Honouring those who serve in conflict zones

We acknowledge the bravery and dedication of all healthcare professionals who serve in conflict zones.

AMA Victoria’s members have their own proud history of service – including 75 Victorian military doctors who lost their lives in service during World Wars One and Two.

Their sacrifice is commemorated by a statue, A Medic Attending to a Wounded Infantryman, that sits in in the Albert Coates Forecourt at AMA Victoria House on Royal Parade in Parkville.

Made of bronze, it is the work of war artist and sculptor Charles Web Gilbert (1867-1925) and was struck in Paris, France.

AMA Victoria was able to restore the statue with support from a 2019 Victorian State Government Restoration of Community War Memorials program grant.

The restoration involved cleaning, treatment for bronze verdigris and waterproofing, and was overseen by the AMA Victoria Heritage and Archives Committee.

“The statue was first dedicated on 13 November 1923 in the then new Anatomy Building at the University of Melbourne. it was moved to AMA Headquarters in East Melbourne in 1924, and then to Royal Parade Parkville in 1969,” says Chair of the AMA Victoria Heritage and Archives Committee, Dr Gerald Segal.

The rededication took place on Monday 13 November 2023 – fittingly, 100 years to the day since it was first unveiled. More than 100 people attended the rededication to hear guest speakers, the Ode and the Last Post.

“It was a real privilege to see relatives and friends of some of those named on the statue assemble to honour these doctors,” says Gerald. “We know that when World War One broke out, many of the men who were doctors in Victoria volunteered to go to war and care for their fellow countrymen. This shows their huge dedication to the cause and their profession, and it’s wonderful to be able to keep their stories alive in this way.”