Composed and shared by Ceduna Old Photos, Sue Trewartha and Erica Bodger.
Allan Chadwick made his first mercy flight on 4 April 1938 and went on to have a long accident free career flying for the FMS. This mercy flight began with a telephone call from Cook and without reliable maps the party set off with the doctor, who knew the road well, guiding the pilot. Three and a half hours later the patient was examined by the doctor. In the early days it took about three and a quarter hours to fly to Cook but with the Lockheed of the late 1950s, flying time was one and a half hours. To get to Tarcoola in the early days Allan pinpointed his progress on the dry salt lakes at Lake Everard, as there were no aeronautical maps of the area. Later he needed no map to make direct flights to any part of the huge area he covered as he knew it like the back of his hand! Along with the trans-continental railway, he serviced areas as far north east as Oodnadatta to Forrest in WA and south to the lighthouses on islands near Kangaroo Island.
Amongst those who dedicated so much to the FMS were Bishop TE Jones, Dr Roy Gibson, his wife Dr Freda Gibson, Dr Merna Mueller, Sister F Dowling, Sister G Hitchcock, Sister L Loane, radio operator, George Cameron and pilots Allan Chadwick, Mac Job and John Lindridge. This is not to mention numerous hardworking, dedicated BCA Sisters who were often the backbone of the smaller communities in which they worked.
BCA Pilot, Allan Chadwick.
Dr Blower from Ceduna, Allan Chadwick, Mac Job.
Allan Chadwick, ready for take off.
A dedicated band of men, BCA Bush Pilots. Mac Job, Allan Chadwick, John Lindridge.
Dr Stan Anderson 1960 to 1965 (Thanks to Jen Anderson for this photo).
Many people around Ceduna will easily recognise one of our favourite doctors of the time! Dr Merna Mueller, middle in photo. At Tarcoola. Hands up who was delivered by her at the Ceduna Hospital!!!
