Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

TURNER Frederick Gordon Trevor MB BS FACD DDM

1906 – 1979

Frederick Gordon Trevor Turner was born in Adelaide, SA, on 23rd August 1906. He was the younger son of Albert Victor Turner and Annie Jane, nee Stephens.  He studied medicine at Melbourne University, graduating in 1936, and undertook his resident year at the Adelaide Hospital in 1937.  He had also studied for a diploma in Theology. He was a clinical assistant in the Department of Medicine at the RAH from 1940 to 1944 and clinical assistant in the section of Dermatology from 1944 to 1954. He married Elsie Mary Duell, of Hughes Street, North Unley, on 4th December 1937. She was the daughter of James Duell and Elsie Emma, nee Finch; both her parents had died before the marriage.  Turner and his wife had a daughter, Margaret Elsie, in 1938.

Turner enlisted in the CMF, at the rank of captain.  He named his wife as his next of kin and they were living at 98 Unley Road, North Unley, SA.  He was called up for full-time duty from 21st July 1942, initially with 109 AGH, until 9th May 1946.  Posted to 105 AGH, in November 1943, he was then allotted to regimental duties at 86 ACH in January 1944. Turner was further transferred to 36 ACH then 42 ACH later in the month. He was posted to 52 ACH in October 1944 and to 121 AGH in April 1946. During his appointment he took leave to undertake locum tenens duties from October to November 1943, for Dr MR Bennett of 19 Fullarton Road, Fullarton SA, and later in the month for Dr Kohler of Wallaroo, SA and, in March April 1944, for Dr Ledikschke on South Terrace, Adelaide. Turner was troubled with corneal ulcers during his military service and had many admissions and a medical board reclassification, on 5th October 1943 to B1 and on 28th July 1944, to B2. Despite his reclassification, he was detached to various postings within SA including 52 Camp Hospital and 121 AGH. His last day of full-time duty was on 10th May 1946, and was placed on the Reserve of Officers.

Turner obtained the DDM (Sydney) in 1949 and MACD which and later elevated to the FACD. He was a clinical assistant dermatologist at the Adelaide Children’s Hospital from 1947 to 1954 and an honorary dermatologist at the RAH from 1954-1966. He was a council member of the Dermatological Society of Australia from 1960 to 1961 and President of the SA Branch of the British Association of Dermatology in 1961. He authored a paper on ‘Industrial Dermatitis’ in the Australian Journal of Dermatology (111 4 1956). Frederick Gordon Trevor Turner died in July 1979. His wife and two daughters, Margaret and Annette 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