Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Death Of Dr. Brian Moore
Dr. Brian Fonnby Moore, of
Buxton street, North Adelaide, who
died at Victor Harbor yesterday
after a short illness was born in
South Australia 48 years ago. He
was a Fellow of the Royal College
of Surgeons. He was one of the
leading ophthalmologists in this
State, and at the time of his death
was in partnership with Dr. G. H
Barham Black. For the past 15
years Dr. Moore had been honorary
ophthalmologist at the Adelaide
Children's Hospital. He was the
son of the late Mr. H. P. Moore, one
time secretary of the South Austra
lian Company. He qualified MBS
at the University of Adelaide in
1917, and served abroad with the
AAMC in the last war. He was ap
pointed resident medical officer at
the Adelaide Children's Hospital
after the war, and was later in
general practice at Tumby Bay and
Torrensville. Subsequently, he
went to England and studied
ophthalmology, and after his re
turn practised exclusively in that
branch. He went to England again
in 1935,-returning in the following
year after having passed the
examination for the diploma in
ophthalmic medicine and surgery.
He bas left a wife, three daughters
and a son. The eldest daughter Is
in the WAAAPs.

This story incorporates information from "Blood, Sweat and Tears, Medical Practitioners and Medical Students who Served in World War 1", by Verco, Summers, Swain and Jelly (2014).

Brian Formby Moore MB BS FRACS DOMS (Lond).

Brian Formby Moore was born in Mt Barker South Australia on 9th July 1894, son of Henry Percival Moore, grandson of Robert Waters Moore (who had been the Colonial Surgeon in Adelaide). He had two brothers and a sister (one brother Harry Formby Moore was also a WW1 veteran who was awarded a military MBE). He was educated at St Peter's College and studied medicine at the University of Adelaide graduating in 1917. Family stories recall that he wanted to enlist earlier but felt that he would be more value as a trained doctor than an infantryman. This was dilemma faced by many medical students at the time. When he was travelling to University on the tram he was occasionally presented with the white feather of cowardice, an insult that hurt this intensely patriotic man.

He was sergeant of the 79th Infantry CMF and after graduating, spent three months as a house surgeon at the Adelaide Hospital before enlisting in the AIF on 7th August 1917. He was single and listed his father Henry Percival Moore as his next of kin. He was 5' 10" and weighed 168 lbs. He embarked in November 1917 for Suez and then went on to Taranto, Southhampton, Parkhouse and Codford.

He was sent to France and in March 1918 and over the next 8 months served with the RAMC in several units and then returned to the 2AGH and 1 and 2 Field Ambulance until his return to Australia in September 1919. While abroad he had 14 days with pleurisy and gunshot wound in left leg and foot. His appointment was terminated on 27th September 1919 and he was issued with the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Life after the War
Brian Moore became one of the South Australia's leading eye specialists. He gained his FRACS in 1932 and DOMS in London in 1936. Gaining these qualifications required him to live away from his wife and four children for extended periods.
He was appointed an honorary ophthalmologist at the Adelaide Children's Hospital and Queen's Home Adelaide, and the time of his death, was in partnership with Geoffrey Howard Barham Black and living in Buxton St, North Adelaide.

He was also a capable pianist and gifted amateur cabinet maker, a craft he practiced as a relaxation from the demands of his work.

He died at 48 at Victor Harbor on 11th April 1943 after a short illness. Family members recall that he was quite bitter about not being accepted to serve in WW2. His untimely death was precipitated by overwork. He was survived by his wife Joyce (nee Morgan) and four children, Anne (a WAAF), Briony, Virginia and Rob.

His brother Harry Formby Moore MBE also served in WW1 in Egypt and France and died of TB in 1927.

Submitted in 2020 by Dr Alastair Dow, grandson.