Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

ORMANDY Gordon James

MB BS FRCS FRACS

1931-

Gordon James Ormandy was born in Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, on the 9th March 1931 the son of Eric James Ormandy and Irene Doris, nee Howe. Ormandys’ father was a boilermaker by trade and was a long serving manager of John Lysaght Australia Pty Ltd, which was founded in Australia in 1918, and which became a wholly owned subsidiary of BHP in 1979. Ormandy was a hardworking and intelligent young man who in his early teenage years won a scholarship to board and study at St Stanislaus College, Bathurst NSW where he finished his senior schooling as Dux of the College. Ormandy won a Commonwealth Scholarship to study medicine at Sydney University where he completed his MB BS in 1955. He married Joy Margaret Hutchinson, in June 1956, in Sydney,. From Sydney, with his wife, he set off for the United Kingdom where he joined St Helier Hospital, Carshalton, Surrey, as a Senior Surgical Registrar from 1958 to 1963. He gained his FRCS in 1960. During this time of surgical training they had three children, Andrew, Chantelle and Peter, who were born in 1958, 1962 and 1963 respectively. On their return to Australia, in 1963, Ormandy applied for and secured a position at the Broken Hill Base Hospital, where he intended to work for a few months. Broken Hill is just across the border in NSW from South Australia and was administered militarily by 4th Military District, South Australia. The Ormandy family stayed in Broken Hill until late 1974. Their fourth child, Siobhan was born, in 1968, in Sydney. Broken Hill was a city with which they had a strong connection and an affection for the community that continues to this day.

Ormandy was in the Army Reserves from 1955-1971 and held the rank of Captain before being promoted to Major during his tour of duty in Vietnam which was from July to September 1971. Ormandy served with the 1 Aust FdHosp where its history began in the early stages of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam conflict. As Australian involvement in Vietnam grew so did the medical services provided. On the 1st April 1968 1 1 Aust FdHosp was raised. 1 Aust FdHosp took over from 8 FdAmb at Vung Tau. Call sign “VAMPIRE” was allocated to the unit landing point at Vung Tau. All Australian medical units; 2 FdAmb, 8 FdAmb and 1 Aust FdHosp used this call sign. 1 Aust FdHosp consisted of 106 beds plus a surgical and a medical ward of 50 beds and a 6 bed ICU with triage and Operating Theatres, Pathology, X-Ray, Dental, Pharmacy, RAP, Physiotherapy and Psychiatry. The hospital was supported by a Q Store, Orderly room, messes and accommodation; all these elements were essential to running a field hospital.  Ormandy flew in combat helicopters over enemy territory in Phouc Thuy province. He also visited a Fire Support Base as well as a joining a dawn flight over the plantation fields surveying the prior day’s war activities. He spent time interviewing returning platoon personnel about their combat experiences.  Whilst in Vietnam, Ormandy went to Nui Dat weekly to conduct clinical work which was generally trauma related surgery – a skill honed in Broken Hill in his years there due to the number of car and mining accidents. Medical services provided by 1 AFH were of such a high standard that they achieved a survival rate of approximately 99% for patients who reached the facility. This success rate still stands as a truly remarkable achievement. Wounded soldiers received emergency treatment at 1 AFH, usually within thirty minutes of wounding or injury. Medevac helicopters operating with air superiority, made it possible to reach the wounded and to evacuate them directly to the surgical facility. He was issued the Australian Active Service Medal 1945-1975 –Vietnam and the Vietnam Medal.

Ormandy gained his FRACS in 1974 and relocated in 1975, his family to Adelaide, South Australia, and established a private surgical practice operating at Calvary, Wakefield, Western Community and Gawler hospitals., Ormandy flew to Broken Hill nearly every Thursday morning to consult for over 15 years. He worked as a medico legal consultant from 1991.

Ormandy was busy through his working years and was the founding president of the St Patrick’s Race Club in Broken Hill; a committee member of the South Australian Jockey Club, Chairman of the Western Community Hospital, Member of the Naval, Military and Air Force Club of South Australia, Member of the Royal Adelaide Golf Club, Member of Mount Osmond Golf Club. Ormandy, with his wife and great friend Bill Baldwin, successfully owned and raced a horse named Arbogast which gave them much joy and excitement in the early 1980s. Gordon James Ormandy retired after some ill health, in 2015. He and Joy have eleven grandchildren.  He continues to be a proprietor of a medical practice in Melbourne Street, North Adelaide and enjoys a glass of red wine.

Source

Blood, Sweat and Fears II: Medical Practitioners of South Australia on Active Service After World War 2 to Vietnam 1945-197.

Summers, Swain, Jelly, Verco

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD