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STARK Herbert Whipp MB BS (Edin), DA

1920 – 2012

Herbert Whipp Stark was born in 29th January 1920, in Edinburgh, Scotland. His parents were John Stark and Ellen, nee Whipp. His father was a Judiciary Macer in the Edinburgh Crown office. He also served in WW1 as a gunner in Mesopotamia and France with the Royal Field Artillery 51st Division. His father contracted malaria and was invalided back to the UK, a German submarine confronted the hospital ship, but allowed it to pass before sinking the following ship in the convoy. Stark had two younger siblings, Gordon, a lawyer and Ethel, a nurse. He and his brother attended the Heriots Boy’s School. He maintained that a school trip to Scandinavia sparked his love of travel, adventure and a passion for engineering. His parents encouraged him to achieve academic success and persuaded Stark to study medicine, despite his desire to study engineering. He studied medicine at Edinburgh University graduating in 1944. He completed his residency at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle; here he developed an interest in tropical medicine.

He enlisted in the British Army, after graduation, in February 1945, as a Lieutenant in the RAMC and was posted to the 10th British Army Casualty Clearing Station. During that year, on 3rd February 1945 he married Winifred Theresa Thomson the adopted daughter of Thomas and Theresa Thomson. He was posted to India as a member of the Royal West African Frontier Force, in April 1945. He sailed to India on the troop ship, Christian Huygens, formerly a Dutch ocean liner that was requisitioned to carry troops in WW2.  Whilst on this journey, at sea, the Christian Huygens broke down in the Indian Ocean. Stark’s unit was to participate in the recapture of Rangoon, but this action was unnecessary due to the Japanese surrender. Later, on 26th August 1945 the Christian Huygens struck a mine in the Scheldt, and was beached. She broke in two on the 5th September. Stark remained a further year on the Gold Coast of Africa and a second year near Benghazi on the Mediterranean. About six months after the event he was informed, by his father, by telegram of the birth of his first child. Following the 1946 mutiny in Madras, he was promoted to captain and posted to Cochin to treat imprisoned Indian navy ratings. Stark was subsequently posted to Takoradi, Ghana, and on disembarkation a soldier walking behind him was shot and killed by a sniper. Whilst in Ghana he had a motor bike accident sustaining leg burns which required his evacuation to Alexandria Hospital. This injury enabled him to have leave in Scotland, where he found out that his baby was a daughter, Theresa. He was posted to Benghazi, Libya, and had leave in Scotland in time for the birth of his second daughter Irene, in 1947. He finally went back to West Africa to the 1st West African FdAmb. Stark was discharged from the RAMC in September 1947. He returned to Scotland and was appointed as a medical officer to the Deaconess Hospital, Edinburgh for six months followed by two years in general practice. This was followed by a time in the Princess Tsehai Memorial Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, accompanied by his wife and two daughters.  He made a home visit during this time on Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopia to administer an immunisation, and had to be escorted past the lions and cheetahs which roamed the palace grounds to protect the safety of the Emperor.  During the three years in Addis Ababa his son John was born. It was here that he became interested in anaesthetics and decided to gain a Diploma of Anaesthetics, on his return to the United Kingdom in 1954. With another baby due, the family returned to the United Kingdom, where Bert held the position of Medical Officer in the hospital at Bishop Auckland, County Durham. It was here that a third daughter, Fiona, was born. He then spent two years at Stornoway in the Hebrides Islands.

His daughter Evelyn was born in Edinburgh in 1956. Stark decided to immigrate to Australia. The family settled in Mount Gambier, where Stark worked as a general practitioner, in 1958.  Stark moved to Adelaide and was appointed as the first full-time anaesthetist at the RGH, in 1960. Stark was particularly innovative and instrumental in helping the Commonwealth Industrial Gases (CIG) design a system for harvesting gases in theatre to protect the staff from exposure to harmful gases such as halothane. He performed a very large number of anaesthetics for ECT therapy. He also implemented a 

programme for theatre cleaners to train as theatre orderlies. Stark was also mindful of the ongoing care for veteran patients who, although, were fit young men and women at the end of their war service, their medical needs would become paramount as they aged. The family then settled in Brighton, South Australia and their sixth child, Thomas was born.

Stark joined the CMF, in Adelaide, on 23rd July 1963, and was allotted to 3 AGH. He participated in training exercises at Inverbrackie and El Alamein Army bases, serving with 3 AGH.  He was promoted to major in 1966. The Vietnam War escalated and he was posted on full time duty to 1 FdHosp at Vung Tau Vietnam, as a specialist anaesthetist, from 12th November 1969 to 12th March 1970.  Stark spoke of a tragic incident, which he had never forgotten, when he had to enter a bunker to examine and certify the death of a soldier who had committed suicide following a ‘Dear John’ letter. He was once asked what he thought the main difference between treating the wounded in WW2 and Vietnam, and he responded that the significant factor in saving soldiers was the use of helicopters in rapid evacuation to medical care. After his return from Vietnam, Stark continued in the CMF until he reached the prescribed age for retirement in 1977.

He became involved with the Red Cross Blood bank while continuing his career at the RGH.  He retired from the RGH, in 1980, when he was living at Inman Valley, and then undertook medical examinations for the Department of Defence in Adelaide, Broome, Borroloola and Darwin.  During this time he maintained his love of travel with his wife and children. Visiting family in Scotland as well as visits to Hong Kong, France, East Timor, PNG, China and Japan.  He moved to Torrens Park, in 1988, and then to Mount Barker, in 2007, when shortly after moving, his wife died on 23rd October 2007. He said he had lost his “soul mate”. However, he continued travelling to see his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in France and Darwin.  He proudly took part in the march, in his wheelchair, with 1 FdHosp in the ANZAC parade, in 2012, pushed by a member of the unit, Leon Pollard. Herbert Whipp Stark died on 23rd June 2012. He was survived by his six children, Theresa, Irene, John, Fiona, Lyn and Thomas, his fifteen grandchildren and six great grandchildren. He is buried, together with Freda, at Mount Barker. 

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