Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

JEFFRIES John Singleton MB BS

1918-2011

John Singleton Jeffries was born, on 4th October 1918, in Croydon, Surrey, England. His father was Lewis Wibmer Jeffries DSO OBE, a medical practitioner who served in WW1 with distinction and was severely wounded on Gallipoli.  His mother was Shirley Frances, nee Singleton.  His parents married in St Georges Church, Bloomsbury, in England, in 1917. The family returned to Australia in 1920.  Jeffries was educated at St Peter’s College and studied medicine at the University of Adelaide, graduating MB BS in 1942.

Jeffries had been a member of the AAMC reserve, as a private in 3rd FdAmb, when he enlisted at Wayville South Australia, on 7th December 1942. Called up immediately for full-time duty, now as a captain after completing his medical degree, he was initially posted to 105 AGH.  He gave as his next of kin his father. He was sent on a Tropical Medicine and Hygiene course, in Sydney, in January and February 1943. After a short time in 59 ACH, he was posted to 3rd FdAmb on 23rd March 1943, which was now serving PNG. He travelled to Maple, PNG on 1st May1943 and was allotted to 15th FdAmb, from 3rd FdAmb, on 27th June 1943. He was evacuated to an American Field Hospital with hepatitis on 23rd June 1944. Jeffries left Madang, PNG, arriving in Townsville, QLD, on 31st July 1944.  Initially, after his arrival, he was appointed to 121 AGH, but returned to 105 AMH, Adelaide, with lacerations and contusions to his face following a car accident while on leave.  Following his recovery, he was allotted to 24 Inf Bn for duty, on 25th November 1944, and then transferred to 57/60 Bn on 12th December 1944, followed by a transfer to 17th FdAmb, on 8th December 1945. Like most of the medical officers of WW2, he had many detachments and attachments during his service. He was granted leave for pre-discharge training. He was sent on to 105 AMH at Daw Park on 11th March 1946. His last day of full-time duty was 18th September 1946 and he was placed on the Reserve of Officers. Jeffries retired from the Army on 4th October 1973.

After the war, Jeffries went to Millicent, SA, as a general practitioner.  It was reported in the 1947 Police Gazette that he had been robbed of several personal items, from his house in Millicent; the perpetrator had been apprehended.  It was also reported in the local newspaper that he attended the scene of a road accident with the ambulance on the Millicent Road.  After his practice in Millicent he moved with his family to Magill, SA, where he continued his career in general practice. John Singleton Jeffries died on 28th June 2011 and is interred at Enfield Memorial Park; he was survived by his wife, Colette, and four children two of whom, Peter and Bill, had followed his father and himself with careers in medicine.

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