Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

BRITTEN-JONES Richard Edmund MD FRCP FRACP

1918-2006

Richard Edmund Britten-Jones was born in Bangalore, India, on 11th June 1918. He was the son of Sir Edmund Britten-Jones, who was serving with the RAMC in India at the time, and Hilda, nee Fisher. He was educated at St Peter’s College and studied medicine at the University of Adelaide, graduating in 1941. He was awarded the Everard Scholarship and the William Gardner Scholarship in surgery.

Britten-Jones enlisted in the AAMC on 29th October 1941, immediately after completing his medical degree. He was 23 years old. He was placed on full-time duty on 2nd January 1942, in Woodside Camp, SA, at the rank of captain and detached as RMO to 3rd Inf Bn. After a series of short attachments within 4 MD, he was posted to 44 Camp Hospital at Alice Springs. He volunteered for the 2/AIF, in November 1942 and was posted to 2/2nd AGH, in Queensland. He then transferred to 2/9th AGH, in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, from 13th December 1942 until 8th June 1943. During this posting, he contracted dysentery and was hospitalised in 46 Australian Camp Hospital (ACH) for two weeks in February 1943. He was re-attached to 2/9th AGH, on 8th May 1943, for a one month, returning to Australia on 8th June 1943. He was then attached to 115 AGH at Heidelberg, VIC.   Britten-Jones was sent to the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, in Parkville, VIC, which enabled him to be allocated to the 2/3rd Australian Mobile Bacterial Laboratory Unit, as a pathologist. He had several postings in 121 AGH and 118 AGH and at LHQ Medical Research Unit. Attached to 4th FdAmb he went to Jacquino Bay, New Britain, Papua, New Guinea, from the 25th August 1945 to 19th May 1946. Britten-Jones returned to 105 Military Hospital in Adelaide and was discharged from the 2/AIF, on 25th September 1946, at the rank of temporary major.

Britten-Jones returned to Adelaide, and the Adelaide hospital after his discharge. He began now his lifelong career in cardiology. He married, Adelaide Children’s Hospital nurse, Ruth Morphett Gunson, in 1943. She was the second daughter of Dr John Bernard Gunson and Annie Elizabeth, nee Morphett, of North Adelaide. They were to have one daughter. His uncle, Thomas Alan Britten-Jones, was married to Ruth’s elder sister Mary. Britten-Jones became a visiting medical specialist at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1977. He was a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Royal College of Physicians.  He was also interested in, and enjoyed, horse racing, golf, tennis and ornithology.  His wife Ruth died in 1984.  Richard Edmund Britten-Jones died on 5th January 2006 and was survived by his daughter and grandson.

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