2/5 Australian General Hospital

Private Albert Ross Pickering

NX10394 

 

On the 13 May 1941, at the tender age of eighteen, and growing up at Springfield, near Gosford, Ross enlisted in the Australian Imperial Forces and was assigned to the 2/5 Australian General Hospital.

 

In early 1942, aboard the Queen Elizabeth, he sailed out of Sydney harbour, bound for overseas duty.

 

From April 1942 through to August 1942, Ross was in Palestine and Eritrea.

 

From May through to November 1942, the 2/5 AGH was recalled back to Australia, Ross doing tours of duty at Armidale, Brisbane and Rockhampton as the Unit was refurbished with staff and supplies.

 

Then in December 1942 off again, this time to Bootless Bay, New Guinea where the 2/5 AGH was to establish a base hospital. They remained here until May 1944.

 

Then back home to Australia until March 1945, with postings at Bathurst, Tamworth and Camperdown.

 

Finally in March 1945, the Unit sailed out once again, this time heading for Morotai Island, to set up a base hospital to treat incoming wounded from Japanese POW camps in Tarakan and Balikpapan.

 

On Morotai, quite a lot of the Unit members were hospitalised with dermatitus, Ross was among these, and in September 1945, aboard a Douglas DC3, he was repatriated back to Australia, where he was hospitalised firstly in Brisbane and then at Sydney, Kenmore, and Concord RGH.

 

Ross was finally discharged on the 8 March 1946.

 

Total days service – 1761                  

832 days in Australia, 929 days overseas

 

Ross passed away on 12 April 2007

 

Acknowledgment:

The above information and photos were given by his son Paul, with permission to copy and reproduce them on the 2/5 AGH Memorabilia Disk and Unit Website.