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.

Note – The High Court case referred to in BS&F, related to a car accident which occurred on the 17th of August 1939, in King William Street, Adelaide not the later accident at the Hawthorn railway crossing (See further details below).

Additional Biography

Early Life

Alan Hubert White was born at Kent Town, Adelaide on the 28th of May 1896, the son of John White (1854 - 1943) from Bath, Somerset, England and Helen Georgina Nicholson (1856 - 1916) from Ballarat, Victoria.

Schooling

Alan attended Prince Alfred College Adelaide, where he passed six subjects in the Junior Examinations in December 1911. He passed 2 Senior Examinations in January 1913 and Chemistry in the Higher Public Examinations of December 1914 and Biology in the Higher Public Examinations of December 1915.

Alan competed in the PAC Sports from 1910 to 1915 and in the intercollegiate sports against St Peter’s College in 1914 and 1915. He gained his best success in the 1915 Intercollegiate Sports, gaining 23 points for PAC by winning the 100 yards flat, 220 yards flat, 300 yards steeplechase and the broad jump and coming second in the 120 yards hurdles.

Alan played Intercollegiate Football for PAC from 1913 - 1915 and was Captain of the 1915 team. He played SACA B Grade Cricket for PAC in the 1914/15 and 15/16 seasons and Intercollegiate cricket in the December 1915 contest against St Peter’s College.

In addition to his scholastic and sporting achievements at PAC, Alan was a Senior Cadet for four years and a College Prefect in 1915.

Adelaide University

In March 1916, Alan passed the Special Examination in Physics set for those intending to study medicine. Alan studied medicine at Adelaide University in 1916 -18, completing second year in November 1917. Alan then enlisted for WWI in 1918, mid-way through 3rd Year, however he did not have to serve overseas. He returned to his studies to complete 3rd Year in 1919 and 4th Year in 1920. Alan graduated MB BS in December 1921 and was registered as a fully qualified medical practitioner in that month.

World War I

Prepared to serve, Alan enlisted in the AIF on the 11th of September 1918, aged 22 years and 1 month. He was 5’7”, 140 lbs, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. In addition to his service as a Senior Cadet, Alan had been in the 78th Infantry, Citizens Forces.

Alan was a private at the Mitcham Camp, but was given a Leave Pass from 11th September to 2nd December 1918. While it is not recorded on the leave pass, the leave would have been granted to enable Alan to complete his 3rd Year examinations.

Alan was not required to serve overseas due to the cessation of hostilities and was discharged on the 18th of November 1918.

University Sport

Football
As the Amateur Football League was suspended during the war, the first record we have of an Alan White playing football for Adelaide University, was in a Match against St Peter’s College in 1916. While no initials were listed for White it is probable that it was Alan who played in the match. The first definitive record of Alan playing football for Adelaide University was in a Patriotic Match played on Adelaide Oval on the 27th of July 1918 against a combined team from PAC and St Peter’s College. This match was held six weeks prior to Alan enlisting. He was captain of the University team and was among its best players.

Alan went on to captain the Adelaide University A Grade in the Adelaide Football Association in 1919. The Adelaide Football Association was a temporary association run in 1919 to commence rebuilding amateur football after WWI.

Alan also captained the 1919 Intervarsity Team and was awarded a Blue for Football that year.

In 1920 when the Amateur League competition recommenced, Alan became the first post war Captain of the Adelaide University Football Club A Grade. He again captained the Intervarsity Football team in 1920.

Cricket
Alan represented Adelaide University Cricket Club in 1918/19, 1919/20 and 1920/21 seasons. When the SACA competition resumed an unofficial competition in November 1918, University was not able to field a team because many players were still serving in Europe and it was exam time for the students. It was not until mid-February that University could field an A Grade team. In the match against Glenelg in March 1919, Alan made his highest score for the Club, making 47 not out.

Alan played in the 1920 Intervarsity contest against Melbourne in Adelaide. He performed well, taking 5/21 in Melbourne’s 1st innings and 4/59 in the 2nd Innings. He was awarded a Blue for cricket that year, thus making him a Double Blue, having gained his Blue for football in 1919.

Alan’s performances at A-Grade level for University were modest, playing only 13 games in A Grade during his career. The War and then his commitment to his professional career saw an early retirement.

Career & Family Life

After graduation, Alan commenced his career at the Adelaide Hospital in early 1922 but by May 1922 when he registered an 18.2 Overland, he had moved to Lameroo in the Murray Mallee region of South Australia, 210 kms east of Adelaide.

On the 26th of July 1922, Alan married Aileen Blanche Mildred Peachey, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Peterswald, at Holy Trinity Church, North Terrace, Adelaide. Aileen was 24 years old and was born in 1898, the daughter of Ernest Herbert Peachey, who had died in 1900, and Mary Elizabeth Bancroft. Aileen’s mother, Mary, had married Arthur Peterswald in 1914.

In September 1922, Alan was appointed the Medical Officer at Lameroo by the Central Board of Health and by 1924 he was on the Board of the Lameroo Hospital.

Alan and Aileen’s first child, a daughter, Valerie White was born of the 6th of October 1924, at “Gunyah”, Unley Road, Unley.

From Lameroo, the family moved to Snowtown in the mid north (140 kms north of Adelaide) where Alan was in practice from at least January 1925. On the 8th of March 1926, Alan and Aileen had a second daughter, Maxine Elizabeth White.

Alan became Lodge Surgeon of the United Ancient order of Druids, Oak of Snowtown, No 85 and a vice-president of the Snowtown Tennis Club in 1926. He was the first President of the Snowtown Golf Club (1926) and in September 1926, Aileen, drove the first ball at the opening of the Club.

In 1927 Alan was on the committee of the Cameron Dance Club. Alan became the first President of the Snowtown Literary and Debating Society which was formed in October 1929 and he was President and Patron of the Glee Club.

Alan and Aileen’s son, Graham, was born on the 9th of September 1930.
Alan lost in the semi-finals of the Snowtown Golf Club Championship in 1928, but later won the Championship in 1930 and on three other occasions. He was President of the Snowtown Tennis Club from 1930.

In June 1932 Alan joined many other doctors at golf at Seaton (Royal Adelaide Golf Club).

In December 1933, widespread damage was caused by a remarkable summer storm that went through Snowtown. The cellar of Alan’s home was filled with water and his tennis court was washed away.

In February 1934, the family holidayed at Henley Beach South where they were joined by Aileen’s mother, Mrs Arthur Peterswald. Alan was Captain of the Snowtown Golf Club in 1935.

In May 1937, the White family left Snowtown for Adelaide. They were given a farewell by a large gathering of residents.

Alan was appointed an honorary clinical assistant to the medical section at the Adelaide Hospital in September 1937. The family lived at 230 Napier Terrace, Unley Park (now Cross Road).

Alan continued to practice in Adelaide in the early stages of World War II and Aileen and the White children spent the September holidays of 1940 at Victor Harbor (then known as Victor Harbour).

Alan and his mother-in-law, Mrs Peterswald, were injured in a car accident, when the car Alan was driving collided with a train at the Hilda Terrace, Hawthorn crossing in November 1940. Alan received head and internal injuries and a crushed arm. It is unclear how long it took Alan to recover from his serious injuries, however he did not return to AAMC duties until March 1941.

In November 1941, Stephen Blunderfield made a claim for damages against Alan and Clarence Henry Mates in relation to injuries incurred on the 17th of August 1939. Blunderfield claimed that he was knocked down by Mates’ car while crossing King William Street, near Sturt Street, and then White’s car also struck him. The defendants denied the allegations and the Supreme Court dismissed the charges. The matter was appealed to the High Court and the charges were dismissed in September 1942. The plaintiff, Blunderfield, was held to be negligent in walking across the course of the two cars.

World War II Service

Alan joined the Reserve of Officers on the 5th of February 1942. On the 14th of August 1942 Alan was called up for military duty with Service Number S110261. He was 46 years old at the time. He held the rank of Captain and served 6 weeks continuous duty at the 105 Australian Military Hospital, Adelaide from the 10th of August 1942. He ceased part time duties on the 5th of October 1942 and was transferred to the Reserve of Officers (Australian Army Medical Corps) on the 5th of October 1942.

Alan’s pay records show that he carried out medical board examinations for the AAMC on an irregular basis from February 1940 through to April 1945.

Post WWII

Alan and Aileen’s daughter Maxine Elizabeth White married John P Redwood at St Peter’s College Chapel on Wednesday 5th June 1946.

In 1947 the owner of 230 Napier Terrace, Unley Park returned from overseas and Alan and Aileen purchased a property at 121 Napier Terrace, Unley Park.

In October 1947, Christopher John Redwood (Alan and Aileen’s first grandchild), was christened at St Peter’s College Chapel.

Alan and Aileen’s daughter, Valerie married Peter D. Hill, the son of Mr and Mrs H.D. Hill of West Beach in February 1948.

Birth notices thanking Dr. White for his role in the delivery of babies appeared in the South Australian newspapers until May 1948.

Death

Alan Hubert White passed away on the 8th of April 1950 and was privately laid to rest at the North Road Cemetery on Sunday the 9th of April 1950. Aileen Blanche Mildred White passed away on the 25th of August 1982.

Author EE (Beth) Filmer

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (in the period 2015-2019) please see the document attached.