Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Published Biography

Blood Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australian who Served in World War 1, C Verco, A Summers, T Swain & M Jelly. July 2014

Additional Biography

Early Life

James Gladstone Sweeney (Jim) was born on the 9th of January 1894 at Springbank, Adelaide, SA, the son of John Sweeney and Isabella Grant. Jim’s father was a civil engineer from Belfast, Ireland and he had worked in New Zealand prior to coming to Adelaide.

Schooling

Jim’s was at the Sturt Street School in 1906 when he won an exhibition. He then attended Adelaide High School, passing his Junior Examinations in 1906, Senior Examinations in 1908 and Higher Public Examinations in 1909. He qualified for one of five Government bursaries worth £25 per year to study arts, science, law or medicine.

Adelaide University

Jim commenced studying medicine at Adelaide University in 1911 and graduated MB BS in 1915.

University Sport

Football
Jim played B Grade football for Adelaide University in 1914 and was a member of the premiership winning side that year.

World War I

Immediately after his graduation Jim enlisted in the Australian Army Medical Corps and commenced working as a medical officer. He wrote to his father at the Carpa Waterworks Camp, stating that he intends to offer himself to the military authorities for medical service abroad. Jim’s WWI story is well documented in the ‘Blood, Sweat and Fear’s’ biography above.

Career and Family Life

On his return to Adelaide, Jim commenced working as a medical officer at the Adelaide Hospital and he joined the State Branch of the Returned Soldiers League.

Jim moved to Orroroo and practised there until November 1934. When he transferred his RSL membership to the Orroroo Sub-Branch on the 2nd of August 1922. His address was 188 North Terrace, Orroroo. While at Orroroo, Jim played golf and in 1923 he purchased a 23.8 Dodge. In May 1924, Jim became a Life Member of the South Australian branch of the Royal British Nurses' Association and in October 1924 he was appointed Medical Officer for the Orroroo district.

Jim married Mina Kathleen Ballantyne at the Methodist Church, Woodville on the 12th of April 1926. Jim and Mina had five children, John Gladstone (born 26th of January 1928, at Memorial Hospital, North Adelaide), Robert James (born 20th of December 1929, Orroroo Hospital), Jean (born 6th of December 1932, Orroroo Hospital), Donald Ballantyne and another daughter.

In December 1930 Jim was present at the AHS speech night and awarded several of the prizes. By 1932, Jim was Captain of the Orroroo Golf Club. Jim’s brother, John Grant Sweeney (born in New Zealand) was a lawyer in practice at Port Pirie when Jim visited him in 1932. In January 1933, Jim, Mina and their children stayed at Del Monte, Henley Beach for their holidays. In November 1934, Jim sold his practice at Orroroo and took up practice in the city.

Jim transferred his RSL membership to the Hindmarsh Sub Branch on the 31st of March 1935, giving his address as Albert Park, Woodville. In March 1937, Jim was onboard the motor vessel ‘Moonta’ on a holiday trip on the gulf and he visited his brother John while the vessel was in Port Pirie.

By 1938, Jim and his family were living at Elizabeth Street, Croydon and they lived at that address until 1943. Jim and Mina took a cruise to Fiji in March 1939 and in September 1936, Mina and the children were visiting Mina’s father at Taylorville, near Waikerie, SA.

Jim enlisted for WWII on the 9th of December 1941 (SN S45663), he was discharged on the 8th of December 1943. According to the ‘Blood, Swear and Tears’ biography above he was a Medical Officer in the Reserves at Warradale, SA, during this period.

In 1943, the family moved to 54 Barton Terrace, North Adelaide and later that year Jim’s brother John Grant Sweeney passed away aged 58. John was survived by his wife and daughter and two brothers (Jim and Gordon) and two sisters. In June 1950 when John’s daughter Kathleen Mary Sweeney married Sq-Ldr Harold Sutcliffe Nicholson, Jim gave away the bride and held the reception at his Barton Terrace home.

All of Jim and Mina’s children followed their parents into careers in medicine, the boys becoming doctors and the girls becoming nurses. Eldest son, John Gladstone Sweeney, passed his final examinations in December 1950 and graduated MB BS (1951).

In March 1951, Jim and Mina’s two elder sons, John and Robert, were both required to give evidence at a court case when five senior medical students were charged with manslaughter. A first-year student drowned after being thrown into the River Torrens as part of an initiation ceremony. Robert had been at the event at the University boatshed taking photographs and John was one of a group of doctors at the Adelaide Hospital who tried in vain to resuscitate the student.

In January 1953, Jean Sweeney commenced nursing at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, and she was secretary of the South Australian Student Nurses’ Association in 1954.

Robert became engaged to Rosemary Stacy Brown, the daughter of Mr and Mrs E.J. Brown of Malvern in July 1953. On the 25th of August 1953, Jim transferred to the State Branch of the RSL.

Jim and Mina held a coming-of-age dance for their elder daughter, Jean in December 1953.

Robert James Sweeney graduated MB BS in 1953. Robert and Rosemary married at St Peter’s College Chapel on the 6th of March 1954.

In 1954, Jim and Mina travelled to the UK. They returned to Australia onboard the Strathmore which left from London on the 30th of November 1954.

On the 20th of April 1961, Jim transferred his RSL membership to the Burnside Sub Branch, giving his address as 20 Brandreth Street, Tusmore.

Donald Ballantyne Sweeney graduated MB BS in 1963.

On the 16th of December 1963 Jim transferred his RSL membership to the State Branch, his last known address with the RSL was at 19 Sturt Place, Beaumont.

Death

James Gladstone Sweeney passed away on the 22nd of April 1977, aged 83 and his ashes are interred at Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide. His last abode was at Glenunga.

Mina Kathleen Sweeney passed away on the 12th of September 1982, her ashes are interred at Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide. Her last abode was at Myrtle Bank.

Robert James Sweeney passed away on the 8th of December 2012 just before his 83rd birthday.

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.