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Australia

Early Life

Eric John Swann was born on the 9th of February1899, the only son of John Edward Swann and Mary Jane Holmes of Angaston, SA. Eric was the youngest of four children, his siblings were, Nora May (b1888), Edith Emily (b1893) and Doris (b1896). Eric’s father owned a store in Angaston.

Schooling

Eric’s early schooling was undertaken at the local school at Angaston. In 1913, Eric commenced at Prince Alfred College, Adelaide where he studied until 1916. Eric passed his Primary Examinations in 1913, Junior Examinations in 1914, Senior Examinations in 1915 and Higher Public Examinations in 1916.

While at PAC, Eric was a member of the Cadets and was part of the PAC Cadet team who were champions of South Australia in 1914 and represented South Australia in the Commonwealth competition in June 1914. On the 1st of May 1917, he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in the Senior Cadets.

Eric represented PAC at Intercollegiate matches against St Peter’s College in tennis, cricket and football in 1915 and 1916. He captained the Inter-Collegiate tennis side in the 1916. In the 1916 Inter-Collegiate cricket match against St Peter’s College, he scored 62 runs in the second innings from the 204 runs required to win.

Eric played cricket for PAC in the SACA B Grade competition in the 1914/15 and 1915/16 seasons.

He was on the committee which organised the 1916 Inter-Collegiate Sports and was a Prefect at PAC that year.

Adelaide University and Sport
Eric commenced studying toward a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1917. He was still in Adelaide on the 27th of July 1918 and represented the Adelaide University in the patriotic football match at Adelaide Oval against a combined College's side.

World War I

Eric enlisted on the 24th of November 1917 when he was 18 ¾ years-old (SN 20570), he required his parent’s permission to enlist and his father, John Edward Swann, was listed as his next-of-kin. Eric was 5’ 5”, 126 lbs, with a medium complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. He was a Private in the nursing staff of the Australian Army Medical Corps.

Eric embarked onboard the HMAT S.S. Gaika on the 6th of August 1918 and disembarked at London on the 13th of October 1918. Unfortunately, Eric contracted influenza and was sent to the Fovant Military Hospital on the 22nd of October 1918. On the 2nd of December 1918, Eric commenced duty at the Australian Army Hospital at Sorthall, only to contract pleurisy on the 22nd of January 1919. He again returned to duty on the 30th of January 1919. Eric returned to Australia onboard the HMAT Plassy on the 17th of March 1919 and disembarked on the 28th of April 1919. He was discharged on the 12th of May 1919.

Post-War – Adelaide University
Eric recommenced studying toward his BSc on his return from the war, but in 1920 he transferred to study medicine. Eric gained his MB BS in December 1924. While still at University, Eric was best man at the wedding of his sister, Doris, to Len Plush of Light’s Pass. Len had been at Prince Alfred College at the same time as Eric.

University Sport

Football
Eric played the bulk of the 1919 football season for Angaston Football Club; however, he appears to have played some games for University late in the 1919 season.

Eric represented Adelaide University in the A Grade (Amateur League) in 1920 and 1921 and played Intervarsity football in those years. Eric was named in the goal scorers in the premiership winning match in 1920. In 1922 Eric captained the B Grade to a premiership and in 1923 he played for both the A Grade and B Grade. He captained the B Grade to the premiership again in 1924.

Adelaide University Cricket Club
Eric represented the Adelaide University during the 1919/20 -1924/25 seasons playing both A Grade and B Grade for the club. He captained the B Grade team in the 1923/24 season.

In the 1921/22 Season bowling for University in A-Grade against the powerful Sturt team that included Vic Richardson and former University and State player Hurtle Willsmore, Eric was hit for three sixes at University Oval with one nearly going into the Torrens River. Willsmore had hit seven sixes in a row after having hit the last four ball of Astley's previous over.

Eric also frequently played cricket for the Angaston Cricket Club when not required for University teams.

Athletics
No evidence has been found that Eric competed in the Adelaide University Sports, but he acted as a track steward at the Sports in 1923 & 1924.

Career and Family Life

Eric was appointed a medical officer at the Adelaide Hospital shortly after his graduation in December 1924. By August 1925, Eric was in practice at Jamestown, SA with Dr Dunstone. He married Nellie Gertrude Sandland, the daughter of the late John Chester Sandland and Mrs Caroline Sandland of Kooringa, on the 23rd of September 1925 at St Mary’s Church Burra.

Eric was appointed the medical officer at Jamestown in February 1926. When Dr Dunstone left Jamestown, Eric was joined by Dr Ian Hamilton. Eric and Nellie had two daughters, Nelleen Judith Swann (Judith), born on the 4th of July 1926 at Blairgowrie, Jamestown and Mary Caroline Swann, born on the 4th of January 1928 at the Jamestown Hospital.

In June 1928 Dr Ian Hamilton left Jamestown and Eric’s new partner was Dr H.G. “Gordon” Prest a former Adelaide PAC and University sporting teammate.

Eric played golf at Jamestown and he was medical officer for Jamestown Racing Club. In a professional capacity, he was also the medical officer to the destitute poor of the district.

In January 1931, the family had a holiday at the seaside. Later that year, Dr Prest returned to Adelaide and Eric was joined in his practice by another former Adelaide University teammate, Dr E.J. Harbison. The doctors played doubles together in the State Hard Court Championships which were played at Jamestown in 1931. Eric became a Vice-Patron of the Jamestown Swimming Club.

By 1933 Eric was playing Lawn Bowls for the Jamestown Bowling Club.

In January 1935, Eric’s father died, he was 72 years of age and had lived in Angaston for over 50 years.

In May 1937, the Swann family had a holiday in Adelaide, staying at the Oriental Hotel and in July that year, Eric won the Digger’s Cup at the northern areas golf championship at Jamestown.

At the laying of the foundation stone for the extension to the Jamestown Hospital in June 1938, Eric commented on the improvements in local health care in the area.

By 1938 Eric was patron of the Jamestown Cricket Club and president of the Jamestown Golf Club.

Eric was involved in putting a case to the government for Jamestown to receive a supply of water from the River Murray, should the Morgan-Whyalla pipeline “become an accomplished fact” as the hospital at Jamestown found it hard to keep up its water supply and the sanitary system of the town was most unsatisfactory.

The Swann family couple lived at 2 Clifton Street, Jamestown from at least 1939.

In January 1940, the family holidayed at Victor Harbor. Eric remained as medical officer at Jamestown during WWII but his partner, E.J. (Ernest) Harbison enlisted. Ernest served in the Middle East and was promoted to Major by November 1943.

The family spent the January 1945 holidays visiting Port Lincoln, Whyalla and Port Augusta and then in March 1945 came the tragic news that Eric’s medical partner, Major Ernest Harbison, had died while at a military hospital in Queensland.

Eric was a member of the RSL, and he led an appeal to acquire a piano for the RSL Hall at Jamestown in 1945 and he recited the “Digger’s Creed” at the victory celebrations held at Jamestown to celebrate the end of WWII.

After almost 21 years, Eric sold his practice at Jamestown and moved to practice at Glenelg in April 1946.

In April 1951, Eric and Nellie left onboard the Strathmore for a trip to the UK and they were away until mid-October 1951.

In July 1953, Eric moved his practice from 118 Jetty Road, Glenelg to 219 North Terrace, Adelaide and in January 1954 Eric and Nellie moved from Glenelg to their new home at 58 Tusmore Avenue, Tusmore.

Eric and Nellie travelled to Sydney by sea in December 1954 to visit Ian, Mary and Simon. They stayed at Watson’s Bay Hotel and returned to Adelaide by train in early January.

Sadly, for Eric, his wife, Nellie Gertrude Swann passed away in 1961.

Eric lived for almost 30 years after Nellie’s death, however no further details regarding the final years of Eric’s life are currently known as most South Australian newspapers have only been digitised to 31 December 1954 (at the time of compiling the profile in November 2017).

Death

Eric John Swann passed away on the 24th of July 1990, aged 91 and was interred at Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide. His last abode had been at Belair.

Author EE (Beth) Filmer

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (in the period 2015-2019) please see the document attached.