Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Published Biography

Blood Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australian who Served in World War 1, C Verco, A Summers, T Swain & M Jelly. July 2014

Additional Biography

Early Life

Harry Roy Pomroy was born on the 3rd of March 1895 at Cross Road, Moonta, the son of Harry Pomroy and Hester Ann Osborne.

Schooling

Harry was educated at Wallaroo Mines District High School and the Kadina Continuation School winning an exhibition to Adelaide High School in January 1909.

While at Adelaide High School Harry passed a further four Primary Examinations in October 1909, followed by Senior Examinations in 1910 and in 1911 when he passed Latin. Trigonometry, Inorganic Chemistry, German, Arithmetic and Algebra, and Physics; obtaining credits in the four last named subjects. He was placed eighteenth on the General Honours List.

In 1912 Harry was seventh on the General Honours list and first in chemistry and second in geometry and trigonometry. In 1913 Harry was a School Prefect and he topped the General Honours List and qualified to study medicine at Adelaide University and was awarded the Hartley Scholarship.

Harry played tennis and football for Adelaide High School (1911-1913). He played football in Past versus Present teams and went to Melbourne in 1912 to play against the Melbourne High School.

At the Christian Brother’s College Annual Sports in November 1913 with other schools also invited to participate, Harry came second in the 100 yards Inter-Collegiate Championship race.

Adelaide University

Harry commenced studying medicine at Adelaide University in 1914 and graduated MB BS in 1918.

University Sport

Athletics
Harry competed in the 135 yards flat race that the Adelaide University Sports in May 1914, coming in 11th place in a field of 14.

Football
Harry played football for the Adelaide University Football Club in 1914 and 1915. He predominantly played in the B Grade in the Adelaide Students’ Association but in 1915 he did play some A Grade matches in the Amateur League. In 1914 Harry was a member of the premiership winning Adelaide University B team. Harry’s surname was frequently in the papers as Pomeroy instead of Pomroy.

World War I

Harry enlisted on the 26th of November 1918 by which time hostilities had ceased, however doctors were still needed to provide for the health of returning soldiers.

Although he had chosen to complete his medical studies, Harry (a drummer) was a member of the Exhibition Camp Military Band which frequently performed at parades and concerts during the War Years.

By December 1918, Harry had been posted to the 5th Military District (Western Australia) where he served for over a year. While there he contracted influenza and was quarantined. He then returned to the 4th Military District (South Australia). His appointment was terminated on the 17th January 1920.

Post War Career and Family Life

After his war service Harry commenced private practice at Cowell on Eyre Peninsula, SA and was soon back on the tennis courts, playing in a tournament in April 1920. He practiced medicine at the Jervois County Hospital. Harry became involved in local activities and was on the committee of the Franklin Harbour Institute. He was honorary surgeon for the Franklin Harbour A.H. & F. Society and in October 1921 he became the president of the Cowell Cricket Club. Harry donated a medal to the Franklin Harbour Football Association for presentation to the best all round player.

In February 1922, Harry left Eyre Peninsula to undertake further studies in the United Kingdom.

In February 1924, Harry’s sister, Mrs R James, received word that Harry had successfully passed the first exam for the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (F.R.C.S.). In July 1927, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. Pomroy, of Wallaroo Mines, were advised that Harry had gained his F.R.C.S. (London).

In October 1925 Harry was appointed resident surgeon at the Poplars Hospital for Accidents, London. Harry was in Vienna in early 1927 when he advised his parents that he had booked a passage on the Hobsons Bay which was expected to reach Australia in early March that year. His brother, Richard O. Pomroy, B.E., who had been in the UK for some years working with Vickers Ltd and Glovers Ltd, Manchester, was leaving for Australia in February 1927. Harry was back in South Australia by the middle of March and payed a visit to Cowell. Harry’s F.R.C.S. was formally recognised by the South Australian Medical Board in August 1928.

Sadly for Harry, his father passed away in December 1928, aged only 64. Harry (Snr) was at the time of his death was an underground official at the Moonta and Wallaroo Mining Company and a lecturer at the Moonta School of Mines. From 1905 until about 1926, he was the chief underground surveyor for that company. He left a widow, three sons and seven daughters.

In January 1929 Harry was appointed an honorary demonstrator in anatomy at the Adelaide University Faculty of Medicine and in February 1929 he took over as acting medical officer of the venereal clinic (male section) of Adelaide Hospital. Harry was appointed honorary assistant surgeon at the Adelaide Hospital in December 1931 and in March 1933 he was one of the South Australian surgeons attending the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons conference in Sydney.

Harry travelled to the UK in April 1936 to undertake further studies. While in the UK he became engaged to Miss Elizabeth Nelson Rowland of Oxford (born 7th November 1906). His engagement was announced in October and the couple married before departing from London on the 20th of November 1936 onboard the Mongolia of the P & O Steam Navigation Company. Harry and Elizabeth arrived in Adelaide on the 2nd of January 1936.

Harry and Elizabeth’s son (Andrew) was born on the 27th of October 1937.
Harry was appointed lecturer in operative surgery at the Adelaide University Medical School in March 1938 following the resignation from the position of Sir Henry Newland .

In September 1938 Harry was rebuked by Mr Justice Napier for failing to attend the court when subpoenaed to do so.

World War II

Harry enlisted for WWII on the 1st November 1940 and held the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was living at Fitzroy at the date of his enlistment. Harry’s WWII record was not available digitally at the time the document was prepared.

The WWII record is now available at:
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=6388700

In February 1941 a story appeared in the newspaper concerning Andrew’s christening in water from the River Jordan.

On the 17th of April 1941, Harry and Elizabeth’s second son, Harry was born. Tragically, young Harry lived only two days. He passed away on the 19th of April 1941 and was buried at the West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide.

Death

On the 10th of March 1943 at a Military Hospital near Adelaide, Lieut-Col. Harry Roy Pomroy, A.A.M.A., A.I.F. passed away aged 48 years leaving his wife Elizabeth and son Andrew. Harry is buried at Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide.

Legacy

Harry’s widow, Elizabeth Nelson Pomroy, enlisted (SN VF516855) at the 3 Australian AWS Rec Dep Victoria, giving her next-of-kin as Gladys Osborn. Her WWII record is not yet open to the public. After serving in the Australian Women’s Army Service, “up north”, Elizabeth moved to Melbourne and in May 1945 she was preparing to travel to the UK with her son Andrew. Elizabeth and Andrew arrived at Liverpool, UK on the 11th of July 1945 onboard the M.V. Waipara and resided at 32 Kippen Road, Possilpark, Glasgow, Scotland. They returned to Australia onboard the S.S. Asturias in June1947, they disembarked in Melbourne and gave 13 Edwin Ave, Collinswood, SA as their address.

Harry and Elizabeth’s son, Andrew Frederick Pomroy, attended Adelaide High School from at least 1950 to December 1954 and won the Sir Hugh Cairns Memorial Prize and was planning to commence studying medicine at Adelaide University in 1955.

In October 1954, aged 46 Elizabeth departed from Sydney and arrived in Southampton, England onboard the Largs Bay, her occupation was a nurse. Elizabeth is likely to be the Elizabeth N. Pomroy whose death was registered in December 1961 at Lambeth, London (England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007, Volume 5c page 1254).

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.