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GARTRELL Eric Frank MB BS FRCP FRACP

1898 - 1977

Eric Frank Gartrell was born, on 8th September 1898, in Semaphore, SA. He was the son of Francis John Gartrell, a teacher and Staff Inspector with the Education Department, and Elizabeth Woodward, nee Cowley. His early education was in state schools but he won a scholarship to attend St Peter’s College. He was a keen sportsman and long-distance runner. He studied medicine at the University of Adelaide, graduating MB BS in 1921. He travelled to England as a ship’s surgeon, on completion of his residency, and gained his MRCP in 1924. Gartrell was interested in the very new speciality of cardiology and studied for the next two years at the National Hospital for Diseases of the Heart, in London. While in England he met and married Florence Ridpath, daughter of Sir Henry Ridpath, and Jane Eliza, nee Kelly of Wimbledon, London, on 27th March 1926. He returned to Adelaide, in 1926, and worked at the Adelaide Hospital in general medicine. Despite cardiology having little recognition, he was asked to set up an electrocardiogram service (ECG) at the hospital, in 1927. Gartrell then went back to England for further study from 1934 to 1935. He returned to Adelaide and restricted his private practice to cardiology but continued in general medicine in his now senior Adelaide Hospital appointment.

Gartrell had joined the AAMC Reserve in 1928, so when WW2 began, he was appointed DADMS, 4MD, from 1940 to 1942, and promoted to major 1st September 1942. He left on the Tarcoona from Sydney and arrived in Port Moresby on 13th September 1942 and was posted to 2/1st AGH. He transferred to the 2/AIF on 3rd October 1942. Throughout 1943 he had several admissions to a military hospital with dysentery and other infections, serving in 21st AGH and 2/5th AGH.  Promoted lieutenant colonel on 9th February 1944, he returned to Australia on 22nd February 1944 and was posted as OC Medical to 110 AMH, Perth, WA, followed by appointment as OC Medical of 2/9th AGH, Perth, in November 1944.  He returned to SA for a short time before continuing his appointment with 2/9th  AGH in February 1945. Gartrell embarked, in May 1945, on the Gorgon from Sydney for Morotai, arriving on the 16th May 1945. After nine months in Morotai, he returned to Australia on 20th January 1946 and was placed on the Reserve of Officers on 21st February 1946.

Gartrell continued with his practice in cardiology after the war and was a foundation member of the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand, and was its first secretary, and later, he was councillor and chairman.  He ensured that the society was closely associated with the RACP. The RAH Board agreed to set up a specialist cardiac clinic at the hospital in 1955. Gartrell was appointed senior honorary cardiologist, a position he held until his retirement from the hospital, in 1958.  He was instrumental in the establishment of the National Heart Foundation and was vice president of the South Australian Division for many years. Gartrell enjoyed the outdoor life in his leisure time, especially deep-sea fishing for snapper off the South Australian coast. His wife Florence died on 6th June 1974.  Eric Frank Gartrell died on 10th January 1977, survived by his four children, three daughters and one son, an anaesthetist.

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