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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

Rupert Walker Hornabrook was born in Kent Town, SA on 3rd August 1871 the son of Charles A Hornabrook and Eliza, nee Soward. This pioneer, well connected family included Charles’ father John, of the York Hotel, at the corner of Pultney and Rundle Streets, uncle Archdeacon C S Hornabrook and brother- in- law G K Soward (Colonial Architect) and half-sister Alice married to Sir John Cox Bray, later Premier of South Australia (1881-1884). Hornabrook commenced his degree at the University of Adelaide however due to the ‘Adelaide Hospital Row’ completed his degree in London in 1899.  Shortly after graduation he went to Bombay, India with a medical team to combat the bubonic plague. During the Boer War 1899-1901, as captain in the RAMC, was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with 6 clasps.  On January 10th 1900, as medical officer of my regiment, the Natal Mounted Rifles, Dr. Hornabrook dashed across to the Gordon Highlanders on our right when the Scots had lost most of their officers at a critical stage of the battle. He saved the day and his orderly got the D.C.M., but though the Doctor was recommended for the V.C, he seems to have been lucky to escape court-martial-for exceeding orders! I honestly think that but for his action the Boers would have taken Ladysmith.   He joined the AAMC in February 1904 with rank of lieutenant, attached to No 1 Battery and was promoted Captain in Oct 1905.  He transferred to the unattached list and moved to Melbourne where he married Winifred Emma Sargood of “Ripponlea” in Elsternwick on 10th May 1902. He was appointed to the Melbourne General Hospital in 1909 and he popularised the use of ethyl chloride-ether sequence in anaesthesia early in the 1900s.

He was appointed temporary surgeon on the 3rd of August 1914 at the age of 43 years in the Permanent Naval Force on HMAS Australia to serve with Alexander Ruan Caw. During this year he saw service in the AN&MEF which captured the German colonies in the southern Pacific. The AN&MEF was formed following a request by the British government on 6 August 1914 and was separate from the AIF. HMAS Australia led the force and proceeded to the UK and, on 8th February 1915, became flagship of the 2nd Battle-Cruiser Squadron of the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet.  Hornabrook resigned from his naval commission, in Melbourne, on 7th August 1915. He enlisted in the AIF, in the army, in 1916. He was 45 years old, 5ft 8ins, and weighed 11st 7lbs, with a large scar 4ins long over the right crest of his pelvis from an old bullet wound. He sailed to England on the Medic in December 1916. During 1917 he served in 1 AGH, 11 Surgical Team, and 12 CCS. He was promoted to major in September. He requested to return to Melbourne to take up anaesthetic work at Melbourne University in November, with his appointment terminated on 5th December 1917. He was issued with the 1914-15 Star (Navy Issue), British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Hornabrook followed his anaesthetic career after the war. He was the first Chairman of the Victorian Branch, Section of Anaesthetics, of the BMA and, with Gilbert Brown in 1934, a Foundation member of the Anaesthetic Society of Australia. He led a busy social and non-medical professional life. Rupert Walker Hornabrook died on May 7th 1951 at 10 Toorak Avenue, Toorak, Victoria.

Rupert was privately cremated

Sources:

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=5831022;   

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=5225136

Photo from grandson.

The Torrens Park Estate. Preiss and Oborn, 1991.

Anesth Intensive Care: 1999. 27:519-522.

Med J Aust1914; 1:559-561.

The Argus Melbourne 19th May 1902

South Australian Register 22 February 1899.