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PRIDMORE Roy Vernon MB BS BSc

1903-1982

Roy Vernon Pridmore was born on 17th April 1903, at Glen Osmond, SA.  He was the son of Horace Vernon Pridmore and Amy Louise, nee Bowen. Pridmore was educated at St Peter’s College and the University of Adelaide, SA, and during his student years played cricket for the university. He obtained his BSc, Adelaide in 1925, and graduated MB BS in 1929.  He spent twelve months as a house surgeon at the Adelaide Hospital, twelve months at the Adelaide Children’s Hospital and twelve months as a surgical registrar at the Adelaide Hospital, before undertaking postgraduate surgical training in England. Pridmore took up general practice and surgery in Mount Barker on return from England, where he remained for seven years. He was also the superintendent of the Mount Barker Hospital. Pridmore was in practice, with Dr Downing, in Mount Barker, when he enlisted in the Citizens Air Force (CAF). He indicated, in his application, his interest in cricket, tennis, baseball and football. Pridmore married Nora O’Brien, on 1st November 1938. They had two children at the time he joined up, their son Brian, was born 19th August 1939, followed by a daughter, Margaret, in 1940; another son, Donald, was born after the war, in 1949.

Pridmore was commissioned as a temporary flight lieutenant in the Medical Branch of the CAF on 12th June 1940, his appointment was confirmed on 16th January 1941. He was granted acting squadron leader rank with effect from 11th June 1942, and promoted to the temporary rank of squadron leader from 1st October 1942. He served as senior medical officer at RAAF Laverton, Victoria, from 12th June 1940, 5 Recruit Centre (RC), Adelaide, SA, from 24th July 1940, 1 EFTS (Flying Training School), Parafield, SA, from 9th September 1940, 4ITS, Victor Harbour, SA from 27th October 1941 and 2 ED, Sydney, NSW, from 22nd March 1942. Pridmore was posted, as Air Liaison Officer, to AFHQ Ottawa, Canada, from 28th March 1942; he departed from Sydney, NSW, on the Orcades. He left from Ottawa, by train, for San Francisco via Vancouver and Seattle, on 27th July 1944. He disembarked in Brisbane, Australia, attached to 3 Personnel Depot, Brisbane, on 11th September 1944 and was posted to 4 Personnel Depot, Adelaide, from 4th October 1944, HQ 1 Training Group (TG), Melbourne, Victoria, from 23rd November 1944, where he was deputy principal medical officer, also with 1TG SA, in Adelaide, and 4PD again from 18th August 1945, before discharge on 24th August 1945. He transferred to the reserve the following day.

Pridmore returned to his practice at Mount Barker, SA, after his discharge from the RAAF. Roy Vernon Pridmore died on 27th December 1982 and is buried at St Saviour’s Anglican Cemetery, Glen Osmond, SA. His wife, two sons, Brian, a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist, Donald and daughter, Margaret 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