Lieutenant Colonel 56531 Walter Felix Luke Fava. MD., (Malta 1931) PHC (1924) Born 7 October 1906 at Cospicua, Malta and died in Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot 5 February 1973.
Laid to rest in the Roman Catholic Section, Fleet Cemetery, Hampshire.
Walter Felix Luke Fava MD joined the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) as a Lieutenant in 1933, obtaining the rank of Captain a year later. In 1936, after he married his wife Victoria Ethel Zammit Tabona, he was posted in India. At the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, he was posted back to the United Kingdom. During the war Walter Fava commanded various Field Dressing Stations and Casualty Clearing Stations in North Africa and later in Italy and Austria.
In 1947 Major Fava was posted to the British Military Hospital at Mtarfa. By now, he had reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and in 1949, he was posted to the British Military Hospitals in Germany, Singapore and Cyprus and then back to the UK, where he retired in October 1966 at the age of 60.
His medals were donated to the Heritage Malta’s National War Museum’s collection of medals
Wills and Admin, Ancestry -
Walter Felix Luke FAVA of 18 Coombe Drive, Wood Lane, Fleet, Hampshire died 5 February 1973.
London Gazette dated 15 August 1933.
Royal Army Medical Corps.
The undermentioned to be Lts. (on prob.).
27th July 1933. Walter Felix Luke Fava, M.D and many others.
London Gazette dated 7 September 1934. War Office. Regular Army.
ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS.
The undermentioned Lts. to be Capts. W. F. L. Fava, M.D., 7th Sept. 1934, with seniority 1st May 1934. plus, two others
Supplement to London Gazette dated 9 March 1943
War Office, 9 March 1943. Regular Army.
Capt. W. F. L. Fava, M.D. (56531), to be Major 6th Mar. 1943.
Supplement to London Gazette dated 5 March 1948.
Royal Army Medical Corps. The undermentioned Majors. to be Lt.-Cols
W F L FAVA, M D. (56531), 2nd Mar 1948, plus four others.
Supplement to London Gazette dated 10 October 1961.
Lt.-Col. W. F. L. FAVA, M.D. (56531) having attained the age of retirement, is retained on the
Active List Supernumerary to Establishment, 71th Oct. 1961
Supplement to London Gazette dated 9 October 1962.
Royal Arm Medical Corps. Regular Army.
Lt.-Col. W. F. L. FAVA, M.D. (56531), retires on retired pay, 7ith Oct. 1962
The following is credited to -
https://www.maltaramc.com/ramcoff/f/favawfl.html
Lieutenant Colonel Walter Felix Luke Fava qualified from the University of Malta in 1931 and had a Certificate in Pharmacy from the same university from 1924. He was commissioned in the Royal Army Medical Corps on 27 July 1933 and attended the medical officers' entry course at the Army Medical College MillBank and the RAMC Depôt Crookham.
From 27 July to 6 September 1933, he was seconded to the Victoria Central Hospital, Wallasey Merseyside, as a house surgeon, under the provisions of Art. 213, Royal Warrant for Pay and Promotion, 1931. He served in both World Wars and specialised initially in anaesthesia and later in radiology. He was officer commanding BMH Iserlohn, BMH Singapore and acting officer commanding BMH Mtarfa, Malta.
Lieutenant Colonel Walter Felix Luke Fava was awarded the 1939–1945 Star, the Africa Star, the Italy Star, Defence Medal, War Medal, General Service Medal with clasps Malaya and Cyprus and the 1953 Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. These are held by the National War Museum Valletta, Malta.
Lieutenant Colonel Walter Felix Luke Fava died at the Cambridge Military Hospital Aldershot on 5 February 1973 and was was buried in Fleet Cemetery, Hampshire.
Service Record — Walter Felix Luke Fava -
27 July 1933 Commissioned Lieutenant RAMC on probation. His appointment was antedated to 6 March 1933 under the provisions of Art. 36, Royal Warrant for Pay and Promotion, 1931. He was seconded until 6 September 1933 when he was restored to the establishment. He was confirmed in rank in February 1934.
7 Sep 1934 Promoted Captain RAMC.
30 Jan 1936 Married Ethel Victoria Helen Josephine Zammit Tabona (1912–1998), at Floriana Malta.
1936 Graded Anaesthetist.
Malta 12 Dec 1937 Arrived from England.
Malta 28 Apr 1938 Left for India.
1938–1940 Served in India.
10 May 1940–9 Aug 1940 Acting Major RAMC.
10 Aug 1940–6 Jan 1941 Temporary Major RAMC.
1941–1945 Served with the Middle East Force (Central Mediterranean Force).
Medical officers had observed that soldiers travelling on troop ships on long voyages often developed swelling of their feet. This condition was termed Deck Foot, but Captain W F L Fava preferred the term Deck Ankle as the swelling affected one or both ankles rather than the foot. In August 1941, while travelling on a troop ship from England to the East he examined about forty soldiers (1.5 percent of the total troops on board) with the condition. The swelling occurred around the tenth day of the outward journey and was associated with signs of inflammation. No cases presented after the 21st day of the journey. The condition was attributed to the men walking on deck with plimsolls rather than boots and sustaining repeated minor ankle sprains.
1 Nov 1942–5 Mar 1943 Temporary Major RAMC.
6 Mar 1943 Promoted Major RAMC.
5 May 1943 Acting Lieutenant Colonel RAMC.
1943–1944 Commanding Officer 59 General Hospital Tripoli.
5 Aug 1943–18 July 1944 Temporary Lieutenant Colonel RAMC.
Malta 12 July 1946 Arrived from England as a Graded Radiologist. Placed on the strength of 30 Coy RAMC.
Malta 1947 On garrison duty. Presented an unusual case of osteitis deformans (Paget's disease) in a 33-year-old sergeant who had been referred to the Surgical Outpatients Department of the British Military Hospital Malta on 22 May 1947 for investigations of his leg pain
Malta 2 Mar 1948 Promoted Lieutenant Colonel RAMC.
Malta 8 May 1949 Assumed command of British Military Hospital Mtarfa during the absence on leave of the commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel John Egerton Rea RAMC. Relinquished command on his return on 27 June 1949.
Malta 22 Aug–1 Sept 1949 Assumed the duties of Acting/OC BMH Mtarfa during the absence on duty of the commanding officer at HQ Malta Garrison as DDMS.
Malta 16 Sept 1949 Returned to England. Specialist in radiology.
1949–1952 Served with the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR).
1951–1952 Commanding Officer British Military Hospital Iserlohn.
1952–1953 Commanding Officer British Military Hospital Singapore.
1958–1962 On duty with the BAOR.
1961 Commanding Officer British Military Hospital Iserlohn.
7 Oct 1961 Lt Col W F L Fava having attained the age of retirement, was retained on the Active List Supernumerary to Establishment.
7 Oct 1962 Retired to retired pay.
