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EYLES Philip Sydney MB BS BA MRCPsych FRANZCP DPM RCP&S

1919-1992

Philip Sydney Eyles was born on 24th July 1919, in Adelaide. He was the son of Sydney Charles Eyles and Florence Mary Katie, nee Liggins. They lived in Victoria Avenue, Unley Park, SA. Eyles was educated at St Peter’s College and studied medicine at the University of Adelaide, graduating MB BS, in 1942.

Eyles enlisted in the 2/AIF on 23rd February 1943, shortly after completing his degree. He had previously joined the CMF as a private soldier in the AAMC during his university studies. He was initially posted to 34 ACH at the rank of captain.  However, after completing the AAMC course in Ivanhoe, Victoria, from July to September 1943, he was sent to Townsville, Queensland, and left for PNG, on 28th September 1943, arriving in Port Moresby on 20th October 1943. In PNG, he was posted to HQ 3 Aust Div RAE and detached to 4 Fd Coy RAE as an RMO. He remained in PNG until March 1944, when he returned to Australia, before embarking, in Townsville on the Westralia for Lae, PNG. He immediately left Lae for Bougainville, with his unit, 3 Aust Div RAE, arriving on 5th November 1944. He was evacuated to 109 CCS with otitis in December and returned to his unit until July 1945. He returned to Australia and was allotted for duty with 114 AGH, until January 1946 and then 113 AMH. Concord, NSW, until January 1946. Returning to South Australia, he was required for locum tenens in Mount Barker, SA, for one month. Again, posted to 114 AMH, and 101 AGH 4MD, he remained with this unit until his discharge on 26th March 1947. After the war, he served in the Army Reserve rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Eyles married Dorothy Marcia Malcolm (Marcia) on 23rd December 1946, at St Peter’s College Chapel. She was the daughter of Captain Henry Glen Roy Malcolm and Dorothy Isabel, nee Bowman of Largs, SA. After his discharge from the Army Eyles studied for a BA, graduating in 1948. He embarked upon a career in psychiatry and moved to South Melbourne, Victoria where became a senior psychiatrist with the Repatriation Department, Victoria. He travelled to England in 1959 and gained his Diploma of Psychiatric Medicine RCP&S in London in 1961.  His wife, Marcia, died 19th October 1962.  He remarried to Brenda, and they were living in Barkers Road, Hawthorn, Victoria. Eyles and Brenda had a son David Charles by 1977. Philip Sydney Eyles died on 24th November 1992, in Victoria, survived by his second wife and son.

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