Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

HONE Frank Raymond MD BSc FRCP FRACP

1897 – 1963

Frank Raymond Hone was born, on 24th January 1897, at Morphett Vale, SA. He was the son of Frank Sandland Hone, a notable Adelaide physician and chief Commonwealth Quarantine Officer in SA, and Lucy nee Henderson. He was educated at Prince Alfred College and studied medicine at the University of Adelaide, graduating in 1920. He completed a resident year at the Adelaide Hospital, in 1921, and then gained a scholarship to study biochemistry, in Adelaide, with Thorburn Brailsford Robertson, a brilliant biochemist of the time. He achieved a BSc, in 1922, and his MD in 1923. Hone married Maisie Gault, the daughter of Dr and Mrs Arthur Gault, on 4th April 1923. They went to England for his postgraduate study, and on returning to Adelaide, he went into private practice with his father, Frank Sandland Hone, and his brother Garton Maxwell Hone. He also took up several honorary positions, including honorary pathologist at the Adelaide Children’s Hospital. He tutored in medicine from 1932 until 1940. Hone became a foundation Fellow of the Australasian College of Physicians in 1938.  

Hone joined the AAMC Reserve, on 26th October 1928, as a captain and was promoted major on 11th January 1940.  He enlisted in the 2/AIF on 24th January 1940 and posted as a specialist physician to 2/2nd AGH, in the Atherton Tablelands. He left for the Middle East in April 1940 and arrived in Egypt on 17th May 1940. He was appointed to 2/5th AGH in Alexandria in July 1940. He was admitted to 1 AGH with tonsillitis and then posted to 2 AGH. For most of 1941, he was appointed for duty between 1 and 2 AGH and promoted to lieutenant colonel 10th November 1941.  He returned to Australia via Bombay, India in April 1942 arriving in Adelaide on 23rd May 1942.  He was admitted to 2/1st AGH Guilford and placed on the seriously ill list in early 1943 and discharged to duty on 7th June 1943. He was confirmed in the rank of lieutenant colonel and posted to 105 AMH, in Adelaide, until his discharge on 23rd November 1943 and placed on the Reserve of Officers.

Hone was discharged from the Army, to resume his teaching role, in medicine, at the University of Adelaide and at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. He was responsible for the development and postgraduate teaching for the MRACP while maintaining his practice as a physician. He was noted for his love of sport and represented South Australia in tennis in his university years.  He also enjoyed music, literature and especially food and wine.  Frank Raymond Hone died on 15th April 1963.  He was survived by his wife Maisie and their four children, Mary Kerr Grant, Jill Whittaker, Michael and Geoffrey Hone.

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