Home

East Melbourne Historical Society

Drop-down menu

  • Articles
  • People
    • Notable Women
    • WW1 soldiers and nurses
    • WW1 nurses
  • History
    • Milestones
    • Buildings
    • Community
    • People
  • Gallery
    • Maps
    • MMBW plans
    • Abortion battles
    • Bishopscourt
    • Bishopscourt garden
    • Bomb shelter
    • Buildings
    • Cairns Memorial Church
    • Early Melbourne
    • Football
    • Jean Campbell
    • Lanes
    • Margaret McLean
      • Family and home
      • Female suffrage
      • Clippings - Australia
      • Clippings - Britain
      • Clippings - USA
    • Personalities
    • Yarra Park
      • History
      • Desecration
    • Yarra River
  • Catalogue
    • Browse and Search
    • Catalogue table view
    • Site images
  • Images
  • Society
    • Activities
    • Newsletters
    • Tributes
      • John Barrie Wykes
      • Wynne McGrath
    • Publications
      • Heritage Matters
      • What's in a Name
    • About
Home
    • Home
    • Search
    • Forum
    • Contact

MORLET, Claude

Author: 
Sue Larkin
Family name: 
MORLET
Given names: 
Claude
Gender: 
Male
Religion: 
Church of England
Date of birth: 
11 August 1888
Place of birth: 
Birth Toowoomba, Queensland
, Australia
27° 33' 51.5988" S, 151° 57' 14.3676" E
East Melbourne addresses
Year: 
1914
1914
Eye & Ear Hospital, Victoria Parade
, East Melbourne, Victoria
, Australia
37° 48' 40.6476" S, 144° 59' 9.2976" E
Military service: 
WW1
Military service: 
WW2
Rank: 
Lieutenant Colonel
Military units: 
Australian Army Medical Corps
Date of death: 
1972
Place of death: 
Death Perth, Western Australia
, Australia
31° 57' 10.2744" S, 115° 51' 26.4204" E
Decorations and medallions: 
14/15/Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Decorations and medallions: 
Mentioned in Despatches
Decorations and medallions: 
Distinguished Service Medal
Biographical notes: 

Claude Morlet was born in Toowoomba, Queensland on 11 August, 1888 to John Stanislaus Morlet and Mary Alice Morlet (nee Brown). His older sister Muriel was born the previous year and younger brother Jack in 1890 when the family had moved to Dromana, Victoria. Claude attended Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, living with his mother and brother in South Yarra at that time. In 1908 he commenced a medical degree in 1908 at the University of Melbourne, graduating with a MB.BS in 1913. Early 1914, he commenced opthalmology training at the Eye and Ear Hospital, Victoria,enlisting for service on 19 October, 1914. On 14 November, 1914 he was made a Captain in the AAMC, embarking a week later from Brisbane on The HMAT Kyarra A55 with the 1st Division AIF. A month later he arrived in Egypt, commmencing 9 months service at the 1st AGH in Cairo.

Claude was keen to serve at the front and after much lobbying,he was appointed Regimental Medical Officer to the 11th Battalion, arriving in darkness at Gallipoli on 29 September, 1915. On 12 December, 1915 Claude was admitted to hospital at Lemnos with serious Typhoid. On 31/12/1915 he was transferred to Egypt on the H.S Rashwede, where he was admitted to the No 1 AGH in Heliopolis. Two weeks later he wwas discharged to a position as opthalmologist at the No1 Auxillary Hospital in Cairo.

Claude transferred to France in August 1916 to take charge of the 13th Field Ambulance. He spent a shoirt time at AAMC Training Depot in Parkhouse, UK. His services i France were recognised by a promotion to Major in January 1917 and then Lieutenant Colonel in November 1918. His actions were Mentioned in Despatches on 20 Jne, 1918 and  received a DSO on 1 January, 1919.

Prior to returning to Australia in 1920, Claude spent a short time at the Royal Eye Hospital in London. Upon his retuen he established a mediacl practive in Perth. He arries Mary Alice Brown on 10th April, 1928 and they had three children. His son Geoffrey has captured Claude's extraordinary personal and professional life in a book "Eyes Right", a summary of which is attached  this profile. Calude returned o military service during WW2, playing an important mediarole in the Mddle East. His younger brother Jack, also a medical practitioner, served in both Wars. Caluse passed away in Perth oon 1 November, 1972.

References: 
"Eyes Right" - book review
Acknowledgments: 

Australian War Memorial archives

National Australian Archives

Trove Newspapers

Google

Ancestry.com

Location map:
Javascript is required to view this map.
  • 3625 reads
  • Share this
  • PrintPrint
  • EmailEmail

User login

  • Join EMHS
  • Request new password
  • Privacy
  • Membership
  • About
  • Contact
  • Guidelines