Early Life
His parents were born in Ulster but John Sinton arrived in this world on December 2, 1884 in Victoria, British Columbia. In 1890 when the time came for him to receive his education young John went to Ireland with his family to attend Nicholson Memorial School in Lisburn. He later furthered his education at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and Queen’s College graduating with first class honours in medicine.
Additional studies at Cambridge and Belfast culminated in a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor of Obstetrics. Appointments in pathology followed at both Queen’s and the School of Tropical Medicine in Liverpool as well as posts at various hospitals in Belfast.
Medical Officer
In 1911 he joined the Indian Medical Service as medical officer of the 31st Bengal Lancers and served on the North West Frontier with the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force as a captain. He was still there in 1914 when the Great War broke out. For the most part he spent more time treating his men for illness rather than wounds from enemy action.
Victoria Cross
During the campaign against the Turks Sinton displayed the highest degree of bravery "in three previous actions" but the one that won him the Victoria Cross happened on January 21, 1916. The place was the Orah Ruins, Sheikh Sa-ed in Mesopotamia. The Turks had the British troops under siege at Kut-el-Amara and the Bengal Lancers were suffering heavy casualties at Orah Ruins. Under near suicidal conditions, Captain Sinton tended the wounded men under heavy fire and without regard for his own safety. Five times he was hit. Bullets tore into both arms and his side. Still, he refused to leave the firing line and continued treating the wounded until darkness finally ended the shooting. His "conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty" earned him the Victoria Cross. Before the war was over Sinton would be mentioned in despatches four times.
Medical Career
After the war, John Sinton returned to Indian and was mentioned in despatches twice more for services in Afghanistan and Waziristan. In 1921 he transferred to the civilian branch of the Indian Medical Service and in the same year was awarded the Order of the British Empire. He married Edith Martin in 1923 and had a daughter, Eleanor. Sinton spent the next years researching the treatment of malaria, retiring in 1938.
In 1939, his services were again required and he was recalled as a brigadier general to serve in India as quartermaster at a military hospital later transferring to East Africa and the Middle East. An outbreak of malaria in southern Italy in 1944 led to his posting there to treat the sick soldiers.
With the war over he retired again and settled in Cookstown, County Tyrone, Ireland where he took occasional civilian posts such as Justice of the Peace and High Sheriff of Tyrone. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1946. Brigadier Sinton died on March 25, 1956 and was buried in Claggan Cemetery with full military honours. His medals reside at the Army Medical Services Museum at Aldershot.
For more Canadian VCs see Denis Dempsey and Canada's Victoria Cross
Bibliography
Max Arthur - Symbol of Courage - Sidgwick & Jackson - 2004
Dan Black - Legion Magazine - Nov/Dec 2006
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