Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

BICKFORD Reginald Nevill Cudmore MB BS MRCP

1911-1990

Reginald Nevill Cudmore Bickford was born in Adelaide, on 26th August 1911. He was the son of Reginald Bickford and Rosa Florance, nee Cudmore. His father was a wealthy purveyor of groceries, in particular, the renowned Bickford's lime juice.  His sister Alison Cudmore Bickford later married Dr William Ackland Horman. He was educated at St Peter’s College and the University of Adelaide where he graduated MB BS in 1935. After initial training at the Adelaide Hospital, Bickford travelled to England where he obtained the MRCP in 1938. He returned to Adelaide and married Margaret (Peg) Donnell Stoddart, one of the identical twin daughters of Dr Dick Stoddart, a general practitioner at Glenelg. Dr Stoddart had played football for the successful Norwood Football Club, and, also, for South Australia. It was impossible to distinguish between Peg and her sister Patricia, and they got up to all sorts of mischief. Bickford’s lifelong interests were sailing; he was victorious on the Petrel in the Kangaroo Island Yacht Race; hunting, he was an excellent shot and could hit a running rabbit in the head with a .22 rifle; In addition, he played tennis, and golf, and enjoyed bird watching and horse racing. He was the track surgeon at the Victoria Park Race Course, Adelaide, and a committee member of the Australian Racing Club. His most successful horse, Dreaming, won its first five races; other successful horses included Turkish Tune and Burnt Look.    The Bickford and his wife were to have two sons; Richard born in 1940 and Michael in 1948. Before WW2 Bickford was a physician, with interest in paediatrics, in private practice and the RAH and the ACH.

Bickford, was living at 11 Kent Road, Kent Town, SA, when he joined the CMF, initially as captain on 17th May 1939, and was promoted to temporary major on 8th April 1942, and major from 1st September 1942. Called up for full-time duty with 3rd FdAmb on 15th December 1941 he remained with the CMF until 7th August 1942, when he transferred to 2/AIF, in Port Moresby, PNG, on 8th August 1942. He served in New Guinea from 27th December 1941 until 24th January 1943. Bickford was made temporary CO of 3rd FdAmb from 10th September 1942, until he took leave in Australia from 21st January 1943.  His commanding officer had returned to Australia medically unfit. During this time, he was a physician to 2/5 AGH. He transferred to 104 CCS 10th March 1943 and served with them in WA. Bickford was Mentioned in Despatches for, gallant and distinguished service, in the SW Pacific area on 30th December 1943.  He returned to New Guinea on 5th November 1944, with 104 CCS, and remained there until 3rd December 1945, when he returned to Australia with tropical lichenoid dermatitis. He was a physician to 121 AGH from 23rd January 1946 and discharged from the Army on 1st May 1946.

Bickford returned to his practice after the war. He was appointed clinical assistant physician at the RAH and an honorary physician to the ACH for thirty years from 1959. He played golf at the Royal Adelaide Golf Club, and engaged in his equestrian interests in addition to his other sporting activities.  Reginald Nevill Cudmore Bickford died, in Adelaide, on 18th June 1990; his wife and sons 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