Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

SMITH Mervyn Keith CBE MB BS DUniv (Adel) FRCS (Lond) FRCS (Edin) FRACS FRCS Hon (IRL)

1918 – 2007

Mervyn Keith Smith was born on 18th January 1918 in Mrs Green’s Nursing Home at Gawler, South Australia. He was the son of Ernest Albert and Laurena Myrtle, nee Frost, of Blanche Street, Gawler East.  He was educated at Prince Alfred College and studied pharmacy graduating in 1939. He then studied medicine at the University of Adelaide graduating MB BS in 1944. He undertook his resident year, at the RAH, in 1945.

Smith had joined the CMF during his university years and after graduating was posted, at the rank of Major, to 130 AGH with BCOF in Japan as a radiologist. Prior to leaving for Japan he married Faerlie Ffloyd, daughter of Lindsay Meek and Mary Raphaela Anderson, on 4th January 1946.  They were to have two sons, Andrew and Michael and a daughter Charlotte. He returned from Japan in 1948. He was issued Australian Service Medal 1945-1976, the BCOF Japan Medal 1946–1952. Later during the Vietnam War, Australia sent twenty four civilian surgical teams to Vietnam to assist the civilian hospitals, from 1964 to 1972. These teams were part of Australia’s contribution to the Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation’s (SEATO) as a diplomatic gesture to South Vietnam, to provide assistance and instruction to the Vietnamese doctors and nurses in the hospital and to provide treatment and care to any person entering the hospital. South Australia sent two civilian teams; both were led by Smith. His first team went in 1967 and he selected team members from the staff of the RAH.  He was a persuasive recruiter and picked a team of twelve medical specialists and nurses for the six month tour to Bien Hoa, Vietnam. He then led the second South Australian team to Vietnam in 1970.

After his return from Japan in 1948, Smith made the decision to be a surgeon and went to England to gain his fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons. He did this at the same time as two other University of Adelaide graduates Ron Hunter and John O’Brien, in 1950. He worked at the Royal United Hospital, Bath, the Rochford Hospital, Essex and the Southend General Hospital, Essex. He achieved his fellowship in 1952 and returned to Adelaide followed by the completion of his Australian fellowship in 1955. He became a life-long friend of John O’Brien and they both set up rooms in the Verco Buildings on North Terrace, Adelaide. Later towards the end of their private practice years they shared rooms in Bagot House. Most of his private practice surgery was performed at the Calvary Hospital, North Adelaide. He was appointed to the honorary surgical staff at the RAH, in 1956.  He developed a surgical interest in colorectal surgery and began a life-long friendship with Basil Morson, a pathologist, renowned for his expertise in colorectal cancer. Smith also had a great interest in the surgical management and care of Hydatid Disease and pancreatic tumours, but always remained a general surgeon. Smith joined the state committee of the RACS and became its chairman from 1966 until 1968. He was a member of the RACS from 1973 to 1985, vice president from 1981 to 1983 and president from 1983 to 1985. He then became a member the Court of Examiners for the RACS in 1970 and its chair, from 1975, for eight years.  Concurrently he was chairman of the South Australian Division of Red Cross from 1971 to 1973 after many years of involvement with the blood transfusion service. He was appointed as a Commander in the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to medicine, in 1979. He was awarded the John Loewenthal Medal by the RACS in 1981. This was followed by the University of Adelaide conferring on him an Honorary Doctorate, 1983, for his accomplishments in medicine. Also in 1983 he received the Sir John Bruce Gold Medal from the RCS, Edinburgh. He retired as an honorary surgical staff member from the Royal Adelaide Hospital, in 1983, and was given emeritus consultant status on his retirement. He was on the council of the University of Adelaide from 1968 and the Deputy Chancellor from 1994 to 1997. He was a member of the Order of St Lazarus and its Grand Bailiff for Australia from 1990 to 1996, and was awarded the Grand Cross Merit, from the Order of St Lazarus, in 1996. He enjoyed with John O’Brien membership of a journal club, gardening, the study of French and watching cricket and football.  His wife Faerlie died in 2002; Mervyn Keith Smith died in 2007. They were survived by his three children.

Source

Blood, Sweat and Fears II: Medical Practitioners of South Australia on Active Service After World War 2 to Vietnam 1945-1975.

Summers, Swain, Jelly, Verco

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD