Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

WILKINSON Robert Stuart MB BS

1911-1970

Robert Stuart Wilkinson was born on 23rd January 1911, in Mount Barker, SA. He was the son of Arthur Douglas Wilkinson and Edith Mary Stuart Elizabeth, nee Ritson. He had one brother Douglas Chester Wilkinson. Wilkinson was educated at Prince Alfred College and studied medicine at the University of Adelaide, graduating in 1939. He was engaged to Margaret Jane Miller, in July 1940, and they are believed to have married in August of that year. She was the daughter of Mr and Mrs Gavin Miller.

Wilkinson enlisted in the AAMC, at the rank of captain on 20th May 1940. He was living in Watson Avenue Rose Park at the time. Posted initially to 2/6th FdAmb in 4MD, he was subsequently sent to the Middle East from Melbourne on 29th December 1940. He was attached for duty to 2/13th Bn in Palestine and after a short admission to 2/1st AGH for an upper respiratory infection was then posted as MO to 2/4th Fd Regt.  He remained with this unit, and completed an anti-malarial course, until his return to 4MD on the Ile De France on 25th March 1942. He embarked on the Katoomba for Port Moresby, PNG on 31st August 1942 with 2/4th FdAmb. There were many difficulties in evacuating casualties from the Kokoda Track, and Wilkinson was sent to establish a first aid post for soldiers from 2/14th,2/16th and 2/27th Bns that were cut off behind the Japanese lines. While on patrol he met a party of men whose task it was to find and bring back sick and wounded men.  Wilkinson decided to join this party and spent the night at a RAP post at Jawarere. The RAP was placed in a malarial location, and Wilkinson helped the orderlies move to a less malarial position. Wilkinson then continued with another patrol and moved on to Nauro over the razorback mountains of the Maguli Range, Reaching nine wounded and sick soldiers in a village, on 30th September 1941. Wilkinson said the “stench and the flies were terrific”, he had 2 hours to attend to the patients before they were evacuated back to the first aid post. This evacuation took seven days to complete. He left Port Moresby for Cairns on the Isaac Coles, on 9th January 1943, and was admitted to 105 AMH, Adelaide, in March for malaria. Wilkinson was posted to RMO 2/7th FdAmb, on return to duty, and Scratchley Battery, in Newcastle. He was promoted to major on 3rd March 1944. After several admissions to military hospitals, throughout 1944 and 1945, including a fracture of the right radius and other illnesses. He was discharged from the 2/AIF on 23rd March 1946.

Following the war, Wilkinson took up a general medical practice. Robert Stuart Wilkinson died, on 1st September 1970 at Crafers, SA, and is interred in Centennial Park Cemetery Pasadena South Australia.

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