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Excerpt from Blood Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australian who Served in World War 1. Courtesy of the Authors 

John Le Messurier Kneebone was born on 25th March 1890 in Adelaide, the eldest son of John Henry and Mary Matilda, nee Le Messurier. He was educated at Pulteney Grammar School and St Peter’s College where he topped each year. As dux in his final year at St Peter’s College he won the Young Exhibition and the DaCosta University Scholarship and the Farr special prizes in Greek, Latin, French and Chemistry. He had also won prizes in German and Geometry. He continued with the same academic success when studying medicine at the University of Adelaide, being awarded the Everard Scholarship in his final year. He represented his university at intervarsity Lacrosse winning a Blue. He was also a member of the University Rifle Club. He graduated at the age of 20 in 1911. He travelled to England in 1914 to pursue studies at St Mary's Hospital London and at the Middlesex Hospital for his surgical fellowship.

Whilst in England Kneebone joined the RAMC in 1914. He was reported as killed at the front in September 1914 and a detailed obituary, with, curiously, a splendid photograph of Captain Kneebone in an Australian uniform (he had joined the AAMC Reserve Volunteer in 1913), appeared in the Adelaide’s ‘The Mail’. Reports a few days later confirmed that he was alive and still in England. He served at Gallipoli where he was selected to be one of the last to leave and to remain with the wounded should the evacuation be discovered. Subsequently he served with Allenby's Army in the Middle East, and in France. He was Mentioned in Despatches on more than one occasion. He was issued with the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and Victory Medal with Oak Leaves.

Kneebone returned to England after the cessation of hostilities.  From 1919 to 1921, he trained in surgery at The London Hospital and gained his FRCS. He married Eva Gladys Le Messurier on the 29th December 1920 in London. She was completing her medical degree in Manchester where she was dux in surgery following an honours arts degree from Reading. Their marriage united the two Le Messurier families from Guernsey. Returning to Australia he found surgical appointments filled so he went to Burra and Jamestown before accepting the post of surgeon superintendent at the Broken Hill Base Hospital. Here the demand for his surgical expertise was considerable and it was inevitable that he finally clashed with the hospital authorities in his requests for improvements in facilities and administration. Kneebone resigned and moved to Hamilton in Victoria, where he practiced surgery, particularly orthopaedic surgery for more than 30 years. He was President of the Orchestral Society, trustee of the YMCA and District Governor of the Hamilton Rotary Club. He was an enthusiastic member of the BMA represented the Western District Branch for many years. He was a perfectionist not only in surgery but also in photography, both still and cinematic. John Le Messurier Kneebone died on 19th July 1976, his wife predeceased him by two months and he was survived by a sister and his three daughters and their families.

 Sources:

MJA 1976 (2) 696-7

Barrier Miner 30April1923

Photo: Adelaide University Archives 1911 Graduates

The Mail (Adelaide) 16 Sept 14 p1

The Register Adelaide 24 February 1921

Ancestry.com