Cairns, Hugh William Bell

Furthermore

Sir Hugh William Bell Cairns, "Hugo", carved a hugely successful career in neurosurgery in his lifetime. He legacy in Balliol, Oxford, Radcliffe Infirmary and later at St Hughes College Hospital is legendary. He also revolutionised the use of mobile theatres during World War II.
Early in World War II, H W B Cairns persuaded the army to make the wearing of crash helmets obligatory for all dispatch riders.
He was awarded an Honorary MD from Adelaide University in 1947.

TIMELINE

1896

Birth in Port Pirie -Nurse Bray's Private Hospital- SA, Australia 26 June 1896
1908

Early education at Riverton, Riverton Public School, SA, Australia 1908
1911

Early education at Adelaide High School, South Australia, SA, Australia 1911
1915

Military service as Private at Lemnos -No. 3 Australian General Hospital-, Greece 1915
1916

House Surgeon at North Adelaide -Adelaide Children's Hospital- SA, Australia 1916
1917

Tertiary education at Adelaide University, South Australia, SA, Australia 9 July 1917
1917

Tertiary education at Adelaide University, South Australia, SA, Australia 9 July 1917
1917

Tertiary education at Adelaide University, South Australia, SA, Australia 9 July 1917
1917

Military service as Captain 1917
1919

Tertiary education at Balliol College, University of Oxford, Oxford, England 1919
1921

House Surgeon at Radcliffe Infirmary -- Oxford, United Kingdom 1921
1921

House Surgeon at London Hospital -- London, England 1921
1921

Member of Royal College of Surgeons since 1921-12-08
1921

Married 24 Nov 1921
1924

Military award: British War Medal on 1924
1924

Military award: 1914-15 Star on 1924
1926

Assistant Surgeon at London --, England 1926
1926

Rockefeller Fellowship 1926
1931

Neurosurgeon at London --, England 1931
1935

West London Medico-chirurgical Society triennial medal 1935 at London [ England ]
1937

Tertiary education at Balliol College, University of Oxford, Oxford, England 1937
1937

Professor at Radcliffe Infirmary -- Oxford, United Kingdom 1937
1938

Tertiary education at Balliol College, University of Oxford, Oxford, England 1938
1946

Appointed K.B.E. 1946
1948

Tertiary education at Royal School of Mines, Royal School Of Mines, London, England 1948
1948

Member of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons since 1948
1950

Tertiary education at North Western University, North Western University, Chicago, USA 1950
1952

Death in Radcliffe Infirmary -- Oxford, United Kingdom 18 July 1952

Gender

Male

From the archives

News cutting - Cairns named Rhodes Scholar 1916 [ jpg ]

Cairns-Letter asking for leave of absence from his scholarship to enlist in army [ jpg ]

Cairns-Report from Master of Balliol College University of Oxford in War Service Record Part 1 [ jpg ]

Cairns-Report from Master of Balliol College University of Oxford in War Service Record Part 2 [ jpg ]

Cairns-Admission to University underage Part 1 [ jpg ]

Cairns-Admission to University underage Part 2 [ jpg ]

HWB Cairns back far right - Inter Varsity Lacrosse Team 1913 [ jpg ]

Hugh Cairns (Centre) arriving at Parafield, South Australia, 1948 [ JPEG ]

Unless otherwise noted, these photographs, War Service Records, letters, diaries and cards were sent to the University by family and friends during and after World War One. If you have any material to add, please see our contribute page.