Object numberM2006/112:002
DescriptionPhotograph of Dr. (Major) Eric Goulston in army uniform, with his wife Nancy and father John Goulston, taken probably in Sydney, Australia circa 1939. Handwritten number on back 207133 from the street photographer that captured the image.
Eric Goulston OBE born in 1905 Glebe Point, the second child of John and Flora Goulston. He died three weeks after his 100th birthday in 2006. According to his brother Stanley, “he was one of the last outstanding Australian general surgeons, and had a long-term love affair with Abyssinia (later Ethiopia and Eritrea). His passion began during World War II when, as a doctor, he took part in the liberation of Gondar. Years later he became the first professor of surgery at Haile Selassie University.”
Eric’s father was largely self-educated, so education for his six children was a priority. His mother, a literary scholar and violinist, died soon after the birth of her fourth child when Eric was 10. In 1919 his father married Golda Danglow, and they had two more children. Eric studied medicine at the University of Sydney, graduating in 1928; after numerous residencies he travelled to London as a ship's doctor. He spent two years at St John's Hospital, Lewisham, widening his surgical experience and obtaining the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland and later the Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
In 1934 he married Nancy Meyers. They had two children, Kerry and Jenny. During World War II Eric's enlisted in the 2nd AIF as a surgeon in the 2/5th Australian General Hospital, serving in the Middle East, Greece and Crete. The 2/5th AGH was then moved to Asmara, in Eritrea; he was co-opted as sole medical officer to a patriot force of some 500 tribesmen in 1941. For this work he was awarded the Gondar Cross by Haile Selassie. Eric was transferred to the 2/11th Australian CCS and served in Papua New Guinea. His last post was as officer commanding the Australian hospital ship Manunda. He witnessed the formal surrender of the Japanese, and was on the ship that brought back wounded and sick Australians who had been Japanese prisoners of war.
Re-entering civilian life, he served as surgeon at the Royal North Shore and the Royal Alexandria Hospital for Children, for 30 years. He pioneered an operation to relieve congenital tracheoesophageal fistula, a connection between the windpipe and the gullet at birth. In the late 1960s, when his public hospital surgical career ended, he accepted the offer to become the inaugural professor of surgery at Haile Selassie University in Addis Ababa, where he spent three years. He retained a close interest in Ethiopian and Eritrean affairs. After leaving Addis Ababa he joined an Australian civilian surgical team in Vietnam for six months, working in a hospital. Each December for the next five years he managed surgical locums in Darwin, Alice Springs, Burnie and Madang and Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.
When his operating days ended he acted as chief medical officer to the NSW Workers Compensation Commission from 1981 to 1990, and was also a medico-legal consultant. Dr (Major) Eric Goulston was proud of his Jewish faith and his lifelong association with the Great Synagogue. He regularly marched with his unit on Anzac Day; the last occasion was in 2002, aged 96.
Eric Goulston OBE born in 1905 Glebe Point, the second child of John and Flora Goulston. He died three weeks after his 100th birthday in 2006. According to his brother Stanley, “he was one of the last outstanding Australian general surgeons, and had a long-term love affair with Abyssinia (later Ethiopia and Eritrea). His passion began during World War II when, as a doctor, he took part in the liberation of Gondar. Years later he became the first professor of surgery at Haile Selassie University.”
Eric’s father was largely self-educated, so education for his six children was a priority. His mother, a literary scholar and violinist, died soon after the birth of her fourth child when Eric was 10. In 1919 his father married Golda Danglow, and they had two more children. Eric studied medicine at the University of Sydney, graduating in 1928; after numerous residencies he travelled to London as a ship's doctor. He spent two years at St John's Hospital, Lewisham, widening his surgical experience and obtaining the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland and later the Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
In 1934 he married Nancy Meyers. They had two children, Kerry and Jenny. During World War II Eric's enlisted in the 2nd AIF as a surgeon in the 2/5th Australian General Hospital, serving in the Middle East, Greece and Crete. The 2/5th AGH was then moved to Asmara, in Eritrea; he was co-opted as sole medical officer to a patriot force of some 500 tribesmen in 1941. For this work he was awarded the Gondar Cross by Haile Selassie. Eric was transferred to the 2/11th Australian CCS and served in Papua New Guinea. His last post was as officer commanding the Australian hospital ship Manunda. He witnessed the formal surrender of the Japanese, and was on the ship that brought back wounded and sick Australians who had been Japanese prisoners of war.
Re-entering civilian life, he served as surgeon at the Royal North Shore and the Royal Alexandria Hospital for Children, for 30 years. He pioneered an operation to relieve congenital tracheoesophageal fistula, a connection between the windpipe and the gullet at birth. In the late 1960s, when his public hospital surgical career ended, he accepted the offer to become the inaugural professor of surgery at Haile Selassie University in Addis Ababa, where he spent three years. He retained a close interest in Ethiopian and Eritrean affairs. After leaving Addis Ababa he joined an Australian civilian surgical team in Vietnam for six months, working in a hospital. Each December for the next five years he managed surgical locums in Darwin, Alice Springs, Burnie and Madang and Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.
When his operating days ended he acted as chief medical officer to the NSW Workers Compensation Commission from 1981 to 1990, and was also a medico-legal consultant. Dr (Major) Eric Goulston was proud of his Jewish faith and his lifelong association with the Great Synagogue. He regularly marched with his unit on Anzac Day; the last occasion was in 2002, aged 96.
Production placeAustralia
Production date circa 1939
Object namephotographs
Dimensions
- length: 113.00 mm
width: 90.00 mm
Credit lineSydney Jewish Museum Collection, Donated by Dr Kerry Goulston