Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

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

Charles Bickerton Blackburn was born at Greenhithe Kent, the second son of Rev. Thomas Blackburn. Charles was seven years old when his father moved to Hawaii as the Acting Anglican Dean of Honolulu (1881-1882). A year later Thomas Blackburn moved to South Australia and became an Anglican Priest in Port Lincoln. Blackburn’s mother died in 1885 and his father later remarried. One of Charles’ half-brothers was Brigadier Arthur Seaforth Blackburn VC, CMG, CBE, ED. His father moved to Adelaide in 1886 where he became Rector of St. Margaret’s, Woodville. Blackburn’s initial education had been at home but in 1886 he attended St. Peter’s College, Adelaide and was a prefect in 1890. He was the recipient of the Short Scholarship for classics to the University of Adelaide where he gained his BA degree in 1893. Blackburn went on to study medicine at the University of Adelaide while working three nights a week as librarian at the Woodville Institute for £25 a year. He had to go to Sydney University in 1896 to complete his degree, when he was a successful 3rd year undergraduate, due to the ‘Adelaide Hospital Row’. Charles graduated in 1899, top of his class.  He obtained his MD four years later in 1903. He became the Medical Superintendent within 3 years of graduating at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, then an assistant Physician in 1903 and a Consultant in 1911. He married Vera Louise Le Patourel on 3rd of August 1910 and they had 2 sons.

Blackburn enlisted in the AAMC on the 14th August 1916, in Sydney as a 42 year old, married medical practitioner and named his wife Vera Louise of 12 Macleay St, Potts Point as his next of kin.  He was posted to the 14 AGH in Egypt with the rank of lieutenant colonel. During 1918 he was regularly detached to the AIF Headquarters whilst serving with the 14 AGH. He was twice mentioned in despatches by General Allenby and was appointed an OBE in 1919. Blackburn returned to Australia in March 1919 with his appointment terminated on the 2nd June 1919. He was issued with the British War Medal and the Victory Medal with Oak Leaves.

Blackburn remained on the reserve of officers, and in 1924, chaired the Commonwealth Royal Commission on the assessment of war service disabilities. He served as lieutenant colonel in WW2 at the 113th Australian General Hospital, Concord. Blackburn was committed to the University of Sydney. He was elected to its Senate in 1919, lectured part time until 1934 and was Dean of Medicine in 1932-35. He became Deputy Chancellor in 1939 and Chancellor in 1941. He was the founding president of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and was appointed KCMG in 1960. Outside the university and his profession Blackburn served on the council of the Australian Red Cross Society. He took great pride in his vegetable and flower growing, and was a keen beach and trout fisherman and weekend golfer until his nineties and still liked to win. Charles Bickerton Blackburn died on 20th July 1972 at the age of 98 years. He was survived by one of his sons, Charles Ruthven Bickerton Blackburn.