PORTER, Dr John Rees (1890-1969) .jpg)
J R Porter (Shooting 1910).
John Rees Porter, a dedicated doctor was a talented scholar and sportsman at Geelong College.
He was born in Collingwood on 8 December 1890, the son of Jesse and Elizabeth Ann nee Rees and educated as a boarder at Geelong College from 1906 to December 1910 becoming School Dux in 1910. His address at the time of his enrolment at College was Meiklejohn Street, Camperdown.
At College he became a School librarian, a debater and a member of the Cricket Committee. He was also a member of the Athletics Team in 1908, 1909 and 1910, the 1st Cricket XI of 1909 and 1910 and the 1st Football XVIII of 1910. 'Jack' then attended Ormond College, University of Melbourne, where he graduated MB BS.
His great-nephew,
Dr John Menzies, OAM, in 2017, wrote of him:
'Jack' Porter was my great-uncle and god-father - my maternal grandmother was his youngest sister.
He was the eldest of four Porter boys and thre girls all of whom initially attended Camperdown Grammar, a private Anglican school in Camperdown at the turn of the century which even had a small boarding house. Two of the boys including uncle 'Jack' went to Geelong College. The Grammar School which went to Year 8 declined after Camperdown High School was established in about 1924. The boys were John ('Jack') Robert ('Bob'), Arthur and Lewellyn whose names I found carved in 1963 in the little hut on the Geelong College rifle range on the edge of the original 'prep' oval.
'Jack' went up to Melb University, living in Ormond College, as many did, - the Master at the time virtually kicked all non medical students out when war broke out, and the medical course was shortened by a year by cramming and cancelling holidays, so Uncle 'Jack' graduated in 1915, did 3 months at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, then 3 months 'supervising' other junior doctors at Geelong Hospital, then went off to the war with just 6 months hospital experience - unbelievable now, but such was the sentiment at the time.
He weighed 9 stone 5 lbs in 1915 because I have his oar from rowing in the bow seat of the Ormond crew which won the intercollegiate Head of the River in 1915. He wasn't much of a rower as all the regulars had been packed off to the war! Photographs at Ormond College also depict him in the cricket and football teams - he was a keen sportsman.
After the war he devoted his life to the care of returned service men and women - he worked for the Dept of Veterans affairs, and at various times was medical superintendent of the Heidelberg Repatriation General Hospital, Caulfield Rehabilitation Hospital, Director of Medical Services for Victoria and Tasmania, as well as member of various panels - his real interest was rehabilitation and he managed to ditch many of his administrative duties to work at the Caulfield Rehabilitation Hospital - he lived in the nearby suburb of Ormond, and in retirement lived in Deepdene, close to his only child, Joan Donaldson, who lived in Balwyn.
His grandson, Noel Donaldson, achieved prominence as an Olympiic Rowing Coach in Australia and New Zealand. Keith Doig, another Old Collegian and WW I doctor was best man at Uncle 'Jack's wedding)' 'Jack' Porter enlisted in the AIF on 27 July 1916 as a Captain in the Australian Army Medical Corps (AAMC), and embarked on 18 September on
HMAT A10 Karroo for France. There he served with 7th Field Ambulance, and 2nd Division Train, until 17 October 1917 when he was posted to 19 Battalion. He was demobilised from the AIF on 12 October 1919.
After the war, in 1924, he married Gladys Charlotte Bennet (1890-1968), a nurse who had enlisted on 22 June 1915 and served in Salonika during World War I.
His brother, Arthur Jesse Porter (1907-1992) also boarded at Geelong College. Another brother, Corporal R C Porter, served with the 4th Light Horse Regiment, embarking on
HMAT A18 Wiltshire on 19 November 1914, and returned to Australia, embarking on 13 October 1918.
He was an attendee at the
Albert Reunion Dinner on 7 July 1917.
Sources: Geelong Collegians at the Great War compiled by James Affleck. p 285 (citing The University of Melbourne: Record of Active Service of Teachers, Graduates, Undergraduates, Officers and Servants (1926); The Pegasus; National Archives); Pegasus April 1911 p5; Dr John Menzies.