The House That Jack Built: DGMS Rupert Downes and Australian Army Medical Preparations for World War II

Abstract:Strained relationships within military departments, clashes between civilian and army administrations, inter-governmental power struggles, and the historically pervasive British influence, punctuate the history of Australian military medicine. While the achievements of the medical services in World War II are well documented, the ongoing administrative difficulties are less so. Candid reports by Director General of Medical Services, Rupert Downes, suggest that the challenges persisted throughout the war and directly impacted medical personnel, as well as the soldiers in their care. The necessarily hurried recruitment of 6 Division AIF was a handy hook on which to hang responsibility for deficiencies in medical recruitment, training, equipping, and care. Downes, however, was not prepared to ascribe such shortcomings to the ‘stress of time’ alone.