Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

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

Sydney George Leyland Catchlove was born in Liverpool, England on 31st May 1884, the son of George Catchlove and Margaret, nee Leyland, both from Cheshire, England.  They came to Adelaide and lived at Gover Street, North Adelaide.  Catchlove attended Prince Alfred College and played football for the school. He went to the University of Adelaide achieving his MB BS in 1907.  He also represented the Adelaide University at football. Following his graduation he was appointed as a Resident Medical Officer at the Adelaide Hospital. He married Una Heywood Cox and a notice in the Adelaide Register recorded that they had a daughter in Sydney in May 1913.

Catchlove was appointed to the AAMC Reserve of Officers on 1st July 1914, prior to WW1 as a Captain in the 2 MD in New South Wales. He was appointed to the AIF on the 8 July 1915, but this appointment was terminated on the 7 January 1916. It was recorded that he should not have been placed in the AIF. In England he was deployed in Australian Auxiliary Hospitals. He also served for some months on the staff of the Australian Head Quarters in London. He returned to Australia in November 1915 as the medical officer on the transport ship Runic. On return to Australia it was recommended that he transfer to the AAMC CMF in the 3 MD in Victoria.  He was promoted to temporary major in August 1916 and appointed to 5 AGH. In June 1918 he became CO of 5 AGH and appointed lieutenant colonel. He was placed on the Reserve of Officers in 1921. He was issued with the British War Medal and although he requested the 1914-15 Star and Victory Medal, was told that he was not entitled to them as he did not serve in the AIF.

In 1938 Catchlove resided in Ellwood, Victoria and lived from 1947 in Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria and was a surgeon at Prince Henry’s Hospital until 1955. Sydney Leyland Catchlove died in Melbourne, Victoria on the 7th August 1968.