Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

HEDDLE Robert Charles MD FRACGP

1920 - 1982

Robert Charles Heddle was born on 5th March 1920, at Murray Bridge, SA. He was the son of Frederick Arnold Heddle, a chemist, and Ethel May of Murray Bridge, and later Thornber Street, Unley Park, SA.  Heddle was educated at Prince Alfred College and studied medicine at the University of Adelaide, graduating MB BS in 1942. While at university he played cricket and lacrosse. Wicketkeeper and opening batsman for the Adelaide University, A Grade District Cricket, he was very proud that on one occasion he made a century and ‘carried his bat'. He completed his resident year at the RAH in 1942. Heddle married Ruth Baron White on 8th May 1943 at Pirie Street Methodist Church, Adelaide. She was the daughter of William John White and Caroline Olivia, nee Jorgensen, of Wayville.

Heddle enlisted in the 2/AIF on 11th January 1942 and remained in South Australia posted as MO to 52 ACH and then 34 ACH, presumably to enable him to complete his resident year.  He had previously served in the AAMC, as a private soldier, in 3rd FdAmb from 1941. He was called up for full-time duty on 11th January 1943 and was posted as a captain and MO to 3rd Aust Inf Bn. He had several postings throughout Australia, in 1943, as was usual for a junior doctor, including 32 ACH 52 Ach, 121 AGH and 105 AMH. He spent most of 1944, back in SA, with attachments to 105 AMH and 32 ACH, Adelaide. He transferred to QLD and taken on strength, as an RMO, to 2/7th Fd Regt in preparation for embarkation to Morotai on General Butner for service in Tarakan, North Kalimantan, Indonesia, on 22 April 1945.  Heddle would reminisce to his family from his time in Tarakan, and they recall that on one occasion he asked the US officer in command of landing craft “how do you know where to go?” “you follow the boat in front” was the reply. At one time a Japanese sniper in the trees shot at Heddle and left a hole in his slouch hat. He had no other injury, but a colleague killed the sniper.  He had other close calls; when his batman found a krait under his pillow and also when a heavier jeep behind his, triggered a mine and was destroyed. Heddle was touched by the futility of war when his unit shelled an underground Japanese hospital with considerable mortality and morbidity to patients and staff. Also, after using valuable penicillin to treat a local Chinese merchant for pneumonia, the Dutch military tried and executed the merchant for collaboration with the enemy.   He was posted to 110 CCS on 5th December 1945 from 27th Fd Regt for the return to Australia in January 1946.  He returned to SA and was attached to 105 AMH, 111 Convalescent Depot and granted 90 days retraining leave.  His appointment was terminated on 26th September 1946 and he transferred to the Reserve of Officers. Heddle had weighed 10.5 stone when he left Australia for Indonesia, and weighted seven stone on his return, and suffered from recurrent malarial fever for about ten years after the war.

Following the war, Heddle continued his service by assisting families of former service personnel as an active legatee, eventually becoming president, of Legacy, South Australia from 1947 to May 1982. Heddle undertook further training in obstetrics at the QVMH, followed by general practice at Burra, SA,  1946 to 1952 and Clarence Park, SA, 1952 to 1961.  He was a member of the AMA and also a member of the AMA Council from 1949 to 1950. He gained his membership of RACGP, in 1966, followed by his FRACGP, in 1971, as a Foundation Fellow. He studied for his MD, with Professor Basil Hetzel AO as his supervisor, graduating in 1969. He was Director of the University of Adelaide Health Service and a member of the Council of the University of Adelaide. Heddle was a keen golfer and for some years held the record for the longest drive at the Burra Golf Club, SA. Robert Charles Heddle died on 6th May 1982. His wife and four children, Elizabeth, a scientist and sons Robert, William and Richard, all medical practitioners, 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