Australian History

Prospecting Australia

Help Support Prospecting Australia:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Who was I

I was born in the late 1880's in NSW

I earned the Military Cross,British War Medal,Victory Medal

I graduated from Sydney University , medicine,arts
 
Holtermans? Depends what you call a "nugget" and what a "specimen" (Holtermans was broken up a bit as well to get it to surface).

Mark Twain visited Ballarat and wrote the only good description of the "Pencilmark" gold indicator there (see Pencilmark Lane in the central city).
 
Who was I

I was born in the late 1880's in NSW

I earned the Military Cross,British War Medal,Victory Medal

I graduated from Sydney University , medicine,arts

My major contemporary is much more famous than me, in a big part because of me
 
That's the man :Y:

Dr Archibald Lang McLean
Upon his return from Antarctica, Fivedock Public School presented McLean with a pen, demonstrating pride in their past students achievements. Graduating from Sydney University in Arts and Medicine, McLean worked briefly as Resident Medical Officer at Lewisham and Coast Hospitals, before joining Mawsons AAE with fellow medical graduate, Dr. Sydney Evan Jones. McLean was assigned to Mawsons Main Base, and Jones to Frank Wilds Western Party. Although separated by over 1600 km of hazardous coastline, they worked together enroute, providing veterinary care of the sledge huskies and performing autopsies on those that died on the voyage.

McLeans non-medical duties included cooking and mess duties, lighting the range, and contributing to the construction of the Main Hut. He took meteorological and tidal observations and assisted with the erection of the wireless masts. McLean was the first to record electrical effects he noticed St. Elmos fire, a discharge of electricity on the points of the nephoscope.

Bacteriology and physiology were McLeans research focus. He studied changes in the blood and general health of his comrades by taking monthly blood smears and swabs from the ears, nose and throat. He determined that it took about six weeks for expeditioners to acclimatise and that during periods of constant exercise the red blood cell count rose dramatically. Interested in the physical and psychological wellbeing of the expeditioners, McLean was affectionately called Dad.

McLean made significant contributions to sledging journeys. Initially venturing south with Eric Webb and Frank Stillwell, he then made the arduous 400 km eastern journey with Cecil Madigan and Percy Correll. They traversed sea ice and a dangerous glacier tongue to map the coastline east of Main Base and climb Aurora Peak. They named Penguin Point after the Adlie penguin that startled them on their arrival. Madigan and Correll completed a geological survey, while McLean collected lichens, algae and mosses, and studied a variety of birds.

When Mawsons sledging party was overdue, McLean selflessly remained at Main Base with five others to find their missing members, while most Antarctic expeditioners departed on the Aurora as planned. McLean performed varied tasks in this unplanned second year. He treated Mawsons injuries and transformed him from near death to a full recovery over the ensuing two months. He cared for Jeffryes, who suffered from periods of paranoia and delusions. He kept the biological log and helped Mawson to sort biological specimens for inclusion in John Hunters collection. He also edited the seven editions of The Adlie Blizzard a witty publication of expeditioners verse, articles, letters, and short stories, designed to lift morale during the winter.

After the AAE McLean attended Mawsons wedding and sailed to England with Mawson and his new bride, Francisca Adriana (Paquita). McLean assisted Mawson in writing The Home of the Blizzard and the AAEs scientific work, and his literary contribution was well regarded. John King Davis, Master of the Aurora, also relied on McLeans literary expertise while penning his book, With the Aurora in the Antarctic, 19111914. While in England McLean met his wife, Eva Maud Yates. He also served in the Royal Army Medical Corps, but was discharged with appendicitis.

While recovering his health in Australia, McLean worked at the Gladesville Hospital for the Insane, and continued with his Medical Doctoral thesis Bacteriological and other researches in Antarctica, which gained him the University Medal and the Ethel Talbot Memorial Prize. This outstanding work included bacteriological investigations, physiology, immunity, dietetics and psychology in Antarctic conditions.

McLeans altruistic conduct in Antarctica continued when he rejoined the war effort, as a Captain with the Australian Imperial Forces. Having established a medical post at Pronne on 31 August 1918, McLean treated 200 men in 18 hours of constant work under intense artillery fire, earning the Military Cross to add to his British War Medal and Victory Medal. During his recovery from being gassed he assisted in collating a medical history of the war. He was discharged on medical grounds, having contracted pulmonary tuberculosis while performing medical duties. He became the Medical Officer for the Red Cross War Chest Farm Colony at Beelbangara, but his tuberculosis worsened and he died aged 37.

His loss was widely felt, being reported by newspapers across Australia and in The British Medical Journal and The Medical Journal of Australia. His outstanding contribution to polar medical research set the standard of exceptional quality that todays doctors follow. He provided expert treatment to patients during his work in Australian hospitals, to Antarctic expeditioners, and to service personnel during the War, saving thousands of lives including Mawsons.

McLeans funeral was attended by his Antarctic comrades, Hunter, Laseron, Hannam and Jones, who all lived long lives and made significant individual contributions. The men agreed with Reverend Maynard Rileys description of McLean: He gave his life to his fellow men. As a student he was zealous and accurate, and in Antarctica he revealed some fine traits When his research work was taken and considered, many in the future would thank God that he lived.
 
Nice one xcvator. And a big shout out to http://www.mawsons-huts.org.au who work to protect the sites of some remarkable history.

Okay, my turn.

Where am I and what was my original purpose?

cF4CZ5g_d.jpg
 
A bunker somewhere on the coast of Aus, protecting books and papers from invading marauders during the 1st and 2nd world wars?? :8
 
[See earlier photograph]

Where am I and what was my original purpose?
* Im in Victoria.
* Located at -3748'47.35" South.
* I was designed in 1857, and the building that houses me was constructed over the following 5 years.
 
Top