Addendum 41: Dr Geoffrey Hampden 'Doc' Vernon MC

Additional information for Chapter 17 – Learning much about Abau)

The following extract was sourced from the website Kokoda Historical at https://kokodahistorical.com.au 

“Geoffrey Hampden ‘Doc’ Vernon MC was born on the 16th of December 1882 at Hastings, Sussex, England. He was educated in Sydney at the Sydney Church of Grammar School what is now known as Shore. He later went on to study medicine at the University of Sydney (MB, ChM, 1905).

On the 4th March 1915 during The First World War he was appointed Captain in the 4th Australian Light Horse Field Ambulance, Australian Imperial Force. He was made almost totally deaf by a shell burst on the Gallipoli Peninsula. He served in the Middle East as Regimental Medical Officer for the 11th Light Horse. On the 8th of August 1916 near the Hd el Beheir Oasis in Sinai he won the Military Cross for devotion to duty under fire. January 1917 saw Doc Vernon promoted to the rank of Major and the following November he was wounded in action at Tel el Sheria and returned to Australia in August of 1918.

In the years after The First World War, Doc Vernon made his way to the Territory of Papua New Guinea. Here he spent many years doctoring, planting and trading. When war came to New Guinea in 1942 and people were being evacuated to Australia, Doc Vernon refused to leave believing his skills would be better put to use in the war effort. He put his age down by eight years in order to enlist in the Australian Army Medical Corps, once again serving as a Captain this time attached to the famous 39th Battalion.

Doc Vernon had a reputation for kindness and courage and worked hard in the early days of the Kokoda Campaign to treat the wounded on the Kokoda Track. He also gave medical treatment to the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels winning the hearts and minds of many an Australian Digger and Native carrier alike.

Doc Vernon passed away on the 16th May 1946 and is buried on Logea Island, PNG.” Logea Island is just south of Milne Bay and is also the burial site of Major Bill Lambden.