Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

RAMSAY SMITH William FRS(Ed) DSc MD

1859-1937

William Ramsay Smith was born in King Edward, Aberdeenshire, Scotland on 27th November 1859 the son of William Smith, a farm servant and later stationmaster, and Mary, nee MacDonald. Educated at Cairnbanno Madras Public School he became a pupil teacher and studied Arts at Edinburgh University.  At the age of 20 years he was appointed a school headmaster at Invergordon Public School.  He graduated with a BSc in 1888 he was appointed assistant professor of natural history. He graduated MB ChM in 1892 and MD in 1913. For two years he was an examiner for the Royal College of Physicians. He married Margaret MacKenzie, headmistress and linguist, daughter of James MacKenzie, on 1st June 1889 in Scotland. He was brought to Australia by the South Australian Government in 1896 to work at the Adelaide Hospital after the resignation of the consultant staff; as a consequence the SA Branch of the BMA expelled him for life in 1897. He was the subject of a government inquiry into his competence and exonerated by a Government Tribunal in 1899. He was appointed as city Coroner and permanent Head of Public Health. He was dismissed from coronial duties in 1903 because of misuse of human remains. He later was reinstated and continued to collect human remains. He resigned from the Adelaide Hospital because of “conflict of interest”. He completed his DSc at the University of Adelaide in 1904.

Ramsey Smith had previous military service in the Boer War as surgeon captain. He was awarded the Queen’s Medal with two clasps. Prior to enlisting in the AIF Ramsay Smith was a major in the AAMC Reserve. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel on enlistment and appointed CO of 1 AGH on 2nd October 1914. He was described as 5ft 9ins and weighed 11st 5lbs. His wife was named as next of kin and was recorded as living at Belair, South Australia. He embarked with his unit on the Kyarra on 24th October 1914 which disembarked in Heliopolis, Egypt. He was replaced by Colonel J. W. Barrett as Commanding Officer of the unit by February 1915 and returned to Australia on the Kytell. There had been a management problem with Matron Bell over the control of the nurses of 1AGH. She also returned to Australia.  Colonel Barrett also resigned and transferred to the RAMC. Smith's appointment to the AIF was terminated on 5th October1915 by order of the Governor-General on the advice of Executive Council. He was issued with the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Ramsey Smith continued to publish after WWI; in the main concerning the indigenous population and Coroner's duties. Some works were said to be plagiarised including that of David Unapion regarding aboriginal customs. He continued to collect and experiment on human remains and was responsible for Edinburgh University’s collection of  500-600 individual skeletons. After his death in 1937 more than 100 skulls were found in his house.  He was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Anthropological Institute and Honorary Membership of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States amongst others. William Ramsay Smith died at Belair on the 28th September 1937. His wife Margaret predeceased him on 13th April 1936. They had four daughters and a son who survived them.

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 2014. 

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD

"LIEUTENANT-COLONEL RAMSAY SMITH. TO GO TO THE FRONT.

A great honor has been conferred upon Lieutenant-Colonel Ramsay Smith, the principal military medical officer in South Australia, by his appointment to the command of the central hospital, of 520 beds, which is to be formed in Queensland, for service abroad. Dr. Ramsay Smith left Adelaide by the express on October 8 to organise this branch of service, which will include 21 officers and 143 men of other ranks. There are two such hospitals being formed in Australia, and Sydney is supplying the second." - from the Adelaide Chronicle 17 Oct 1914 (nla.gov.au)

"RAMSAY-SMITH.— THE FRIENDS of the late Dr. WILLIAM RAMSAY-SMTTH, M.D., of Belair, are respectfully informed that his Funeral will arrive at the Crematorium West terrace, at 3.30, on WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. No flowers by request." - from the Adelaide Advertiser 29 Sep 1937 (nla.gov.au)

"RAMSAY-SMITH.— On the 28th of September, at Belair, William Ramsay-Smith, M.D., dearly loved husband of the late Margaret Ramsay-Smith. No flowers by request." - from the Adelaide Chronicle 30 Sep 1937 (nla.gov.au)