Walter MacCallum was born in Sydney NSW of a distinguished family. His father was appointed Challis Professor of Modern Literature in the University of Sydney in 1887 from Scotland. He remained in this chair until his retirement in 1920 and then became Vice-Chancellor (1924-27), Deputy Chancellor (1928-34) and finally Chancellor (1934-36) of the University. His mother was a cultured person and his brother attained a Rhodes scholarship and practised as a barrister until he died in 1933 at the age of forty-eight years.

Walter attended the Sydney Grammar School (1908-13) and followed the family tradition of scholarship. At the leaving certificate examinations in 1913 he gained first-class honours in English, French, Latin, Greek and ancient history and was awarded the medal for Greek, the Cooper scholarship for classics and a university exhibition. He was prominent in school activities outside the classroom, becoming senior prefect and captain of the school. At sport he was successful, becoming captain of boats and playing Rugby in the first fifteen.

Thus with success at his school in class, sport and leadership and with a healthy body, a capacity for hard work, an ability to think, speak and write clearly and concisely, Walter MacCallum in 1914 entered the faculty of arts as a student at St Andrew’s College, intending to enter the faculty of medicine after completion of his arts course. It seemed that he would have a very successful university career replete with academic success, sport and good fellowship and a career as a doctor of the same type.

However war broke out and Walter MacCallum was an early volunteer. He became an infantryman in 20 Battalion and fought on Gallipoli where he became a lieutenant. He survived this period of service as an infantry subaltern on Gallipoli and was sent to France, having been promoted to captain and given a staff job as GSO3, 2 Australian Division. In 1917 he became brigade major 5 Infantry Brigade. He finished the war as a major with the important position of GSO2, 2 Australian Division. His work as a staff officer was highly praised and his orders were of importance in the Australian victory at Mont St Quentin. He was mentioned in dispatches three times and awarded the DSO and MC.

He returned from active service in 1919, having declined the offer of a commission in the British Army, and took his discharge. He commenced his first year in the faculty of medicine in 1919 at the age of twenty-three. His Senior Year Book states: ‘It appeared that the change, difficult for many, was no trouble for him, for, stepping out of his beribboned uniform, the distinguished staff officer was at once a student again, cheerfully accepting and joining company with those who were several years his junior and who had not had active service’. With his inborn ability to concentrate and his habit of self discipline, which had enabled him to become a successful staff officer, he was well up in the yearly class results and graduated with second-class honours in 1924.

Following graduation he was a resident at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, the Coast Hospital, the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children and the South Sydney Women’s Hospital. In 1926 he set up a general practice at Edgecliff at about what is how the entrance to the Edgecliff railway station.

Walter MacCallum was by nature, inclination and training likely to make one of the best types of general practitioner. He was a competent physician and a very kindly man with a high sense of responsibility and he earned the respect and liking of his patients. He remained happily in this practice until the Second World War broke out and he enlisted for service.

Walter had a long association with the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, having been appointed to the honorary medical staff as a relieving physician while still a member of its resident staff. He had a great affection for the Hospital which he served assiduously for thirty-four years. He remained a relieving physician until promoted to assistant physician in 1936 and physician in 1947. He conscientiously carried out his duties in care of his small patients in the outpatients at Quay Street and later in the wards at Camperdown, and the many students who attended his teaching sessions got much value from his great experience and sound commonsense knowledge of diseases of children and the problems of their parents. Apart from patient care and student teaching he did not begrudge giving his time for nurses’ lectures and examinations and the numerous committees of a hospital of this type. He retired from the active honorary staff in 1955 when he was appointed an honorary consultant physician.

He was appointed to the honorary medical staff of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital as an assistant physician in 1934. He conducted outpatients and his other duties conscientiously and well until 1955 when he reached the age of sixty years, which was then the obligatory retiring age. The board of management honoured him by appointing him as consultant physician, the first time this honour had ever been given to an assistant physician.

So in 1939, when the Second World War broke out, this very busy doctor offered his services to the 2nd AIF. Although he would have liked a combatant appointment, it was realised that his staff experience would be of great value to the medical service. He went abroad as registrar of 2/5 Australian General Hospital but was soon appointed DADMS to 1 Australian Corps. In this appointment he served throughout the Libyan and Greek campaigns. His staff experience was of great value in both these campaigns, particularly in the evacuation of Greece and Crete. There his coolness and courage and his ability to make rapid decisions and to deal with a chaotic situation were of inestimable value and he was mentioned in dispatches. He was then given the rank of lieutenant-colonel and was appointed officer commanding the AAMC Training Unit in the Middle East to train newly arrived medical personnel.

In January 1942 when the Japanese were almost in Singapore, MacCallum was on the AIF medical staff attached to Wavell’s HQ in Java where plans were being made for the AIF to come under his command. MacCallum was part of the staff which was organising the defence of Sumatra. When this proved impossible, he was lucky to get across the Sunda Straits to Java and to be evacuated to Australia with the rest of Wavell’s headquarters. After reaching Australia he was appointed Deputy Director-General of Medical Services with the rank of colonel and had a great influence on the organisation of the Army medical services at this difficult time. He remained in this post, being promoted brigadier. He was placed in charge of medical services at Advanced Headquarters for the invasion of Borneo. For his planning in this operation he was awarded the CBE. He then returned to Land Headquarters in Melbourne until the end of the War. Walter MacCallum’s service in the Second World War was distinguished by attention to duty, efficiency and hard work and nobody could have been more modest about it.

He returned to civil life, had a refresher six months in London and after considerable thought, abandoned his general practice to enter consultant practice in Macquarie Street. He was appointed a visiting physician to the Prince of Wales Hospital and 113 AGH (Concord), later the Repatriation General Hospital, and honorary consulting physician to the Prince Henry Hospital and the Ryde District Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital. In 1946 he was honoured by appointment as honorary physician to the Governor-General.

His association with the College was long and of great value. He was not in consultant private practice at the time of the foundation of this College, otherwise he would have been invited to be a foundation Fellow. Soon after the foundation he sat for and passed the Membership examination. He received the Fellowship in 1946 having entered consultant practice. His administrative and planning ability was put at the service of the College and he was honorary secretary from 1948 to 1950 and for six months in both 1953 and 1958. He was honorary treasurer from 1950 to 1958. He was a most valued member of council in those years when the College was in its formative period.

He also accepted appointment as a member of the NSW Medical Defence Union council, the council of governors of Ascham School and board of trustees of Sydney Grammar School.

Following his sudden death in his sleep having played a game of golf on that Sunday, a council minute was prepared which included the following statement ‘In life men win the admiration of their fellows sometimes by reason of their achievement and success, sometimes by virtue of the greatness of their character. Walter MacCallum would have made an outstanding success of his life on achievement alone; perhaps his greatest activity in this respect was in the field of war, campaigning and military organisation. But added to this, his qualities as a man were perhaps the most striking features of his character. Never self-seeking, ever anxious to help others rather than himself, shy and yet capable of forceful action, he endeared himself to everyone with whom he came in contact.