Colonel J.L.H. Neilson (1845–1925) was the 2nd Canadian

Surgeon General Surgeon general (: surgeons general) is a title used in several Commonwealth countries and most NATO nations to refer either to a senior military medical officer or to a senior uniformed physician commissioned by the government and entrusted with p ...

and the first to hold the appointment of Director General Medical Services. Born in

Québec Quebec is Canada's largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, New Brunswick to the southeast and a coastal border ...

, John LH., grandson of politician and editor John Neilson, "was educated at St. Mary’s College, Montreal, Laval University and Royal Victoria Army Medical School." Neilson was posted as Medical Officer of the Québec Garrison Artillery, in 1869. During the Wolseley Expedition (a part of the Red River Rebellion) from 1870 to 1871 "he served as a surgeon with the 2nd Québec Battalion of Riflemen", for which he was awarded the

Canada General Service Medal The Canada General Service Medal was a campaign medal awarded by the Canadian Government to both Imperial and Canadian forces for duties related to the Fenian raids between 1866 and 1871. The medal was initially issued in 1899 and had to be a ...

. Neilson also served as a surgeon in

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

during the Soudan Campaign from 1884 to 1885. In 1898, he was appointed Director General of Medical Services, and remained in the position until his retirement from the military in 1903. Neilson penned two books, the first entitled ''The Royal Canadian Volunteers, 1794-1802: a historical sketch'', published in 1895, and ''Slavery in Old Canada before and after the conquest'' read before the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, published in 1906.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Neilson, John Louis Hubert 1845 births 1925 deaths Canadian surgeons Surgeons general of Canada