SURGEON COMMODORE F. R. WILKES
MBE, OSt.J., QHS., FRCS (Eng.)
3rd August 1934 -- 18th November 2006
1934 Born in Smethwick Staffordshire
1939 Starts at Kinver Infants School
1941 Alexandra House School, Stourbridge
1942 Starts at King Edward IV School. Stourbridge, Worcestershire
1949-51 Played Soccer for Enville– in Kidderminster 1st Division
1950 Joined Stourbridge Rugby Club
1952 School Diving Champion
1952 Entered Birmingham Medical School
1957 Qualified. worked in various Birmingham Hospitals
1959 Joined Roy-al Navy. Commissioned Surgeon Lieutenant
1959 Joined HMS Ark Royal ( Mediterranean and North America)
1961 RNH Haslar
1963 Joined HMS Victorious ( Far East, Japan. East Africa)
1964 Accorded the MBE for Surgical Service at sea
1964 Returned to RNH Haslar
1965 Became Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
1967 Joined HMS Eagle (South Africa – Singapore)
1967 RNH Plymouth
1968 Joined HMS Albion ( Far East – Australia) and promoted to Surgeon Commander
1970 Consultant in General Surgery-
1972 Start 2 year secondment to RNH M'tarfa. Malta
1974 Honorary Senior Lecturer in Surgery at the Professorial Surgical Unit, Aberdeen University
1975 Returned to RNH Plymouth
1977 Head of Surgical Department
1981 Promoted to Surgeon Captain
1982 Falklands War, appointed Medical Officer in Charge of Surgical Facility SS Canbera ( the Great White Whale). He was the most senior Medical Officer to go down to the conflict in the South Atlantic. Received the Falklands Medal
1982 Director of Naval Surgery
1984 Chairman of Defence Surgical Board
1988 Appointed Dean of Naval Medicine and promoted to Surgeon Commodore. based at the Institute of Naval. Medicine. Alverstoke
1989 By Royal appointment became Queen's Honorary- Surgeon
1990 Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Serving Officer ( Brother)
1992 Guest of Honour at Speech Day at King Edward IV College, Stourbridge
1992 Retired from Royal Navy
1992 Worked for the Blood Transfusion Service
1994 Day surgery at Mannamead GP Surgery
1996 Fully retired
2000 Moved into Bickleigh Down Nursing/ Home
2006 Passed away
1941 Alexandra House School, Stourbridge
1942 Starts at King Edward IV School. Stourbridge, Worcestershire
1949-51 Played Soccer for Enville– in Kidderminster 1st Division
1950 Joined Stourbridge Rugby Club
1952 School Diving Champion
1952 Entered Birmingham Medical School
1957 Qualified. worked in various Birmingham Hospitals
1959 Joined Roy-al Navy. Commissioned Surgeon Lieutenant
1959 Joined HMS Ark Royal ( Mediterranean and North America)
1961 RNH Haslar
1963 Joined HMS Victorious ( Far East, Japan. East Africa)
1964 Accorded the MBE for Surgical Service at sea
1964 Returned to RNH Haslar
1965 Became Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
1967 Joined HMS Eagle (South Africa – Singapore)
1967 RNH Plymouth
1968 Joined HMS Albion ( Far East – Australia) and promoted to Surgeon Commander
1970 Consultant in General Surgery-
1972 Start 2 year secondment to RNH M'tarfa. Malta
1974 Honorary Senior Lecturer in Surgery at the Professorial Surgical Unit, Aberdeen University
1975 Returned to RNH Plymouth
1977 Head of Surgical Department
1981 Promoted to Surgeon Captain
1982 Falklands War, appointed Medical Officer in Charge of Surgical Facility SS Canbera ( the Great White Whale). He was the most senior Medical Officer to go down to the conflict in the South Atlantic. Received the Falklands Medal
1982 Director of Naval Surgery
1984 Chairman of Defence Surgical Board
1988 Appointed Dean of Naval Medicine and promoted to Surgeon Commodore. based at the Institute of Naval. Medicine. Alverstoke
1989 By Royal appointment became Queen's Honorary- Surgeon
1990 Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Serving Officer ( Brother)
1992 Guest of Honour at Speech Day at King Edward IV College, Stourbridge
1992 Retired from Royal Navy
1992 Worked for the Blood Transfusion Service
1994 Day surgery at Mannamead GP Surgery
1996 Fully retired
2000 Moved into Bickleigh Down Nursing/ Home
2006 Passed away
Commodore R F Wilkes would have been very pleased with the amount of former colleagues who turned out to bide him farewell.
There were two excellent tributes one from Rick Jolly, who although not fully fit is better, and was in good form. Two uniformed officers Surg Vice Admiral Ian Jenkins and Commodore Frank Reed were amongst the many mourners, twice as many as the family thought.
The faces were still quite recognisable, it was trying to put names to them. These are most of them as I am sure I have missed a couple.
A very silver haired Capt Bertram, Mike Beeley, Blackstone, Bob Clarke, Chakkaverty, Hampton, Hersey, Phil Jones, Nick Morgan, Mann, Morgan O'Connell, Radford, Rudge,Swain, John Soul and John Williams. The SMO of the SS Canbera.
The faces were still quite recognisable, it was trying to put names to them. These are most of them as I am sure I have missed a couple.
A very silver haired Capt Bertram, Mike Beeley, Blackstone, Bob Clarke, Chakkaverty, Hampton, Hersey, Phil Jones, Nick Morgan, Mann, Morgan O'Connell, Radford, Rudge,Swain, John Soul and John Williams. The SMO of the SS Canbera.
Apologies to the others I have missed.
The recently retired Erich Bootland and Mel White, ex theatre sister Lowe, Dave O'Sullivan (in charge of victuals) Pat Hogben, Clive Wilkinson, Louise Cronin ex QA and myself.
Alan Young (I think that’s his name) ex theatre porter, who Mick Barraclough and others took under their wing all those years ago.
He left us for the last time to the strains of "All the nice girls like a sailor" sung I think by the crew of HMS Ark Royal 1975, remember the program?
The wake was at the China Fleet Club, a better venue than the original Novotel.
The lasting memories for me will be the young doctors quaking in their shoes on ward rounds what joy. Along with the post rugby sing songs.
The recently retired Erich Bootland and Mel White, ex theatre sister Lowe, Dave O'Sullivan (in charge of victuals) Pat Hogben, Clive Wilkinson, Louise Cronin ex QA and myself.
Alan Young (I think that’s his name) ex theatre porter, who Mick Barraclough and others took under their wing all those years ago.
He left us for the last time to the strains of "All the nice girls like a sailor" sung I think by the crew of HMS Ark Royal 1975, remember the program?
The wake was at the China Fleet Club, a better venue than the original Novotel.
The lasting memories for me will be the young doctors quaking in their shoes on ward rounds what joy. Along with the post rugby sing songs.
Rest In Peace "RFW"
Sinbad ( Steve Edwards )
Well remembered Sinbad, the only ones I can think of that you didn't mention were David Lammiman, Ralph Kerr, Jim Royle and John Ball.
Marion was delighted that so many of Rogers friends attended.
Marion was delighted that so many of Rogers friends attended.
David O’sullivan
Its been a long time since i had the pleasure of working for commodore wilkes and i am so sorry to hear of his passing him and his family have always been in my thoughts since leaving the service in 91 RIP sir you where a real gentleman
ReplyDeleteMick Barraclough was my POMA in Fife in 1987 and Dave O'Sullivan was theatre chief when I started as an anaesthetic SHO in 1986!
ReplyDeleteI hope you are all still fit and well!
Andrew Stoddart.