Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Biography

Ancestry.com.au Posted 30 Aug 2011 by mazsuzmum
(see document)

Additional Biography

Early Life

Harold Keith Pavy was born on the 9th July 1895, at Crystal Brook, SA, the son of Julius Augustus Pavy and Eliza Radford. He was known as Keith but according to family sources he acquired the nickname ‘Pat’ at Adelaide High School.

Keith’s father was a Captain in the Crystal Brook Volunteer Militia Reserve. He left Crystal Brook for the West in 1896. Due to a blasting accident Capt Pavy lost his sight. He came back to Adelaide and was a collector for the Royal Institution of Blind for over 20 years.

Schooling

Pat attended the North Adelaide Public School, the Adelaide Short Hand and Business Training Academy and Adelaide High School. He passed his Junior Examinations (1909), Junior Commercial Examinations (1910) and Senior Examination subjects from 1911 to 13. In March 1914 he passed Latin (required to enter medicine) by private tuition. In all he had passed eight Senior Examination subjects with one credit.

While at Adelaide High School, Pat represented the school at Cricket, Football and Rowing. In 1913 Pat was a Prefect and co-editor of the Adelaide High School Magazine. He also played Lacrosse for North Adelaide in 1913.

Adelaide University

Pat commenced studying medicine at Adelaide University in 1914 and graduated MB BS in 1919. He was one on two Honorary Secretaries of the Adelaide University Sports Association in 1919.

University Sport

Rowing
Pat was a member of the Adelaide University Rowing Club and he rowed for them in the April 1915 Autumn Regatta and in the Gentlemen’s race at the Ladies’ Rowing Association Regatta in October 1915.

Cricket
Pat played B Grade in the 1914/15 and 1915/16 seasons and played some A Grade cricket for University in 1915/16 (non-official).

Football
While not playing in regular season matches for the Adelaide University Football Team due to Lacrosse commitments, Pat played in the “Patriotic Match” against a combined colleges team in July 1918.

Lacrosse
Pat played A Grade Lacrosse for Adelaide University from 1914-1920. He represented the University in the 1919 & 1920 Intervarsity Lacrosse matches and was the team captain on both occasions. He became the Club Secretary in 1915 and awarded a Blue for Lacrosse in 1919.

World War I

Pat enlisted on the 19th of June 1918 under M.O. 210 of 25/5/18 A.I.F. Standing Order 4a, while a fourth-year medical student. He had been a member of the Senior Cadets for four years and with the Citizens Forces, 50th A.M.C. for four years. He was 22 years 11 months old, 5’11¼”, 185 lbs, with a medium complexion, blue eyes and fair hair.

He was a Private and was discharged without overseas service on the 18th of November 1918 due to the cessation of hostilities.

Career & Family Life

Pat had gained experience in the Keswick Military Hospital, the Adelaide Hospital, and the Adelaide Children's Hospital in 1920 and 1921 before purchasing a practice at Naracoorte , SA in February 1921.

Pat became engaged to Thelma Glover in December 1919 and the couple married on the 23rd February 1922. They had two sons, John Keith Pavy, born 31st of March 1924 and William Richmond Pavy born 17th of September 1925.

In June 1923, Pat moved his practice at Naracoorte from Smith Street to Ormerod Street. By 1925 Pat was playing golf and won the B Grade competition at the Naracoorte Golf Club and was a Trustee of the Club.

The family travelled to the UK on board the Euripides arriving at Southampton, England on the 21st of March 1929. Pat undertook further studies in Edinburgh and London while in the UK. Thelma and the boys arrived back in Australia (Fremantle, WA) on the 31st of May 1930 onboard the ”Orvieto”. Pat arrived back in mid July 1930 onboard the “Cathay’.

Pat had been in partnership with Douglas Robson Wallman at Naracoorte, but the partnership was dissolved from 31st of July 1930 and Dr Wallman returned to practice in Adelaide. In September 1930 Pat was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh (F.R.C.S. (Edin)).

Pat was formally admitted as Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in February 1932. In July and in August 1932 he took a six-week holiday to the Northern Territory.

He became a member of the Naracoorte Horticultural and Floral Society.

On the 24th of November 1933 Pat and Thelma’s third son, Robert Michael was born. He was known as Michael.

Pat was concerned with local matters in the Naracoorte district and in 1934 raised issues about the inadequate accommodation at Naracoorte Hospital. He also served on the local council. Pat’s interest in horse racing also had him as the Honorary Surgeon for the Naracoorte Racing Club.

In 1937, Pat and Thelma went to New Zealand to attend the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons conference and in 1938 the couple went on a tour of Europe and America arriving back in Australia in October 1938. Pat wrote a series of articles on their travels for the ‘Narracoorte Herald’:

• Pacific Islands, America and England http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article147030404
• Impressions of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Czechoslovakia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article147027833
• Visit to Hungary and Italy http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article147029611
• Journey From Port Said Back to Australia http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article147029042

World War II

Pat served in World War II with Service Number SX 26129 (and S37907). He enlisted at Wayville on the 19th of November 1942 and was discharged on the 4th of August 1944.

Pat’s service record had not yet been digitised, but family information recorded on Ancestry.com.au states that he ‘served as Surgeon Specialist, rank Major, with the No 119 A.G.H. at Darwin, then on the Hospital Ship 'Wanganella', where he treated wounded Australian troops being evacuated from Suez and New Guinea, and finally with the 2/4 A.G.H. at Brisbane.’

WWII record is now available at:
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=6414255
Also see VWMA extract from Blood, Sweat & Fears III

Pat was back in Naracoorte by November 1944 where he attended the RSL dinner.

Pat and Thelma’s two elder sons both served in the Navy in WWII. John was a Sub-Lieutenant (PA 2658), he enlisted on the 23rd of February 1942 with a home port of Port Adelaide. John was serving on the HMAS Torrens when he was discharged on the 27th of February 1946. William was an Able Seaman (PA4602), he enlisted on the 29th of January 1944 with a home port of Port Adelaide, he too was on the HMAS Torrens when he was discharged on the 2nd of April 1946.

Post WWII

Pat and Thelma’s marriage broke down and they divorced in December 1947.

Pat remained in Naracoorte. He was a member of the Naracoorte Hospital Board.

In July 1952, Pat married Genevieve Primrose Penfold Hyland (nee Malcom), the widow of Francis Penfold-Hyland. The couple left Naracoorte for Adelaide in March 1954 and received a public farewell. Pat and Genevieve lived at Netherby.

John Keith Pavy followed his father into medicine gaining his MB BS in 1952. He married Mary Elizabeth Munday, the daughter of Dr and Mrs Neill Munday in October 1948 at St Peter’s College Chapel.

William Richmond Pavy, later referred to as “Old Bill” made his mark in South Australia’s south east after relocating from Adelaide, settling on a farm at Struan in the Wrattonbully area. The Ottoson Group planted rootlings for their winery on Pavy’s Run in 1995 and chose the brand name “Pavy Wines” in Bill’s honour.

Pat’s experiences at Naracoorte and of his Army service are narrated in his autobiography - "Bush Surgeon" (ISBN 072700994X) - published in 1979.

Death

Genevieve passed away on the 23rd October 1982 and Pat passed away on the 21st September 1984 aged 89 they are both buried at Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide.


Author EE (Beth) Filmer

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (in the period 2015-2019) please see the document attached.