Roy Vernon Pridmore

Roy Vernon Pridmore was born on 17 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 where he obtained his BSc, Adelaide in 1925, and graduated MB BS in 1929.

During his student years he played both cricket and baseball for the university.  He was also a member of the Sports Association General Committee.

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 1 November 1938. They had two children at the time he joined up, their son Brian, was born 19 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 12 June 1940; his appointment was confirmed on 16th January 1941. He was granted acting squadron leader rank with effect from 11 June 1942, and promoted to the temporary rank of squadron leader from 1 October 1942.

He served as senior medical officer at RAAF Laverton, Victoria, from 12 June 1940; 5 Recruit Centre (RC), Adelaide, SA, from 24 July 1940; 1 EFTS (Flying Training School), Parafield, SA, from 9 September 1940; 4ITS, Victor Harbour, SA from 27 October 1941; and 2 ED, Sydney, NSW, from 22 March 1942.

Pridmore was posted, as Air Liaison Officer, to AFHQ Ottawa, Canada, from 28 March 1942; he departed from Sydney, NSW, on the Orcades. He left from Ottawa, by train, for San Francisco via Vancouver and Seattle, on 27 July 1944.

He disembarked in Brisbane, Australia, attached to 3 Personnel Depot, Brisbane, on 11 September 1944 and was posted to 4 Personnel Depot, Adelaide, from 4 October 1944, HQ 1 Training Group (TG), Melbourne, Victoria, from 23 November 1944, where he was deputy principal medical officer, also with 1TG SA, in Adelaide, and 4PD again from 18 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 27 December 1982 and is buried at St Saviour’s Anglican Cemetery, Glen Osmond, SA.