Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

CMG MD MD FRCS FRACS FRCOG FACS

Son of Charles Graham WILSON and Annie Jane nee McBRIDE

Married Alice May BROOKMAN in 1902 (later divorced)

Married Elsa May CUZENS in 1923

Decorated with CMG in 1942 and knighted in 1950

Died at his North Adelaide Home and was survived by his wife and two sons.

“Blood, Sweat and Fears” ISBN: 978-0-64692-750-3 Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australia who served in WW1

 "Sir Thomas George Wilson (1876-1958), obstetrician and gynaecologist, was born on 27 March 1876 at Armidale, New South Wales, fourth of six children of Irish-born parents Charles Graham Wilson, council clerk, and his wife Annie Jane, née McBride. George was educated at New England Grammar School and the University of Sydney (M.B., Ch.M., 1899; M.D., 1904). He qualified as a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, in 1901 and undertook postgraduate work in London, Dublin and Vienna.

Settling in Adelaide, Wilson practised first as a physician and then as a surgeon. On 4 June 1902 at Christ Church, Adelaide, he married with Anglican rites Alice May, daughter of (Sir) George Brookman. They had no children and were later divorced. He was an honorary gynaecologist (1902-27) at the (Royal) Adelaide Hospital and honorary obstetrician (1903-46) at the Queen's Home (Queen Victoria Maternity Hospital). In 1909 he helped to found the Ru Rua private hospital. Believing that routine examination of all pregnant women would reduce the occurrence of complications, he established a pioneering ante-natal clinic at the Adelaide Hospital in 1910. Two years later he was appointed tutor in obstetrics at the University of Adelaide.

On 19 October 1914 Wilson was commissioned major, Australian Army Medical Corps, Australian Imperial Force. He served in Egypt and on Lemnos (January-July 1915) with the 1st Australian Stationary Hospital before being repatriated because of illness. His A.I.F. appointment was terminated in January 1916. He returned to his medical practice and academic duties. On 15 May he was reappointed to the A.I.F. as lieutenant colonel and officer commanding troops in the hospital ship Karoola. In March-August 1918 he accompanied Major General R. H. J. Fetherston, director general of medical services, Australian Military Forces, on a tour of North America, Britain and Europe. From September Wilson was attached to the 1st Australian General Hospital in France then in England. His military service ended in Adelaide on 4 August 1919..." - READ MORE LINK (adb.anu.edu.au)

WILSON Sir Thomas George

CMG MD (Syd) MD FRCS(Ed) FRACS FRCOG FACS

1876-1958

Thomas George Wilson was born on 27th March 1876 in Armidale NSW. He was the 4th child of six children of Charles Graham and Annie Jane, nee McBride. He was educated at the New England Grammar School and Sydney University. At university he rowed for Sydney University and played tennis for NSW. He graduated MB BS in 1899 and MD in 1904. He undertook post graduate study in London, Dublin and Vienna. He took the FRCS Edinburgh in 1901. Returning to Australia he moved to Adelaide and practised first as a physician and later as a surgeon. He married Alice May, daughter of Sir George Brookman at Christ Church in North Adelaide in 1902, but they later divorced. He was the honorary gynaecologist at the Adelaide Hospital from 1902 to 1927 and honorary Obstetrician at the Queen's Home from 1903 to 1946. He established the first antenatal clinic at the Adelaide Hospital in 1910. He was one of a group of doctors who helped found the Ru Rua Hospital on Barton Terrace in North Adelaide in 1910.

Wilson enlisted in the AIF on 19th October 1914. He was 6ft 1ins and weighed 14st 4lb. He was appointed to the 1ASH and embarked for Egypt on the Kyarra. He served in Egypt, on the island of Lemnos and off the shore at Gallipoli when the unit was deployed on the Clan McGillivray and subsequently the Alaunia. He contracted enteric fever and was admitted to 1 ASH, transferred to 19th General Hospital in Alexandria with the added complications of pleurisy and a left leg thrombosis. He was admitted to 3rd London General Hospital in Wandsworth on 23rd August 1915 before repatriation to Adelaide to the 7 AGH at Keswick Barracks, where he was discharged medically unfit on 21st January 1916. Wilson continued in the army and was promoted   lieutenant colonel and allotted as OC of the hospital ship Karoola on 12th May 1916, an appointment he continued to hold until early 1918. He was then appointed staff officer to Major General RHJ Fetherston DGMS Australian Military Forces. He accompanied him on a tour through Canada, USA, UK, France, Switzerland, Italy Greece and Salonika. He was then posted to 1 AGH in Rouen and Great Britain before returning to Adelaide and discharge early in 1919. He was issued with the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Wilson married Elsa May Cuzens in 1923 and they had two sons, one of whom became a surgeon and the other a diplomat. After the war Wilson returned to his clinical career and recommenced the antenatal clinic which was moved to the Queen's Home in 1927 and named after him in 1932. He exerted a strong influence on the Queen's Home policy and development; he was on the committee of management from 1908 and its president from 1935-1950. He was generous with his resources and contributed funds for teaching and equipment for the Queen's Home. He endowed the TG Wilson travelling scholarship in obstetrics at the University of Adelaide; many have benefitted from this. He examined ways of reducing maternal mortality during an overseas tour in 1935 and, when he returned, lobbied for better medical training in obstetrics and gynaecology; to this end a full time director of obstetrics and gynaecology was appointed at the University of Adelaide in 1940 and ultimately the Chair in Obstetrics and Gynaecology was established. He recognised the importance of nurse education and in 1905 was the founder of the SA branch of the Australasian Trained Nurses Association and was later their president and patron. A keen golfer, he was captain and later president of the Royal Adelaide Golf Club. He was a founding fellow of the RACS and RCOG (London). He was decorated with the CMG in 1942 and knighted in 1950.  Sir Thomas George Wilson died on 15th March 1958 at his North Adelaide home. He was survived by his wife and two sons.

Source

Blood, Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australia, who Served in World War 1. 

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

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD