Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

McEACHERN Alistair Campbell MS FRCS FRCS ED FRACS FFARACS

1904 – 1989

Alistair Campbell McEachern was born, on 30th June 1904, in Mount Gambier, SA. He was the son of Alexander Mclean McEachern and Catherine Jane, nee McFarlane.  McEachern was educated at Mount Gambier High School and Adelaide High School; he gained a Thomas Price Scholarship to study medicine at the University of Adelaide, where he was awarded the Davies Thomas Prize and the Everard Scholarship, graduating in 1926. He completed his resident year at the Adelaide Hospital in 1927. While at university, McEachern much admired the Elder Chair Professor, Frederick Wood Jones, a renowned, anatomist, naturalist and anthropologist, at the University of Adelaide, who encouraged him to go to London and Edinburgh to gain his FRCS. During his time in the United Kingdom, from 1930 to 1933, he was a resident medical officer at King George Hospital, Ilford. He married Rita Margaret Mcananey, a medical practitioner, in 1930. She was the daughter of William Alfred Mcananey, and Clara Annie Fischer of Langhorne Creek, SA. McEachern and his wife were to have three daughters, Heather, in 1934, Jean, in 1937, and Margaret in1942. On his return to England McEachern took a position as an assistant surgeon at the ACH from 1937.

McEachern, was enlisted as a major, in the AAMC, on 1st July 1940.  He named his wife Rita as his next of kin and they were living in Tusmore Avenue, Knightsbridge, SA, at the time. He had no previous military service but was appointed at the rank of major, due to his experience and expertise as a surgeon and posted to 2/12 AGH, in 2MD. McEachern was then attached to 2/2nd Hospital Ship Wanganella and left for Ceylon on 24th October 1941.  He remained with the hospital ship going from Colombo to the Middle East and back to Colombo.  He was evacuated to 2/12 AGH, in July 1942, with bronchopneumonia and returned to 3 MD from Colombo on the Wanganella on 7th January 1943. McEachern resumed his posting to 2/12 AGH. Detached to 2/2nd AGH. QLD, in June 1943 until August 1943, he was then posted as OC surgical division of 116 AGH on 30th March 1944 and promoted to lieutenant colonel on 30th June 1944. Later appointed as OC surgical division to 121 AGH, QLD, from 16th February 1945 he returned, to South Australia, as OC surgical division 105 AMH in April 1945. Apart from some short postings, he remained with 105 AMH until he was discharged on 3rd January 1946 and placed on the Reserve of Officers.

Following the war, McEachern took a position as an assistant surgeon, and then a surgeon, at the RAH from 1946 until 1964, specialising in general surgery and urology. Later, when he had rooms in Verco Building, Adelaide, he was a consultant surgeon at the RAH from 1964 until his retirement. He was on the Board of Governors of the RAH and was an active member of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons, and a member of the RACS council and Senior Vice President from 1971 to 1973.  He was a member of the RACS court of examiners from 1954, and chair of the same from 1963 to 1971. He was appointed Hunterian Professor, in 1957, by the Royal College of Surgeons. He wrote extensively on general surgery and urology and was on the editorial committee of two professional journals. McEachern enjoyed photography, painting and ornithology.  Alistair Campbell McEachern died on 6th May 1989, survived his wife and three daughters. Two of his grandchildren became medical practitioners.

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