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Excerpt from Blood Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australian who Served in World War 1. Courtesy of the Authors

Eric Elihu Broadbent was born on the 13th June 1893 at Burnside son of Elihu Broadbent and Eliza Jane, nee Thorn. He was educated at Adelaide High School and studied medicine at the University of Adelaide graduating in 1917. He married Dorothy Mary Windle, at Peterborough, on the 12th October 1917.

Broadbent volunteered for the AIF after graduation and enlisted on the 3rd December 1917.  He was 24 years old, with no previous military experience. He was described as 5ft 10ins tall, 154lbs, and he could ride. His wife, of 34 Gloucester Street, Prospect, was named as his next of kin. He sailed on the Nestor on 28th February 1918 after a month’s service at the 7AGH Keswick for General Duties. After general training in England he proceeded to France on the 15th August 1918 to Le Havre and Rouen at the 1st AGH. After a minor hospitalisation with dysentery he returned to duty to the 1st and 3rd Australian Div. 9FdAmb with the 33Bn and returned to England April 1919. He returned to Australia at the end of hostilities with his appointment terminated on the 13th September 1919. He was issued with the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Broadbent moved to Bordertown after discharge and was in general practice there until 1939. He took an interest in jersey cattle and was the   Officer of Health to the Local Board of Health. He was also the medical officer at the Tatiara Hospital, and President of the RSL branch. He was instrumental in the building of the local War Memorial Hospital at Bordertown, and clerk of scales at the Bordertown Racing Club. At a farewell to Broadbent and his wife by 300 of the local people he, …was presented with a roll-top oak desk, a veneer occasional table, and a cheque. Miss Erica Broadbent was given a fountain pen and pencil. Mrs. Broadbent was previously bidden farewell by the Methodist and Anglican churches and croquet club. Dr. and Mrs. Broadbent will live at Crafers (S.A.) before they leave for England for a holiday. He later became the first registrar at the 105 Australian Military Hospital, Daw Park, which after 1947 become Repatriation General Hospital, Daw Park. Eric Elihu Broadbent died on the 28th April 1971 and was survived by his wife who died on the 12th March 1979. A daughter, Erica Dorothy, died in a car accident in Hong Kong in the early 1950s.

BROADBENT Eric Elihu MB BS

1893-1971

Broadbent, enlisted again and remained on the Reserve of Officers of the AAMC. He was then transferred to the 2/AIF, on 1st February 1941. He was promoted major on 1st September 1942. He was posted as DADAH 4 MD, in SA LofC area, from 16th January 1943 to September 1943. Broadbent was DADAH, for the New Guinea Force, from September 1943 to January 1945. He became a registrar at 105 AMH at Daw Park, in 1947; this hospital later became the Repatriation General Hospital.

Source

Blood, Sweat and Fears III: Medical Practitioners South Australia, who Served in World War 2. 

Swain, Jelly, Verco, Summers. Open Books Howden, Adelaide 2019. 

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD