Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

LENDON Guy Austin MD B Sc FRACP FRCP

1895-1970

Guy Austin Lendon was born on 22nd January 1895 in Adelaide. His parents were Dr Alfred Austin Lendon OBE, an eminent Adelaide medical practitioner, and Lucy Isabel, nee Rymill. She was the daughter of the daughter of Henry Rymill and Lucy, nee Baker. Lendon had a brother Alan, a medical practitioner, and a sister Dorothy. He was educated at St Peter’s College and the University of Adelaide where he first studied science, graduating in 1912.  He then studied medicine and graduated MB BS in 1917; he was awarded an MD in 1922. While at university, in 1912, he joined the Army Cadet Corps and was awarded a university blue in rifle shooting. Lendon was also an outstanding athlete, excelling in tennis, representing the university and the State. He played golf, and at one stage was captain of the Royal Adelaide Golf Club. He enlisted in the Navy, during WW1, as a temporary surgeon. He served on HMAS Australia from 1917 to 1919. Lendon was present at the surrender of the German Navy at Scapa Flow. Lendon was posted to HMAS Cerberus until 9th November 1919 after which he was placed on the Emergency List. He married Marianne Burston, the youngest daughter of Brigadier James Burston on 25th September 1925, in Toorak, Victoria. Lendon travelled to England for further study at Magdalen College, Oxford and at the Radcliffe Infirmary.  An outstanding academic he once demonstrated, to the BMA at a meeting, the use of ethyl chloride as an anaesthetic on one of his colleagues. When he returned to Adelaide, he was appointed as an honorary physician at the RAH where he made a name for himself as a clinician, teacher and medical politician. Lendon was the Chief Medical Officer of the Australian Mutual Provident Society. However, he did not accept criticism well, and this alienated many of his colleagues. His brother-in-law, Major General Sir Samuel Burston, was one of his colleagues and they did not speak to each other for the last half of Lendon’s life.  Nevertheless, he did have many friends associated with his many interests.

Lendon joined the AAMC on 26th September 1940 and was appointed to the Reserve of Officers on 3rd April 1942, as an honorary captain. He later made a temporary major from the 2nd September 1941 until 30th July 1942. He was still on the retired list of the RAN in 1955, and his appointment was not terminated until 21st June 1962

Lendon was a founding member of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and was Chairman of the State Committee of the College. He was also a Censor of the College. His other interests were cars and cats. Very few people knew of the latter. He was a popular teacher and took a great interest in potential physicians who left the armed forces at the end of WW2.  Illness beset him from 1957 and the accidental death of his wife, on 24th April 1964 caused him to become a recluse in his last years. Guy Austin Lendon died, at Thorngate, on 27th April 1970. His daughter Elspeth survived him.

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