Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

SMITH Gavin Viner OStJ MB BS

1911- 1989

Gavin Viner Smith was born, on 8th September 1911, in Adelaide, SA. His surname was often referred to as Viner Smith. He was the son of Cuthbert Viner Smith, a member of the Stock Exchange of Adelaide, and Edith Josephine, nee Gardner. He was one of three siblings; he had a brother, Keith, and sister Primrose. Smith was educated at St Peter’s College and studied medicine at the University of Adelaide, graduating MB BS in 1937 and entered general practice in Port Pirie. He married Gwyneth Hunter Greenlees at St Peter’s College Chapel on 6th December 1938. She was the second daughter of Mr and Mrs William James Greenlees of Malvern. Smith and his wife had a son in May 1941.

Smith enlisted in the Army, as a captain in the AAMC, and commenced full-time service on 1st July 1940, in 4MD.  He named his wife as his next of kin; they were living in Norman Street, Port Pirie, at the time. Posted to 2/8th FdAmb, he was sent to 3MD for training before embarking from 2MD, Sydney, for the Middle East, on 29th December 1940.  On arrival, on 1st June 1941, he was detached from his unit to 4 AGH in Syria. He spent the next eight months posted between 2/8th FdAmb and 4 AGH for specialist duties. He contracted pleurisy and was evacuated to 7 AGH on 26th October 1941. Immediately after returning to 4 MD, Adelaide, in February 1942, he was hospitalised with a shoulder girdle injury. Smith was deemed temporarily medically unfit, due to the dysfunction of the muscles in his right shoulder, until August 1942. During this time, he was transferred from the 2/AIF to the AAMC and allotted to 105 AMH. He continued to have a variety of muscular-skeletal problems until July 1944, while remaining attached to and working at 105 AMH. He was a witness to a murder trial, in February 1945, which was much reported in the papers. Remaining in SA, until March 1946, with several different intra-state postings, including 116 AGH, he was promoted to major, on 11th June 1945, this was followed by a brief attachment to QLD L of C, in March 1946.  He returned to SA, in April and his appointment was terminated on 4th April 1946. His brother Keith, a medical practitioner, and his sister Primrose, a nurse, also served in WW2.

Following the war, Smith returned to his practice in Port Pirie. He was a member of the Local Board of Health and was the centre of a controversy when he attended a meeting in shorts and ‘a smartly tailored open-neck jacket with elbow length sleeves’, instead of the obligatory suit. He, unfortunately, had golf clubs stolen from his car, while he was at the Grand Final football match, at the Adelaide Oval in 1947; the thief was caught, and the property returned to him. Smith was still living in Port Pirie in 1950, however, later he became MO to HM Goals and Prisons SA. He became a member of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. Gavin Viner Smith died on 7th February 1989.

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