Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

ODLUM Vernon James MB BS

1914- unknown

Vernon James Odlum was born in South Australia, on 30th October 1914. He was the younger son of James, a public servant, and Annie Brinkworth, nee Parnell. He is recorded as highly commended for violin playing in 1929. He studied medicine at the University of Adelaide graduating MB BS in 1939. He undertook his resident medical officer year in 1940, and subsequently took locum tenens posts in SA and WA. He married Florence Lawton Eley, one of the twin daughters of George Howard Eley and Ruby May, nee Lawton, of Albert Park, SA, on 14th June 1939. Odlum and his wife lived with his widowed father at 633 Esplanade, Grange, SA.

Odlum joined the RAAF Medical Branch, on 15th September 1941, at the rank of flight lieutenant and was promoted to temporary squadron leader on 2nd July 1944.  Odlum served for just under four years, initially, in SA, and then in Victoria with 5 Recruit Centre from 15th September 1941, 6 SFTS at Mallala, SA, from 2nd July 1942 and 2 Air OS from 18th December 1942. He left Australia on 6th March 1943 and was posted to overseas headquarters in London from 17th April 1943. He served at RAF Brighton, UK, from 31st May 1943 until he was posted to 464 Squadron from 25th January 1944. His father was keen for his son to return to Adelaide and wrote to Senator Nicholls, in SA, requesting the release of his son and Odlum was eager to return to his wife and family. Odlum left England on 17th October 1945 and returned to 4 Personnel Depot, Adelaide, on 23rd November 1945. He was demobilised in January 1946 and undertook a postgraduate medical refresher course at the RAH and subsequently at the ACH and the Queen Victoria Maternity Hospital, Adelaide, SA from 5th February to April 1946; he was discharged from the RAAF on 3rd May 1946.

After the war, Odlum was working in Port Augusta, SA, when he initiated divorce proceedings against his wife for adultery with an American soldier named Brodie. He remarried Joan Nina Savidge, in WA, in 1947 and they are recorded on the electoral roll as living in South Perth. He was still living in Perth when his son, was born at St John of God Hospital in Subiaco, WA, on 22nd January 1948.  He returned to South Australia where another son was born, at Calvary Hospital, in North Adelaide, SA, on 3rd September 1949. A daughter was born, also at Calvary Hospital in North Adelaide, SA, on 21st June 1953. He established a general practice out of his father’s home at the Grange, SA. He was acquitted, in November 1952, without the judge summing up, of eight counts of imposing and one of attempting to impose on the Commonwealth by untrue representations with a view to obtaining money through the Repatriation Commission. Vernon James Odlum date of death is unknown, but he is interred at Centennial Park Cemetery, Pasadena, SA. His wife and children survived him.  His son, Kevin Geoffrey Odlum, a medical practitioner, followed him in general practice.

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