Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

SAWERS Ronald John MB BS FRCP FRACP FRCPath

1919 - 2010

Ronald John Sawers was born on 26th October 1919 in Glenelg, SA. He was one of the twin sons of Ronald Leslie William Sawers, a pastoralist with a quarter share of Pitcairn Station in the mid-north of SA, and Ida Herse, nee Tapley-Sawers.  His father died in 1926. He was educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide, and at the University of Adelaide where he graduated MB BS in 1942. He completed his resident year as an RMO, at the RAH, in 1943.

Sawers enlisted in the AAMC as an honorary captain on 29th January 1943, and captain in 2/AIF on 1st February 1944 and named his brother Donald Alexander Sawers, as his next of kin; he also gave his aunt, Ulena McLachlan, of Partridge Street, Glenelg as an additional next of kin. Sawers served, initially, as medical officer to LHQ, Ivanhoe, Victoria and then from 22nd April 1944, with 121 AGH; he was detached for a short period of time to 32 Aust Camp Hospital.  Attending a course in Tropical Medicine and Military Hygiene, in July 1944, in Sydney, before returning as MO, at 64 Australian Camp Hospital, in November 1944.  Detached to 2/5th Aust Armed Regiment on 2nd March 1945 he was then transferred to 74 Camp Hospital on 24th January 1946. Sawers was posted to 107 AGH on 12th March 1946, followed by 106 Lt FdAmb on 24th April 1946, and to HQ NT Force on 24th March 46. Further attachments to 74 Camp Hospital and 105 Aust Mil Hosp preceded his discharge from full-time duty on 9th April 1947. He was later to serve as a captain in the CMF.

Sawers returned to the RAH in 1947 as a resident in clinical pathology. He was the registrar to the Professorial Medical Unit at Queensland University from 1947 to 1950. According to the electoral roll he married Mary Elizabeth. Sawers. They travelled to England where he obtained the MRACP in 1950 and MRCP in 1964. While in London, in 1951, he was the haematology registrar at the Hammersmith Hospital. Returning to Australia, he was a part-time research fellow at the Baker Institute, Melbourne, from 1952 to 1960, clinical pathologist at the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, from 1960 to 1963 and, subsequently the Director of Haematology at the Alfred Hospital from 1963 until retirement in 1985. He obtained the MRCPath, in 1965, and FRCPath in 1971. During his career, he wrote many papers and a textbook on haematology. Sawers recognised a need for patients and their families to receive support and encouraged the development of patient support groups. These patient support groups became a substantial component of the development of high standards of treatment and care in this country. The Ronald Sawers Haemophilia Centre at the Alfred Hospital, and the Ron Sawers Award, of the Haemophilia Foundation Australia, are named in his honour. Ronald John Sawers died on 14th December 2010.

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