Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Robert John Jeffery was born on 6th September 1943 in North Adelaide, the younger son of George Henry Padget Jeffery and Jean Loudon, nee Watt.  Jeffery’s father was the South Australian Auditor General from 1959 to 1972. His great grandfather Captain George Jeffery was the Harbourmaster at Victor Harbor, and lived on Granite Island from 1895 to 1909. His grandfather George Frederick Jeffery took over as Harbourmaster in 1909. Robert John Jeffery was educated at Glen Osmond Primary School and Prince Alfred College. At school Jeffery and his elder brother Andrew, who became a teacher, were known as Big Syke and Little Syke taken from the world encyclopaedia; medical and school friends still call him Syke today.  Jeffery was very active during his school years and took part in many school plays. He was a regular attender at Sunday school where he taught.  He played the piano at an advanced level from an early age and continued to play for the benefit of his colleagues in Army messes. He followed his elder brother Andrew and joined the scout movement; both brothers gained the Queen’s Scout award. The brothers were keen on orienteering and both won State junior orienteering championships. A competent sportsman he took up golf whilst a student at University. He studied medicine at the University of Adelaide and joined the Army Undergraduate Scheme in 1964. He graduated MB BS in 1967. He undertook one year of residency at the RAH, before going to the 1st Military Hospital in Yeronga, Queensland as an RMO, in 1968. This began a long and distinguished career in the RAAMC.

Jeffery was posted in 1968 to 1 Bn RAR as an RMO South Vietnam at the rank of captain. He was posted to the 1st Aust FdHosp, at Vung Tau, and then 8 FdAmb at Nui Dat. Casualties would be evacuated to the hospital by Iriquois (Huey) helicopters. His Commanding Officer was General Sir Phillip Harvey Bennet AC KBE DSO later Governor of Tasmania. During his time in Vietnam Jeffery became quite despondent when his engagement was broken off by his fiancé. To assist him with this distressing event he was given a six week posting on HMAS Vampire, which he greatly enjoyed. 

Jeffery was posted back to Holsworthy Barracks, Australia, in March 1969.  He provided first line health care from May 1969 to December 1970 to 600 military personnel and their families at Terendak Garrison, Malacca, Malaysia and Selerang Garrison in Singapore.  He was also responsible for public health and hygiene measures in the barracks and in the field. This was followed by a series of postings including the Senior Officer of Advanced Officer Training Wing at Healesville. He undertook a United Kingdom Exchange to Millbank, London where he studied for a Diploma of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and received the Leishman Memorial Medal in 1972. It was when he was in London that he met his wife Margot van Eldijk. They were introduced by his friend and neighbour Richard Barbour. Her parents Bram and Elise van Eldijk were pharmacists, originally from Tiel, Holland. Their property had been confiscated by the Germans during WW2 and the family moved to Amsterdam. The family immigrated to New Zealand and Margot was educated at Christchurch High School and graduated BA from Canterbury University. Jeffery and Margot have two sons, Scott and Justin.

Subsequently, on his return to Australia from London, Jeffery was posted as the Senior Medical Officer Joint Services Medical Centre in Canberra where he was responsible for the medical care and medical administration of all service personnel.  Jeffery went to the PNG Defence Force, from November 1974 until December 1977, as the Director of Health Services, providing the administration of health care for all of the Australian Defence Forces in Papua New Guinea. He was also medical advisor to the Prime Minister of PNG, Sir Michael Somare, with whom he enjoyed playing golf, and gaining a single figure handicap.

After returning to Australia he was the CO of 1st Military Hospital, Yeronga, Queensland.  This was followed by a two year exchange posting at the Academy of Health Sciences, San Antonio, Texas

USA. Here he was responsible for the development of an electronic clinical data base to manage the estimates of equipment facilities, manpower and medical supplies of the US Department of Defence. Jeffery was a heavy cigarette smoker in Vietnam and then a committed pipe smoker until he saw his fingers turn blue when he was at the top of a ski slope in Colorado, USA. Jeffery returned to Australia and, in January 1985, was posted, at the rank of Colonel, as the Director of Medical Services of the 1st Military District in Queensland.  Jeffery’s last posting of his military career, was the Commander 1st Division Medical Services at Enoggera Barracks in Brisbane, finishing in his Army career in March 1991.   He was awarded the Vietnam General Service Medal, the Vietnam Star, the Queen Elizabeth Silver Jubilee Medal, the National Medal, the Defence Force Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal (USA).

Throughout his military career Jeffery had a concurrent career providing voluntary service to St John Ambulance. He was enrolled in St John in 1973 by Major General Colin Gurner AO CBE. Whilst in PNG he was appointed Principal Surgeon for St John, where he met with Graham Kiki with whom he was at Glen Osmond Primary School. He was appointed Divisional Surgeon, Woodridge Division, on return to Brisbane, followed by the St John ranks of Corps Surgeon, Corps Superintendent and District Surgeon for Queensland in 1990. He was awarded Commander of St John (CStJ) for his service to St John Ambulance.

Following his military career Jeffery held several senior medical administrative positions in Queensland, initially as the Deputy Medical Superintendent and acting Superintendent at Ipswich General Hospital, then Medical Superintendent of the Queen Elizabeth 11 Jubilee Hospital until 1995. Finally, as the Deputy Director Medical Services at the Princess Alexandra Hospital until the end of 2004. His interests continued to be many and varied; he chaired the Australian Resuscitation Council from 1988 to 1989.  He was a Rotarian and the District and Rotary Governor of Rotary District 9600 covering 75 Rotary Clubs in Brisbane North, he was the medical officer for Ipswich Turf Club from 1992 to 2008. This was a position in which Jeffery took great pleasure. Jeffery always had a large repertoire of jokes which he told to friends and used on many speaking occasions, particularly at Army or Rotary functions. He was the member of many Boards including Chairing the Board of Continuing Education RACMA. He has always been a keen cook, especially curries, Mexican dishes and steaks, accompanied by a nice drop of red.  He was at kindergarten with James Haselgrove and paid many visits to his McLaren Vale winery. Owing to significant ill health Jeffery retired completely in 2007.