Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Published Biography

Blood Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australian who served in World War 1. Verco, Summers, Swain and Jelly 2014.

Additional Biography

Early Life

Sydney George Leyland Catchlove was born on the 31st May 1884 at Toxteth Park, and inner city area of Liverpool, England, the son of George Catchlove and Margaret Leyland. He was baptised at St John’s Chapel, Liverpool on the 18th July 1884.

In the English Census of 1881 the Catchlove family were living at 5 Alfred Place, Toxteth Park with the seven children born to that date, plus a general servant and a nurse. Sydney was the youngest of the Catchlove children, his siblings were Margaret Annie (Fanny) born 1870, Florence (Floss) Maud born approx 1871, Blanch (e) May born 14 Nov 1872, George James Leyland (Leyland) born 12 December 1874, Charles Hamilton Leyland born approx October 1876, Frederic (k) Sebastian Leyland born approx July 1878, Nelson Victor Leyland born approx Jan 1880 and Herbert (Bert) Henry Leyland born approx April 1882.

George immigrated to Australia on the Gulf of Venice in 1884. Margaret and the nine children departed from London and arrived in Australia on the 21st March 1885 onboard the ‘Orient’.

Blanch married Albert WT White in 1895 and died aged 23 in February 1896. Margaret Annie married Rev George R Godbehear, a Weslyan minister from Victoria in 1898. The Catchlove family were living at Mann Terrace, Nth Adelaide in 1895. Florence Maud married Henry CW Pearce at Mosman, NSW in 1922; she died in 1957 aged 86.

Schooling

Sydney attended Whinham College (formerly North Adelaide Grammar School), a private school operated in North Adelaide (now the Lutheran Seminary on the corner of Ward St and Jeffcott St). He then attended Prince Alfred College from 1898. Sydney passed his Preliminary Examinations and First Grade Free Hand at the Art and Science Examinations in October 1899. He passed his Junior Examinations in Latin, German, Mathematics and Chemistry in 1900 and Senior Examinations in December 1901.

On the 6th January 1902 Sydney’s eldest brother George James Leyland Catchlove enlisted for service during the Boer War.

Sydney played Intercollegiate Football for PAC against St Peter’s College in June 1900 and June 1901.

Adelaide University

Sydney commenced studying medicine at Adelaide University in 1902.

In June 1903 Sydney was licensed to practice anatomy at the Anatomy School at Adelaide. Tragically for the Catchlove family, Sydney’s brother Herbert (Bert) Henry Leyland passed away on the 16th November 1904, aged 22. Sydney was just completing his second year of medicine when Bert passed away.

Sydney gained his MB BS in December 1907 and was registered as a qualified medical practitioner in January 1908.

Adelaide University Sport

Football

Sydney played Intervarsity Football for Adelaide University from 1904-07, thus competing in the first four Intervarsity matches played by Adelaide University.

In 1906 and 1907 Sydney played for Adelaide University in the Adelaide and Suburban Association competition. In May 1906, Sydney was one of two Adelaide University players selected to represent the Adelaide and Suburban Association in a match against the Barrier Ranges (Broken Hill) Association. Sydney was selected as a forward. He also competed in a match between Adelaide University and Geelong College in 1907.

In 1908 (the first year Blues were awarded by the Adelaide University Sports Association), Sydney was awarded a Blue for Football.

Pre War Career and Family Life

After qualifying, Sydney became a resident medical officer Adelaide Hospital. In May 1909 he commenced a practice at Manilla, NSW (45 kilometres northwest of Tamworth).

On the 5th August 1909 at the Methodist Church, Palmerston Street, Carlton, Victoria, Sydney married Una Heyward Cox, the daughter of Rev ET Cox of Carlton. While at Manilla the couple’s first two children, Hamilton Lister (Lister) Catchlove (b 26 April 1912) and John (Jack) Pelham Catchlove (b 1 December 1913) were born.

Sydney was actively involved in the community a Manilla. On the sporting front, he was a member of the Tennis Club, Rifle Club and Golf Club. He was on the committee of the Standard Football Club and played in billiards tournaments at the Mechanics Institute. Sydney was on the committee of the Mechanics Institute and was their president in 1912-13. He was on the Library committee and an active member of the Debating Club, Manilla Musical Society and the Parents & Citizens Association. Sydney was instrumental in the formation of a Masonic Lodge at Manilla.

World War I

In August 1914 Sydney disposed of his practice at Manilla and in September he left for Sydney, NSW with the intention of travelling to England to join the Army Medical Corps. Una and the two boys travelled to Sydney en route to Melbourne.

Sydney’s rather unusual service record for WWI is well documented in the “Blood, Sweat and Fears” biography above. Sydney’s letter dated 3rd December 1914 to Mr K Briscombe states that he left Australia onboard the troop ship ‘S.S. Benalla’ and arrived in the Suez Canal on 1st December 1914.

An article in ‘The Australasian’, Melbourne in March 1915 stated that Captain Sydney GL Catchlove, RAMC ‘is at present at the Queen Alexandra Military Hospital, and who leaves shortly for the front’. However Sydney was deployed for some months in hospitals in London before returning to Australia on the transport for Invalids ‘A54 Runic’.

Sydney served at the Base Hospital (No 5 Australian General Hospital), St Kilda Road, Melbourne where he was a temporary Major in the Citizens Military Forces and Adjutant of the hospital. In late 1918 when the hospital was due for closure, Sydney was a temporary Lieut. Colonel and the officer commanding the hospital. From April to August 1919 Sydney served at the No 11 AGH, Caulfield, Vic.

Una and Sydney were living at Ormond Road, Elwood, Melbourne. On the 14th May 1917 their third son, Leonard Hugh (Hugh) Catchlove was born. On the 30th August 1917, Sydney’s mother, Margaret, of 96 Gover St North Adelaide, died aged 75.

Sydney’s brother Nelson Victor Leyland Catchlove served in WWI. He was a Corporal in the 48th Infantry Battalion.

Post War Career and Family Life

In 1919 Sydney’s father passed away. From 1921, Sydney had a practice at 93 Collins Street, Melbourne. In December 1921, Sydney was awarded a Master of Surgery from Melbourne University.

In 1923 Sydney was associated with the Woodlands Private Hospital and by 1924 he had a practice at his home at 46 Ormond Road, Elwood and was a clinical assistant to the out-patient surgeons at Alfred Hospital.

On the 23rd March 1924 Sydney and Una’s daughter Leila was born.

Lister and Jack both attended Melbourne Grammar School. Both boys were excellent students, fine athletes and footballers and in 1930 they played together in the MGS senior team. Lister played at centre back and Jack on the wing. Lister won the open championship at the MGS Sports in 1930.

In 1929 Sydney became a surgical clinical assistant at Melbourne Hospital. In January 1930, Una’s father, Rev Cox passed away in his 78th year.

In 1931 Lister commenced studying medicine at Melbourne University and was a reserve for the Intervarsity football match against Adelaide University in 1931.

From 1932 Sydney was associated with the Ivanhoe Homoeopathic Hospital.

By 1932, Jack was also studying medicine at Melbourne University. Lister and Jack both played football for the Melbourne University Blacks in the Metropolitan Amateur competition. By this time, their younger brother, Hugh, was at Melbourne Grammar and was showing also a good student, athlete and footballer. Lister must have payed Intervarsity Football in 1932 as he was awarded a Blue for Football in April 1933. Both Lister and Jack played Intervarsity Football in 1933 and Jack was awarded a Blue for Football in March 1934. In 1934 Jack competed in the Intervarsity Boxing competition.

The family stayed at Erskine House, Lorne for their January holidays in 1933 and 1934.

From 1935, Sydney was a member of the honorary medical staff at Prince Henry’s Hospital, St Kilda and he and Una often attended the Hospital Ball. Sydney was also a member of the Athenaeum Club.

By 1936, Leila was attending Melbourne Girls’ Grammar School and competed in the athletic sports and Hugh joined his brothers at Melbourne University studying medicine. Lister graduated MB BS in December 1936 and Jack graduated MB BS in 1937.

In 1938, Sydney was appointed an honorary major in the Australian Military Forces Reserve.

Lister became engaged to Joan Fussell the daughter of Mr and Mrs AH Fussell of Camberwell in February 1938 and the couple married in January 1939. The couple then travelled to England so that Lister could continue his studies. Sydney, Una, Jack, Hugh and Leila holidayed at Erskine House, Lorne in January 1938.

World War II

In May 1940 Jack became engaged to Jean Hamilton Baird, of Mount Melville, Cavendish, the youngest daughter of the late Mr and Mrs AH Baird.

All three of the Catchlove boys joined up for WWII. Lister (SN 251419) joined the Air Force, Jack (SN VX39223) joined the Australian Army Medical Corps and Hugh became a Surgeon Lieutenant in the Navy on the 3rd February 1942 and was demobilised in August 1946.

Hugh was awarded his MB BS in September 1941. Hugh became engaged to Kathleen Mary Scantlebury, the daughter of Dr and Mrs GD Scantlebury, East Melbourne in August 1942 and the couple married in September 1942.

In September 1942, Sydney sold his practice at Ormond Road, Elwood and then lived at 15 Yarradale Road, Toorak.

Jack served in Malaya and was reported missing in July 1942. He was a prisoner of war and he did not return to Australia until September 1945. He married Sgt. Jean Hamilton Baird (AAMWS, 2/7th AGH, Lae) at the Melbourne Grammar School chapel.

Squadron-Ldr Lister Catchlove gained his fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons then joined the RAF in 1940. He served in London during the blitz, and was later senior RAF surgeon in Iceland for 12 months. During their six years overseas Lister and Joan had two daughters.

Post WWII

Leila Catchlove became engaged to John Darbyshire in March 1947. John was studying finance at Harvard University when war broke out. He served with the Army Flying Commandos and later as a commander in Navy Salvage. The couple both studied art after the war. The couple married in December 1947 at the Melbourne Grammar School Chapel.

From September 1947, Sydney was on the board of Prince Henry’s Hospital and in April 1949 he was appointed to the Victorian Cancer Board.

In 1951 Sydney and Una travelled to the UK, they departed from Sydney and arrived in London on the 16th March 1951. They attended Royal Ascot in June 1951. They departed from London on the 21st September 1951 on the Orcades. Sydney resumed his practice at Collins St, Melbourne in November 1951.

By 1954, Sydney and Una were living at 104 St Georges Road, Toorak.

Death

Sydney George Leyland Catchlove passed away on the 7th August 1968, aged 84. He was a resident of Toorak prior to his death.

Una Heyward Catchlove nee Cox passed away on the 12th June 1972.

Sydney and Una are buried at the Box Hill Cemetery, Melbourne, Victoria.

Hamilton Lister Catchlove passed away on the 29th April 2016. He had been married to Joan for 76 years when Joan had passed away a year earlier. Lister and Joan had four children, Angela, Suzanne (dec), Peter (dec) and Rosemary and at the time of Lister’s death nine grand children and 17 great grandchildren.

John Pelham Catchlove passed away in 1994.

Leonard Hugh Catchlove passed away in Melbourne, Victoria in February 23, 2009.

Leila and John purchased the St Leonards winery, Wahgunyah (Rutherglen Region) in 1972. They redeveloped the property. On Friday December 14th 1979 at 2.30pm the St Leonards property was put up for auction by Mr & Mrs Darbyshire, they were selling due to “the winery having developed to a point where it is too big for them”. St Leonards was purchased by Brown Bros.

Author EE (Beth) Filmer

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