Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Early Life

Gilbert’s father, George Herbert Jose, came to Australia in 1888, he married Clara Ellen Sturt (d.1925) in 1890 and went with her to China as a lay missionary next year. Gilbert Edgar Jose was born in Taichow, China, on 1 November 1898. Gilbert’s family left China in 1899 and father, George was the Davis Chinese scholar at Oxford in 1900 and in 1903. George then brought the family to Adelaide where he had charge of several churches until in 1906 he was appointed rector of Christ Church, North Adelaide, where he remained until 1933.

Schooling

Gilbert commenced his schooling at the Queen’s School, North Adelaide and was there in 1908. By 1911 Gilbert was at St. Peter’s College, Adelaide, where he passed his Primary Examinations. Gilbert went on to pass his Junior Public Examinations in 1913, followed by his Senior and Higher Public Examinations (1914-1916). Gilbert competed in the St Peter’s Sports (1913-1917) and the Intercollegiate Sports v PAC (1913-17). In 1917 he won the Broad Jump in both the afore-mentioned competitions.

In 1912 Gilbert played for the Old Boys in a cricket match against the present boys at Queen’s School. From 1913-1917 Gilbert represented St Peter’s College at Cricket, Football and Tennis, both in local competitions and Inter-Collegiate matches. In 1917 he was captain of both the Intercollegiate Football and Cricket teams. Gilbert was presented a cricket bat by his Excellency the Governor (Sir Henry Galway) in recognition of his score of 96, the best batting performance in the 1917 match against the Prince Alfred College team.

Gilbert was a member of the St Peter’s Cadets and was appointed as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Senior Cadets in August 1916.

University

Gilbert commenced studying medicine at Adelaide University in 1918. His MB BS was conferred in December 1922. After graduation he began his medical career at the Adelaide Hospital.
University Sport

Cricket

Gilbert played A grade cricket for the University for the seasons 1919/20 to 1922/23. He was a member of the 1920, 1921 and 1922 Intervarsity Cricket Teams. He was awarded a Blue for Cricket in 1920. In the 1920/21 season Gilbert topped the University Batting Averages, scoring 807 runs in seven innings for an average of 115.29. In the 1923/24 season he topped both the batting aggregate and averages. He also won the SACA batting award.
During Gilbert’s great season in 1920/21, he made the four consecutive scores of 100 or more for University:
• 251 in Round 5 v West Torrens
• Round 6 was abandoned
• He was unavailable to play in Round 7 when playing for South Australia
• 203 in Rd 8 v Adelaide
• 123 in Round 9 v West Torrens
• 152 in Round 10 v Glenelg

While making the two double centuries, he also figured in record partnerships for AUCC for the 3rd and 4th wicket. Significantly these two partnership records will have their 100-year anniversary in the 2020/21 season, as will his score of 251, which is also currently the highest score recorded by an AUCC player in 1st Grade cricket!

Record partnership for the 3rd Wicket - 345 - (18th December 1920)
Gilbert E Jose (251) & H Gordon Prest (129) v West Torrens @ University Oval

R Record partnership for the 4th Wicket - 328 (26th Feb 1921)
Lance T Gun (214no) & Gilbert E Jose (208) v Adelaide @ University Oval

Football

In 1918, Gilbert played football for Adelaide University in the Patriotic match against a Combined Colleges side. In 1919, Gilbert was Vice Captain of the University team in the Adelaide Football Association but was unavailable to play in the 1919 Intervarsity Match against Melbourne.

World War I

Like his two elder brothers, Gilbert, enlisted for service in WWI, however he was still in the Depot when the hostilities ceased on 11 November 1918 and therefore did not serve overseas. His service record for WWI has been amalgamated with his WWII record (which was not available digitally at the time of writing the document). Gilbert’s eldest brother, Sir Ivan Bede Jose (born13 February 1893), was a Medical Officer in the AIF in WWI (was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded The Military Cross), served in the RAAF during WWII, and received his knighthood in 1956. Tragically, Gilbert’s other brother Wilfrid Oswald Jose, (Born 25-3-1895), was killed in action at Noreuil, France on 2-4-1917, aged 22.

First Class Cricket

While playing A grade for the Adelaide University Cricket Club, Gilbert was twice selected to represent South Australia. He made his first-class debut for South Australia in the 1918/19 season against Victoria at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He scored “a pair” - run out without scoring in the first innings and bowled for 0 by Ted McDonald in his second innings. Although he only batted in the lower order, Jose was not called on to bowl in the match. His second first-class appearance came in 1920/21, at the Adelaide Oval, against the touring MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club). He came in at six in the batting order and scored 16 in his first innings. Promoted up the order to five in the second innings, Jose scored just two.’

Family and Career

Gilbert married Hazel Dorothy Brook on the 6th May 1924. Shortly after their marriage they travelled to England where Gilbert gained his Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh).

Gilbert and Dorothy had two sons, Geoffrey Alan (born 18th April 1925) and Anthony Douglas (born approx. 1929). Shortly after the birth of his first son, Gilbert’s mother passed away (1925). Tragically, Gilbert’s wife Hazel Dorothy passed away on the 29th December 1930, aged just 28.
In December 1933, Gilbert became engaged to Mary Muecke and they married on the 4th April 1934 at Christ Church, North Adelaide.

From June 1925 to March 1928, Gilbert held the position of Officer of Health for the district of Onkaparinga. In 1926 he was patron of the Woodside Football Club. In 1934 Gilbert was ill and had a period in hospital. By 1936 both Gilbert’s sons (Geoffrey and Tony) were at School at St Peter’s. Mary Jose was described as interested in her home and garden and her other activities included golf and tennis.

In 1937, Gilbert was appointed as an honorary medical assistant at the Adelaide Hospital, Surgical Section. In May 1937 Gilbert sold his property at 93 Woodville Road, Woodville.

In 1938 Gilbert and Mary had a son, David Gilbert. The following year he was appointed as an honorary clinical assistant to the Surgical Section of the Adelaide Hospital.

In December 1939, Gilbert played in a Father and Son Cricket match, with his son Tony playing for the Sons.

World War II

Gilbert enlisted on 31 October 1940 and in December honorary Captain G.E. Jose appointed from the A.A.M.C. Reserve of Officers to be a Major. In September 1941, Sir Trent Champion de Crespigny, with Dr. F. S. Hone and Dr. Gilbert Jose, left by the express for Melbourne to attend a conference of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

In 1941 Gilbert was posted overseas. He was in charge of the hospital on the racecourse in Singapore and was seen a couple of days before the fall of Singapore (8 to 15 February 1942). His last letter to his wife was dated 9th February 1942. He was reported missing in action and subsequently reported to have died of dysentery on 27th March 1942 while a POW of the Japanese.

Gilbert is buried at the Kranji Military Cemetery, Singapore.

Author EE (Beth) Filmer

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents, family legacy and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project please see the document attached.