Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

SOUTER John Francis ChM MB

1866-1916

John Francis Souter was born 11th September 1866 in Aberdeen Scotland. He was the son of John Clement Souter, general practitioner, and his wife Helen, nee Coutts. Souter an accomplished pencil and watercolour artist, collected 'rare classical books, old English china and coins'. He graduated from Aberdeen University MB ChM. Souter moved to Nottingham, England, and in 1872 to Upper Holloway London by this time he was married with a family. Souter with his family immigrated to Sydney in March 1879; on the advice of Archbishop Vaughan they settled inland at Coonabarabran. They moved to Adelaide in 1896 where he became a public vaccinator.

Souter applied for a Commission in the AAMC at the age of 48 years on the 17th August 1915. He had no previous military experience but had past experience as a MO at the Hilston Hospital in NSW.  He was 5ft 5ins tall and weighed 8st.  His wife Agnes Emma Souter of Uraidla, South Australia was named as his next of kin. He could ride and spoke moderate French. He was accepted for one voyage in the Transport Service. Souter embarked at Adelaide on `the Star of England on the 21st September 1915 for Egypt. He arrived in Egypt in good health but shortly after arrival he contracted dysentery and Nile fever. He recovered from the immediate effects of these illnesses and returned on the Star of England on Transport Service on the 27th November 1915; he did not report any illness and was discharged as he had completed his one voyage. He was admitted to a private Hospital with his present condition as “grave”. He had surgery in December which disclosed a pneumococcal empyaema with a discharging sinus in the chest. The Medical Military Board concluded the cause was the abrupt climate change and ordinary military service. He died of tetanus and liver failure in a North Adelaide Hospital on the 26th February 1916. A Memorial Scroll was received by his wife Agnes Emma Souter in Oct 1921 and later a Memorial Plaque in February 1923.  She was also issued with his British War Medal.

He was survived by his wife and five surviving children. The following children Hugh Godfrey, Madeline Theckla, Agnes Helen, Dorothy Phyllis and his wife received War Pensions. Two other sons served in WW1. Francis Henry Souter enlisted on the 24th August 1915 and serviced in the 10th, 27th and 48th Bn and was killed in action on 12th October 1917.  John Herbert Ignatius Souter an 18 year old student, served as a private soldier in the 6th FdAmb. He had joined the AIF on the 10th January 1917.

Source

Blood, Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australia, who Served in World War 1. 

Verco, Summers, Swain, Jelly. Open Books Howden, Adelaide 2014. 

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD

Son

SOUTER, Pte. Francis Henry, 3610. 48th Battalion AIF killed in action 12th Oct., 1917. Age 25. Son of John Francis and Agnes Emma Souter, of Uraidla, South Australia. The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Belgium.

Captain John Francis Souter, Australian Army Medical Corps AIF, was born on the 11 September 1866, and he enlisted on the 21 September 1915, and left the same day for the voyage only, as the medical officer on board the HMAT “Star of England”. He returned to Australia on the 31 October, 1915 aboard the “Aeneas” and arrived back in Adelaide. He was 49 years of age and a medical practioner in Uraidla SA. He had arrived in Egypt in good health, however he suffered from bouts of dysentery and “Nile fever” and he arrived back in Australia quite unwell. Unfortunately, John died in Adelaide soon after his return, from tetanus following an operation for liver disease, in a private hospital. John Souter died on the 26th February 1916 and was buried in an Adelaide Catholic cemetery. His name is recorded on the Roll of Honour in Canberra. He was the father of seven children, two of his sons also enlisting in the AIF.

3610 Private Francis Henry Souter, joined up about the same time as his father, in August 1915. He left Australia in January 1916, with the 27th Battalion, and transferred to the 10th Battalion in Egypt. He was wounded in action at Pozieres, a leg wound, and then transferred to the 48th Battalion in October 1916. He was wounded in action for a second time at Bullecourt on the 10th April, 1917 suffering a gun shot wound to the hand, and did rejoin the unit until late May 1917. He was killed in action on the 12th October 1917, 25 years of age, and having no known grave he is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium.

A second son, 17962 Private John Herbert Ignatius Souter served in the 5th Field Ambulance. He enlisted at the age of 18 in January 1917, and arrived in England in December 1917. During this period he sent much correspondence to the Red Cross trying to find out what had become of his missing brother. He arrived in France in April 1918, suffered a gun shot wound to his left buttock in August 1918, and was evacuated to England, then returned to Australia during December 1918.