Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

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

Rupert Dufty Heggaton was born 11th March 1873 at Middleton, South Australia and was the youngest son of William and Mary Heggaton. They later moved to Mitcham, South Australia. Rupert attended Prince Alfred College. He started his medical degree at the University of Adelaide but completed the degree at Sydney University in 1901 due to the ‘Adelaide Hospital Row’. Like others affected by this dispute Heggaton did not to return to South Australia.  He was a resident medical officer at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney in 1900 and moved to Harden-Murrumburrah south west of Sydney where he married Elizabeth Louise Burgess in 1902.

Heggaton enlisted in the AIF as a captain on 17th October 1915 at the age of 42 years and 11 months. He was 5ft 8ins tall, weighed 174 lbs, of fair complexion, grey eyes and black hair and able to ride.  His wife Elizabeth of Albury Street, Murrumburrah was nominated as his next of kin. He was posted immediately to the headquarters 1 Mining Corps as a medical officer and spent the next few months at the Casula Camp, Liverpool. He embarked on the HMAT Ulysses on 20th February and arrived in Marseilles 5th May 1916.  He was posted as RMO to the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company from HQ 1 Mining Corps on the 2nd December 1916. Soon after on 19th December 1916 he was transferred to AGH. Eight days later he was temporarily detached to the 14th General Hospital returning to 2AGH in January 1917. He was struck off the strength of 2AGH on the 20th June 1917 and proceeded to England for duty.  Heggaton then embarked for Australia on 2nd July 1917 and his appointment was terminated from the AIF on 3rd October 1917. He was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. However, despite assurances from base records that his medals were issued on 21st July 1922 and sent to the Harden RSL they were not received by Heggaton.  This problem continued until the 1930s and there is no indication that he ever received his war medals.

Heggaton remained in Harden-Murrumburrah after the war and was a much respected citizen for over 50 years.  He became the Mayor of Murrumburrah in 1930 and lived at 19 Vernon Street, Murrumburrah. Heggaton had much tragedy in his life; his daughter Lorraine Madge Heggaton died as a result of a fire in 1928 at the age of 21 years and two of his sons were killed in WW2. Flt SGT Knox William Heggaton and Lance Corporal Vaudan Dufty Heggaton. Rupert Dufty Heggaton died in Murrumburrah on 9th August 1958 aged 85 years.

Sources:

http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/Imagine.asp?B=5310039

Aldous Anthony M, Halm Helen, personal notes.

http://anzacsonline.net.au/tunnellers@bigpond.com

Photo from Family