Major Vandeleur Kelly leading a march past of NSW Army Medical Corps on Queen Victoria's birthday at Centennial Park

Major Robert Vandeleur Kelly (mounted) leads a march past of NSW Army Medical Corps on Queen Victoria's birthday at Centennial Park. Kelly trained as a doctor in England before migrating to Australia in 1889. Commissioned in the NSW Military Forces on 12 October 1889 and promoted to Surgeon Major on 9 January 1896, Kelly was the founder of the St John Ambulance Corps in NSW in 1890. As a temporary Lieutenant Colonel, Kelly served with the second and third contingents to the Boer War, commanding the NSW Army Medical Corps. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in 1902 and died in 1913. The uniform worn by Major Kelly in this photograph can be seen at REL36938.001.