Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

VERCO Ronald Lister MB BS FRCS FRACS

1903-1979

Ronald Lister Verco was born on the 22nd July 1903, in Adelaide. He was the second child of Dr William Alfred Verco and Agnes May, nee Porter. He had an older and a younger surviving sister. He was educated at St Peter’s College and the University of Adelaide where he graduated MB BS in 1928. Verco married Ethel Merry Tolmer on 10th September 1930.  She was the daughter of Herbert Gerald Tolmer and Albinia Frances, nee Short. Verco and his wife had a son and daughter. He obtained the FRCS(Ed) and later the FRACS. He practised, like his father, as an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist. His father was an entrepreneur, building the Verco Buildings on North Terrace, Adelaide, in 1911. Interestingly the structural engineer was General Sir John Monash GCMG KCB VD of Melbourne. Monash was civil engineer and an Australian military commander of WW1. Verco conducted his practice from rooms in the Verco Buildings. He lived in Edwin Terrace, Gilberton.

Verco joined the AAMC, as an honorary captain, on 6th November 1940, and placed on the Reserve of Officers. Then was called up for full-time duty, with the rank of captain, in the CMF on 21st March 1942. He served in SA, initially as RMO in 4MD. He was transferred to 34 Camp Hospital, then 52 Camp Hospital. He took leave to act as locum tenens for Dr RJ Verco for three months in 1943.  His medical classification was downgraded due to asthma, in 1944, and he remained in RMO postings with the AAMC, in SA, until he was discharged on 22nd January 1946.

He returned to his practice after discharge; this included honorary appointments at the RAH as a gynaecologist and the QVMH as an obstetrician.  He was joined, in his practice, by Dr GWE (Tassie) Aitken and later Dr Harvey Radden. Ronald Lister Verco died on 21st February 1979 and is buried at Victor Harbour, South Australia. His wife, who died in 1989, and his two children and eight grandchildren survived him.

Source

Blood, Sweat and Fears III: Medical Practitioners South Australia, who Served in World War 2. 

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

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD