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

Leonard John Dunstone was born on the 3rd December 1880 in Port Augusta, son of John Dunstone, an accountant. They later moved to Largs Bay. He was educated at Prince Alfred College and studied medicine at the University of Glasgow, Scotland. He graduated MB ChB in 1907. Dunstone returned to Australia, and took up a medical practice in Lameroo, South Australia. He married Stella Marion Salter at the Lockleys Baptist Church in August 1912. She was the only daughter of Mr MH Salter of Lockleys, South Australia.

At the start of WW1 and on the 1st February 1915 he was appointed as the District Naval Medical Officer at Port Adelaide. Dunstone also joined the AAMC Reserves 4 MD as an honorary captain on the 22nd May 1916.  He continued with the Navy and was promoted to surgeon lieutenant commander in 1924 and surgeon commander RANR in 1930. He was subsequently transferred to the retired list in 1935 but re-engaged under the National Security Regulations for 2 years from November 1943.

Dunstone continued to live and work in the Woodville and Port Adelaide areas of South Australia after the war. He lived on Woodville Road, Woodville. Dunstone was fined for exceeding the speed limit of 15 MPH in St Vincent Street, Port Adelaide on the 17th January 1919. He was a Divisional Surgeon for St John Ambulance, an Honorable Surgeon for Woodville Volunteer Fire Brigade for 15 years and president of the South Australia Operatic Society. Leonard John Dunstone died on 5th August 1961 in Malvern. He was survived by his wife and son.

DUNSTONE. Leonard John VRD RANR Rtd SBStJ. JP MB ChB

1882-1961

As a result of WW2, under the Provisions of the National Security (NF) Regulations, Dunstone was re-appointed to the active list for duty as DMNO SA from April 1943 and awarded the Volunteer Officers Decoration, and again, transferred to the Retired List in July 1946.

He was a Divisional Surgeon for St John Ambulance, an Honorary Surgeon for Woodville Volunteer Fire Brigade for 15 years and president of the South Australia Operatic Society, and a Foundation member of the Woodville Lodge,

He established the ex-Naval men's club in Lipson St, Port Adelaide, SA, which later became Formby's restaurant. He retired from General Practice to become Medical Superintendent of the Enfield Psychiatric Hospital.  Leonard John Dunstone died on 5th August 1961 in Malvern SA, survived by his wife and son, Dr John Leonard Dunstone.

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