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Born in England in 1879, Alexander Raun Caw came to South Australia when he was still young. He was educated at St. Peter's College and then at the University of Adelaide (MBBS., 1902.) After graduating he served time as a doctor both at Adelaide Hospital and later in Burra, South Australia. In 1908 he returned to England where he studied a course in ship hygiene. On 15 July 1910, in Kalgoorlie, Australia he married Kathleen Euston France of Laverton, Western Australia. However, on 21 May 1911, both Kathleen and her infant son died during child-birth.

Caw joined the navy and served on HMAS Australia (from her first voyage onwards) as the Fleet Surgeon on-board. After serving in World War One he married Lily Hewart in 1918 and in 1920 retired from the Navy. In 1920 he undertook further study at Edinburgh in eye, ear and nose diseases. Finally he went to South Africa where Lily's father lived and set up a practice in Johannesburg. He died in 1924.

Alexander Ruan Caw was born on the 24th April 1879, the eldest son of William Beech CAW Huyton, Lancashire, England & his wife Alice Mary SHAW who married in 1872 (marriage registered in Stockport, England)

 He came to South Australia with his parents, a brother (Alfred Beech) and sister (Mary Olive).  His father was a librarian at the Adelaide Circulating Library from 1884-1908. He was educated at St Peter’s College and excelled academically and at the annual school sports in bicycle riding in 1897. He studied medicine at the University of Adelaide, and graduated MB BS in 1902. Caw was in the SA Junior Lacrosse Team to play NSW in 1901. He was in a medical practice with Dr McMillan in Naracoorte from 1906-1910. He returned to England in 1908 for further studies which included ship hygiene. Caw continued his position in Naracoorte on his return to Australia and, in March 1910, moved to Burra with new wife, Kathleen, to relieve Dr J L Sangster jnr. who was moving to Glenelg. After the untimely death of his wife, aged 25 years, and son in childbirth at Kooringa, Burra in 1911, he passed his GP position to Dr David Steele from Adelaide.  At his farewell he had said that he “always had a leaning towards the Navy, having for many years being in the Naval Reserves”.

Excerpt from Blood Sweat and Fears: Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australian who Served in World War 1. Courtesy of the Authors

Caw applied for a Staff Surgeon appointment for 3 years on the 1st August 1912. He served in HMAS Australia, and was on her delivery voyage from the UK and sailed on her from the 21st June 1913 until the 30th September 1919, with a promotion to Fleet Surgeon Commander on 1st August 1917.  The AN&MEF was formed following a request by the British government on the 6th August 1914. HMAS Australia became the flagship of the AN&MEF that captured the German colonies in the southern Pacific. The force was assembled under the guidance of Colonel J G Legge, and was separate from the AIF forming under Major General W T Bridges. HMAS Australia led a force which captured Rabaul on 13th September 1914 before proceeding to Samoa. With no German forces left in the South Pacific, HMAS Australia was deployed to the United Kingdom. En route she sank the German auxiliary ship Eleanore

Woermann. HMAS Australia became flagship of the 2nd Battle-cruiser Squadron of the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet on 8th February 1915. HMAS Australia’s service with the Grand Fleet consisted of a series of frequent patrols and exercises.  Caw was issued with the 1914-15 star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. 

Caw married Lily Hewart daughter of South African surgeon Sir John Hewart in 1918. He resigned from his position in the Navy and his resignation was accepted. He was posted to HMAS Penguin for 3 months with his transfer to the Retired List on the 21st December 1919. He went to Johannesburg and entered medical practice as a Specialist ENT Surgeon in 1920. His decision to move to South Africa may have been influenced by his wife and father-in-law or by his year with Surgeon Lieutenant R W Hornabrook who was in HMAS Australia from August1914 to August 1915, also of Adelaide, and who had served with the RAMC in the Boer War.   Alexander Ruan Caw died on the 11th March 1924 six weeks after the death of his mother on 25th January 1924. He was survived by his wife Lily and two children.