Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

PAVY Harold Keith MB BS FRCS FRACS

1895 - 1984

Harold Keith Pavy was born, on 9th July 1895, at Chrystal Brook, SA. He was the son of Julius Augustus Pavy and Eliza, nee Radford. They lived at Stanley Street, North Adelaide.  His mother was the fifth daughter of Charles Radford of Greenock. Pavy was educated at the Adelaide Shorthand and Business College and Adelaide High School.  He studied medicine at the University of Adelaide, graduating in 1919. While at university he was the editor of the Adelaide Medical Students Review and the assistant editor of the Adelaide University Magazine.  He was also the captain of the University Lacrosse Team and vice-captain of the Boats.  Pavy enlisted, in WW1 when he was a medical student, in June 1918, but was discharged due to the end of the war. After completion of his MB BS, he became medical superintendent of the ACH, in 1920. Pavy married Thelma Violet Glover, the only daughter of Charles Richmond John Glover, and Elizabeth Maud, nee Hannam, on 23rd February 1922. Her father was the first Lord Mayor of Adelaide. In 1919. Pavy and his wife were to have four sons. Pavy was a MO at the Naracoorte hospital and living in Naracoorte at the time. He travelled to England, in 1929, for postgraduate study in London and Edinburgh and obtained his FRCS Edinburgh, in 1930, and FRACS in 1932.  He returned to Narracoorte until 1938, when he travelled again visiting clinics in San Francisco, New York, London Stockholm and Budapest, returning to Naracoorte.

Pavy joined the AAMC as a captain on 23rd October 1941. He was promoted to major on 1st September 1942 and transferred to full-time duty with an appointment to 119 AGH, Darwin, on 19th November 1942. He was admitted to 119 AGH with Dengue Fever for a week in December 1941. He remained with 119 AGH until he volunteered for transfer to the 2/AIF, in September 1942, and allotted for duty on 2/2nd Australian Hospital Ship (AHS) Wanganella.  He served on 2/2nd AHS Wanganella which sailed to the Middle East and then Papua New Guinea, throughout the war. Pavy was posted from the hospital ship to 2/4th AGH on 1st May 1943 and returned to SA for leave in December 1943. He was posted as a surgeon to 109 CCS from 2/4th AGH in June 1944 and discharged on 4th August 1944.

Following the war, Pavy returned to his position at Narracoorte hospital., He was a member of the BMA Council from 1948 until 1949. Pavy remained as a surgeon at the Naracoorte hospital until his retirement in 1954. He received a significant public farewell at Naracoorte Town Hall on 27th March 1954, which was attended by many of the town and surrounding country’s grateful residents. Harold Keith Pavy died on 21st September 1984. His wife had predeceased him in 1978.

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