Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

MAGAREY Ivan Sandilands MD FRACP

1904-1980

Ivan Sandilands Magarey was born, on 13th June 1904, in Norwood, SA.  He was one of five children and the only son of Dr Cromwell Magarey and Sophia, nee Sandilands. His father served in WW1 and was one of the first four graduates from the University of Adelaide in 1889.  He was educated at Prince Alfred College and studied medicine at the University of Adelaide graduating in 1927. He undertook his resident year at the Adelaide Hospital, from 1928 to 1929, and then went to the ACH from 1920 to 1930.  He married Phyllis Mary Burrell, a nurse, on 6th May 1930.  They were to have three children, a son and two daughters. Magarey took up a general practice in his father’s practice in Norwood, but also became an honorary clinical assistant, in 1931, and assistant physician to the ACH, in 1937. He graduated with his Doctor of Medicine, from the University of Adelaide, in 1939.

Magarey was in the CMF in 6 Cav FdAmb when he joined the AAMC, on 15th December 1941, and was immediately called up for full-time duty. He was posted to 3rd FdAmb and sent to 8 MD, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, in January 1942.  While in PNG he volunteered for 2/AIF in August 1942. He returned to 4MD Adelaide in November 1942 and allotted to 2/14 AGH. He was posted to 10 AGH, in March 1943, and promoted major on 13th April 1943. He had several short postings, including 107 AGH, Adelaide River, NT. He was one of the MOs to fly to Singapore after the surrender of the Japanese to provide medical care for the prisoners who survived Changi prison. He left for Singapore on 9th September 1945 and was appointed a physician to 121 AGH. He returned to Adelaide on 28th November 1945, and his appointment was terminated on 7th March 1946.

Returning from the war Magarey continued his career as a paediatric physician. He became a foundation member of the Australian Paediatric Association, in 1950, now the Australian College of Paediatrics. Magarey maintained his honorary positions, until 1961, when he resigned to become clinical superintendent of the ACH.  Magarey was also visiting physician to Estcourt House, which was the convalescent home of the ACH, until his retirement in 1974.  However, he continued working and became clinical superintendent to Ru Rua Hospital, a home at the time for children with intellectual disabilities. Due to ill health Magarey retired entirely in 1977. He had many interests, including golf, fly fishing and woodwork. He was known as a quiet, even retiring man with a good sense of humour.  Through his illness, he, unfortunately, became a dependent invalid and had to spend the last years of his life at the Helping Hand Centre in North Adelaide.  Ivan Sandilands Magarey died on 30th May 1980. His wife and three children 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