Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

BEARD Donald Douglas AM ED RFD QHS

MB BS FRCS (Eng) FRCS (Edin) FRACS

1925-

Donald Douglas Beard was born on 22nd February 1925 in the family home in Ashford Estate, South Australia; son of Harold Douglas Beard and Alison Mavis, nee Wright. Harold was a pay clerk at Keswick Barracks, later a taxation officer in Moonta and still later a journalist. Beard had an older sister Beryl and they were both educated in many different primary schools including Richmond, Moonta, Blackwood and others as his family moved around the State.  They both attended Adelaide Technical High School, and then Beard went to Adelaide High School.  He had not contemplated doing medicine when he entered high school but was encouraged to do so by his uncle, Jack Roland Stanley Grose Beard, an obstetrician and gynaecologist who had won a Military Cross in WWI.  His uncle Jack remained a major influence in his life from both a medical and military perspective.  Beard, like many students of the time, undertook holiday work for pocket money, including work on the Lochiel salt lakes. He went on to study medicine at the University of Adelaide and his time at university allowed him to pursue his sporting aspirations particularly cricket and baseball. He graduated MB BS in 1947, followed by one year as a junior Medical Officer in the Royal Adelaide Hospital. Beryl was not supported in her desired academic pursuits by her parents and she became a radio announcer for the radio station 5AD.

Beard enlisted in the CMF in 1948 at the urging of Colonel J M Dwyer. Thus began a long and distinguished military career in the RAAMC until his retirement in 1992. During that time he served overseas in Japan with the BCOF, in Korea and in Vietnam. He was initially appointed to the BCOF Engineer Regiment (RAE) in January 1949 as their RMO and later to 130 AGH. With three other South Australian colleagues he was appointed variously as a general duty medical officer to 3 Bn RAR, the hospital or as DADAH. His duties were quite varied ranging from radiologist and anaesthetist to Deputy Assistant Director Hygiene on HQ BCOF in 9th May 1950.  On the day before he was to return to Australia from Japan, the war started in Korea in 1950. Beard immediately volunteered for service and was appointed RMO to 3rd Battalion RAR relinquishing his temporary rank of Major. After travelling to Korea, with no instructions as to how to find the Battalion, he found himself hitching rides against the tide of soldiers as most units were heading south while he was going north.  Eventually he found the Battalion but he had developed pneumonia on his journey and was admitted to the Indian 16 Field Ambulance recovering soon afterwards.  Beard was subsequently involved in the Battle of Kapyong on 24th April 1951 and by all reports performed outstandingly. On one occasion he accompanied his commanding officer in a tank, which took them forward to enable him to evacuate casualties. They could hear small arms fire hitting the tank. He was posted to 1st Reinforcement Holding Unit on 4th June 1951.  Followed by a posting as OC and surgeon at Ebisu, Tokyo in July 1951. He spent a further six months in Japan after his colleagues returned home. Beard returned to 4th Military District in Adelaide on 4th January 1952 and was posted as RMO to the 13th Field Regiment.  He was selected as a member of the Australian Contingent for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth 11[U1] , in 1953. It was necessary to be seconded to full time duty for this tour as he was away eight months with HMAS Sydney engaged in a world tour.

Following his return to Australia, and back in the CMF, Beard was allotted to 3 Field Ambulance on 23rd August 1957 and promoted to Major on 16th December 1958. He was posted to 3 Australian General Hospital as an orthopaedic surgeon on 1st October 1960 and promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 12th December 1961.  He was appointed Assistant Director Medical Services HQ Central Command on 22nd September 1962. He was promoted to Colonel and appointed as Commanding Officer of 3 AGH in January 1965. Beard along with Colonel Thomas Hudson Beare volunteered to serve in Vietnam. He was placed on full time duty on 15th June 1968 and posted as a specialist surgeon to 8 Field Ambulance at Nui Dat, Vietnam.

When he returned to Australia, Beard was posted to Command Staff Training Unit. His secondment to Training Group was terminated on 18th September 1970 and appointed Deputy Director Medical Services HQ Central Command on 18th September 1970. He was appointed as Honorary Surgeon to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the 27th February 1974.

Followed by the appointment as Consultant Surgeon to the Department of Defence on 23rd December 1978 a position he held until February 1987 when he retired from the Army. Then after official retirement he was appointed Honorary Colonel RAAMC 4MD on 1st June 1988 and later Representative Honorary Colonel until 1992.  He retains his interests in all things military in his membership of various organisations and as Patron to the Army Health Services History Research Group. He was awarded, together with other members of 3 Bn, the President’s United States Unit Citation, Order of Australia Medal (Mil), and issued with the Active Service Medal with Vietnam and Korea Clasp, Korean Medal, United Nations Korean Medal, Australian Vietnam Medal, Australian Service Medal 1945-1975 with Japan Clasp, Coronation Medal, Reserve Forces Decoration with Five Year Bar, Efficiency Decoration with three Bars, and Australian Defence Medal.

Concurrent with his military service Beard had a very successful civilian surgical career. On return from Korea in 1952 he was appointed to the Royal Adelaide Hospital in increasingly more senior positions. It was during this period that he travelled to the United Kingdom and gained his higher surgical qualifications. Back in Australia he was appointed to The Queen Elizabeth Hospital from 1964-1973 as a Honorary Visiting Surgeon and appointed Chief of Surgical Services at Modbury Hospital in 1973, where he remained until retirement  from the public hospital service in 1990. He also had an active private practice. Cricket remained as his passionate interest throughout his adult life. His cricket interests took him to the brink of State representative level and developed many friendships nationally and internationally.  It was said of him that he took more wickets than he scored runs.

He was the medical advisor to the Australian Cricket Board and honorary physician to the South Australian Cricket Association. He developed a friendship with Sir Donald Bradman, the renowned Australian cricketer, and many other famous cricketers.  One year after meeting Margaret Dunn, they were married in January 1961. She was a 20 year old radiographer whom he had met at a wedding.  Following their wedding she did not go back to work, but undertook voluntary work for Anglicare, St John Ambulance and a large number of other organisations.  They had two boys Matthew, a physiotherapist, and Alistair, a financial advisor, and there are four grandchildren. Beard always felt concerned that his various activities took him away so much from his family, which he later regretted. Beard is known for his immaculate dress with a flower, usually a rose, in his lapel. Donald Douglas Beard continues to live in Norwood with his wife Margaret, whom he regularly provided with an orchid not knowing she did not like them until some years later.

Sources

Blood, Sweat and Fears II: Medical Practitioners of South Australia on Active Service After World War 2 to Vietnam 1945-1975.

Summers, Swain, Jelly, Verco. Open Book Howden, Adelaide 2016

Uploaded by Annette Summers AO RFD