Vale Colonel
Peter Leggatt, AM,
ADC, JP, KSTJ
As we gather for the first AMMA Conference to be held in Perth, it is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Emeritus Professor and Colonel Peter Leggat on 20 September 2023. Peter graduated in medical science and medicine from the University of Queensland, before undertaking postgraduate studies at various universities, including Mahidol University, the University of Dundee, and the University of Otago, and completing doctorates at the University of South Australia and James Cook University and a higher doctorate at the University of Queensland.
After over 30 years of service at James Cook University (JCU), including in many leadership roles, Peter had recently retired as Professor Emeritus, and Director Emeritus of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Vector-borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases at JCU. He was a former Fulbright Scholar and, as an academic researcher, Peter had published over 500 journal papers, more than 100 book chapters and 35 books, and presented over 400 papers at national and international conferences. He was passionate about public health, tropical and travel medicine, was a founding Fellow and five-time president of the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine (ACTM) and was one of Australia’s greatest contributors to these fields. JCU has established an Emeritus Professor Peter Leggat Memorial Fund in his honour to support students specialising in travel and tropical medicine.
Colonel Leggat joined the Australian Regular Army in 1987. He was posted to various units, including the historic 2 Field Ambulance in Townsville. He served in Thailand attached to the Australian Embassy, Bangkok, and he deployed to East Timor in 2000. He later served in several reserve postings, including as Honorary Aide-de-Camp to the Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia. Peter joined AMMA in 2009 and has been a valued member of the JMVH Editorial Board, providing exceptional insight and dedication over the years.
Colonel Leggat was admitted as a Member of the General Division of the Order of Australia in the 2013 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, primarily for his service to St. John Ambulance Australia. In 2021, Colonel Leggat was promoted to Knight of Grace of the Order of St John in the 2021 Admissions and Promotions list.
On a personal note, I met Peter in the late 1980’s at some of the earlier ACTM Conferences. Peter was a much respected and treasured friend and colleague, who was always supportive and an inspirational mentor for many in Australia. I was fortunate to collaborate with him on several public health courses at JCU and on JMVH over the last twenty years and he was instrumental in my receiving an adjunct professorial appointment and an Honorary Doctor of Science at JCU. Always a gentleman, Peter’s quiet wisdom, calm guidance, unassuming selfless nature, humour, leadership and passion for learning and life will be missed by many of us. I had only recently received his annual Christmas in July update, which provided news of the house he and Pan were building in Thailand, his leadership of various national and international organisations and some recent travels to Ecuador. A full life lived well and too soon lost.
Our final issue of 2023 contains a range of articles and book reviews on diverse topics spanning casualty care simulations, infectious disease history, mental health, veterans with disabilities and spiritual health. We continue to attract a good range of articles, including from overseas. Other military and veterans’ health articles, however, are always very welcome, and we would encourage all our readers to consider writing on their areas of military or veterans’ health interest. We would particularly welcome papers based on presentations from our 2023 conference in Perth but welcome any articles across the broader spectrum of military health.
I look forward to seeing you in Perth.
Dr Andy Robertson, CSC, PSM
Commodore, RAN
Editor-in-Chief
