James Roche Verling

Who was James Roche Verling?

James Roche Verling was a British Army surgeon who became personal surgeon to Napoleon Bonaparte on St Helena.

Verling was born in Cobh, County Cork, Ireland. He graduated in Medicine from Edinburgh University, Scotland and was commissioned Second Assistant Surgeon in the Ordnance Medical Department in 1810 during the Peninsular War. After the defeat of Napoleon and his exile in St Helena after 1815 the British decided that Napoleon needed a personal physician. The first to fill that post was another Irishman, Barry Edward O'Meara, but he was dismissed as it was felt he was too close to Napoleon. Verling had already been a surgeon on board the ship HMS Northumberland, which brought Napoleon to St Helena, and was chosen to replace O'Meara.

Verling returned home to Cobh in 1820, where he lived at Bella Vista until his death. He was promoted First Assistant Surgeon, Surgeon in 1827, and Senior Surgeon in 1843. He is buried in the Old Church Cemetery, Cobh.