Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Published Biography

Blood Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australian who served in World War 1. Verco, Summers, Swain and Jelly 2014.

Additional Biography

Early Life

Arthur Kyle Gaunt was born 10 July 1894 at Mitcham, SA. the son of Dr Arthur Henry Gault (1864-1917) and Mary Rebecca (nee Scott) of Lower Mitcham, SA. To avoid confusion with his father he was commonly referred to as Kyle.

Kyle's father Arthur Henry Gault was born in December 1864 in Manchester, England and like his father before him had qualified as a doctor. He gained his qualification in Manchester and then undertook specialist training in London before migrating to Australia in 1888. He married Mary Rebecca Scott on 8 May 1890 in Adelaide, South Australia. He returned to London and gained his M.D. in 1900. The Gault's had four children, a son Kyle and three daughters Estelle, Maisie and Freda. The Highly respected Dr Arthur Henry Gaunt died on 28 August 1917 in Adelaide, South Australia, at the age of 52.

Education

Kyle was educated at Price Alfred College (PAC) where in 1906 he received an award for "General Proficiency" in 3rd Form. He completed his Junior Public Examinations in 1908 and 1909, Senior Public Examinations in 1910, Higher Public Exams in 1911 and was awarded the Malpas Scholarship. While at PAC he competed in Athletics. He then enrolled to studied medicine at the University of Adelaide in 1912. He completed his third year, however his study was interrupted when he enlisted in August 1914 and embarked for oversease in October. He served until being wounded at Gallipoli in June 1915 and repatriated back to Australia. After returning from overseas he completed his course and graduated MB BS in 1917.

His three sisters also attended Adelaide University - Estelle (BSc 1914, MBBS 1919), Maisie (BA 1921) and Freda (BA 1931).

Adelaide University Sport

Kyle Gaunt was an active sportsman while at Adelaide University and at various times played cricket, lacrosse and also rowed for the boat club.

Cricket

Adelaide University Cricket Club – 1915/1916. Kyle played B Grade after returning from overseas. There is no indication that he had played before enlisting. The SACA competition was unofficial at the time after most cricket clubs had a large number of players serving overseas.

Other Sports

Lacrosse - Kyle's main sport was lacrosse and was a member of the B Grade Premiership team in 1912. After the War, although a Graduate, he returned to the AULC and played in the 1919 and 1920 Intervarsity matches. He was awarded a Lacrosse Blue in 1919.

Rowing

Kyle's main summer sport before his enlistment was rowing.

Athletics

He participated in the Adelaide University Athletics Carnival in June 1913 and finished 2nd in the Hammer Throw.

Gault's Sporting Sisters for Adelaide University

All three of Kyle's sisters played tennis and hockey while completing their studies at Adelaide University.

World War I

Kyle's War service is well documented in the earlier Published Biography. Full access to his War Service records can be viewed from the following link.
http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=4028450

Professional Career

After his discharge from the AIF, Arthur went to work at his late father’s, eventually taking over the practice in 1921. He continued there until his retirement in 1950. (See the document for more on the Dr's Gault in Mitcham and the history of the Crafter Medical Centre)

Controversy

In 1938 Kyle was arrested, along with two women with "conspiracy to procure a certain result on the young woman”. Newspaper reporting of the time was deliberately vague what this all meant but he was known for providing unofficial abortions. All three were eventually acquitted by Justice Mellis Napier.

Marriage and Family

Kyle married Ruth Hawker on 28 July 1921. Parts of Ruth’s family were early settlers of the colony arriving in South Australia in 1840 although Ruth and her immediate family did come to Australia until after 1906.

Kyle and Ruth Gault had three children Richard born in 1922; Yolande born in 1924 and Avril born in 1927.

Kyle was a keen golfer and in 1927 (home Club - Kooyonga) went with a group of Adelaide players to Port Pirie.

In July 1930 Kyle took time off to play in the Doctor's Golf Tournament at The Royal Adelaide Golf Club (Seaton).

Another interest of Kyle's was thoroughbred horse racing and was the owner a black filly called "Remarkable"

Dr and Mrs Kyle Gault were also very successful dog breeders of Sealyham and Kerry Blue terriers and regularly exhibited them winning many awards. However in 1932 the family had reported that one of their prize dogs had gone missing from their property in Lower Mitcham.

Unfortunately after 17 years of marriage, Ruth sued for an “undefended” divorce in November 1938 against Arthur on the grounds of “misconduct with Evelyn Grigg”.

Kyle, now 44 years of age, married his co-respondent the 29 year old Evelyn Grigg in October the following year.

Kyle was also a member of the Royal SA Yacht Squadron with his boat "Warrigal".

By 1950 his former wife Ruth was living at Medindie and became an author of several children's books. Their daughter Yolande had moved to Melbourne where she was a medical almoner while the other daughter, Averil had qualified as a physiotherapist in 1949 at the University of Adelaide. Kyle and Ruth's son Richard had attended Queen's College and St Peter's College and at 18 years of age enlisted in the RAAF in WW2 serving for six years. After the War he settled in Papua New Guinea where he set up successful businesses. After retiring in 1993 he returned to Queensland (see document).

American entertainer Evie Hayes was a house guest of Dr Kyle Gault in 1950 while appearing in the musical "Annie Get Your Gun". Choosing to reside in Australia she became an early legend of Australian television. (See Appendix 4)

Dr Arthur Kyle Gault over his long professional career performed many community roles including that of honorary surgeon to the Shelter for Girls at Mitcham and was widely respected by his patients and the people of the district. A voluminous number of family notices published in Adelaide's newspapers over more than thirty years at times of joy and sadness are testimony to this. Although somewhat controversially involved in court cases involving probable abortions a more contemporary view of his actions would be perhaps more accepting.

On 7th April 1955 Kyle suffered a ruptured aneurysm and died. He was subsequently interred in the AIF Cemetery West Terrace Adelaide.


Profile added with the permission of the author Rob O'Shannassy.

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project please see the document attached.