Nigeria

Dr William Edward Glover (W.E.G.) trained as a doctor in Scotland and England. He originally went to Angola as a Medical Officer overseeing the health and wellbeing of construction workers on the Benguela Railway there. He then appears to have returned to England to get more training in Tropical Medicine. After this he took a position in Southern Nigeria with the West African Medical Service (WAMS).The following year Southern Nigeria amalgamated with Northern Nigeria to create the Colony of Nigeria. When war did break out he was conscripted in to the army and participated in the campaign against the German Cameroons which neighboured Nigeria. He would eventually become a Captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps in West Africa. When war finished he rejoined the West African Medical Service and served in a series of postings throughout Nigeria such as at Calabar, Ikot-Ekpeni, Ibadan, Abeokuta and Lagos. He eventually completed his service as the Deputy DMS (Director of Medical Services) in Nigeria. He left that post in 1939 as storm clouds gathered for another World War. He served during the Second World War on Cyprus before retiring finally to Plymouth. His last address being 108 Molesworth Road in Stoke. We are thankful to his grandson Bill Cave for allowing us to reproduce his photographs in full here. It is not always clear where they were taken or at what date although most do have some annotation or commentary to help explain them.

there is an interesting thesis published in 1988 which helps explain the role of the Colonial Medical Service in West Africa

7th May 1888

Born

1911

MB. ChB (Aberdeen)

1912

Medical Officer to construction workers on Benguela Railway, Angola

July 1913

Certificate of the School of Tropical Medicine (London)

September 1913

DTM&H (Cambs),

10 September 1913