Dr John Brooke Moore & Dr Brooke MoorePrint Page

The wall commemorates Dr John Brooke Moore (1866-1937) and his son, Dr Brooke Moore (1900-1968) who were physicans in Bathurst.

The wall is a low semi-circular wall of concrete block enclosing a small garden which is enclosed on the opposite side by a semi-circle of paving.  The monument which was originally unveiled in 1940 was formerly a lily pond with a small wall mounted fountain. 

Dr. John Brooke Moore was active in Bathurst on the committees of the hospital, the golf club, the school of arts, the trotting club, the cricket association and the rifle club; and gave first aid lectures to the fire brigade and ambulance drivers. As well as attending to the busy work of a country doctor – farm injuries, road accidents, poisonings, shootings. During World War One he enlisted in January, 1916 at the age of 50 and held the rank of Captain in the Australian Army Medical Corps Reserve with eighteen years’ service. In June 1917 he was promoted to Lieut. Colonel and returned to Australia and civilian life in October of that year.

In June 1919 it was reported he was attending victims of the raging pneumonic influenza epidemic, with all medical staff at the hospital working under tremendous pressure and almost unable to cope with calls for help. Dr John Brooke Moore died at Bathurst on Sunday 29 August 1937.

Dr Brooke Moore joined his father's medical practice and in 1940 he enlisted and served with distinction as a specialist surgeon with the rank of major in the 2/5 Australian General Field Hospital (5AGH) during World War two.  About half of 2/5 AGH's staff were evacuated from Greece before it fell to the Germans but the remainder, including Dr Moore, were captured on 27 April 1941. The hospital was allowed to continue to operate from various locations in Athens, where he performed surgery on many Australian, New Zealand and British battle casualties, until in December 1941 its staff and patients were dispersed to various POW camps in Germany.

Dr Moore ended up in Stalag 383 at Hohenfels, near Nuremburg, where he formed a branch of the St John Ambulance Brigade and conducted first aid classes for the allied prisoners. He became well known for the way in which he ‘stood up’ to the Germans, demanding the best possible treatment for his patients. As a result of his wartime service, be was mentioned in several books written about the evacuation and the treatment of prisoners. 

A lily pond erected by citizens of Bathurst in the southern extremity of Machattie Park to perpetuate the memory of' Dr. John Brooke Moore Snr., was officially opened by the Mayor of Bathurst (Alderman M. J. Griffin) yesterday afternoon. The pond on which is inscribed, "John Brooke Moore, Surgeon and Physician," is situated near the Busby Gates. One of the most representative gatherings ever to attend a public function was seen. It was attended by representatives of the various denominations, Bishop A. L. Wylde, and Dr. Norton. The Rev. O'B. Ball, of All Saints' Cathedral acted as chairman.

The Mayor traced the work which Dr. Moore had accomplished during his residence in Bathurst. "It is very very sad to lose such a wonderful man as Dr. Brooke Moore. He had been revered by the people of Bathurst and district, and in fact, throughout Australia," said Ald. Griffin. "He was a man who was loved by all who met him, and was noted for his geniality and gaiety. " he added. Ald Griffin said that he had done a wonderful service to humanity.
National Advocate (Bathurst, NSW), 8 March 1940. 

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