Donald Johnstone McGavin

Who was Donald Johnstone McGavin?

Major General Sir Donald Johnstone McGavin was a New Zealand surgeon, army health administrator and medical administrator. He was born in Chatham, Kent, England. He qualified as an Doctor of Medicine in 1901.

Johnstone then joined the Royal Army Medical Corps as a civilian surgeon, serving in Natal during the Boer War. He then moved to New Zealand and started practicing as a surgeon in Wellington, and later became a volunteer medical officer, serving in World War I. Following the war, he served as Director-General of Medical Services from 1919 to 1924, and as a medical advisor to the Minister of Defence during World War II.