12 Sep 2023

Captain Gilmore keeps watch over Victor │The Fleurieu Sun

By Jack Church

A commemoration ceremony of late Surgeon Captain Vytautus (Vic) Gilmore was conducted by the Victor Harbor RSL at the Avenue of Honour on Wednesday, August 23, unveiling a memorial bench dedicated to Captain Gilmore.

The bench overlooks Captain Gilmore’s beloved Victor Harbor and the ocean, where his ashes were spread off the HMAS Sydney on its recent visit.

In attendance were Victor Harbor RSL members, City of Victor Harbor Mayor Moira Jenkins, Senator Andrew McLachlan, Vic’s wife Krys Gilmore, as well as family and friends. RSL member Ron Teusner spoke fondly of Vic at the ceremony, remembering a friend and celebrating his achievements.

“Vytautas (Vic) Giruckas arrived in Australia as a 15 year old from Lithuania as part of the post War migration in 1949,” Ron said.

“Vic became an Australian Citizen in 1957 and changed his name to Gilmore after starting a medical degree in 1955.

“In 1960, in his final year of medicine he was offered a position as a Sub Lieutenant in the RAN through an undergraduate scheme.

“He commenced fulltime service as a Naval Officer following his postgraduate medicine period at RAH and one year in the ED at the then new QEH.”

Promoted to Surgeon Lieutenant in 1964, Vic embarked on many iconic naval vessels, he was the Principal Medical Officer at the Adelaide Port Division in Port Adelaide, located at HMAS Encounter in Port Adelaide.

Vic was deployed to South East Asia in 1985 where he underwent a series of humanitarian support and rescue missions in the Solomon and Macquarie Islands.

When Vic retired from the Navy in 1989, he went into private practice, before moving to the Fleurieu where he spent many years as a local practitioner.

Vic’s uniforms were donated to the Victor Harbor RSL, one on display in the museum, the others went to the Maritime Museum in Port Adelaide and the RSL Museum in Mallala.

After the ceremony, attendees enjoyed a lunch at the Victor Harbor RSL hall.

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