Auld, Ian

Ian Douglas Auld was born on 21 August 1918, the only child of John McLean Auld (1871-1947) and Jessie Auld (nee Sutherland) (1881-1941). He attended New Plymouth Boys’ High School while his parents ran a drapery store called J & J Auld on Devon Street West in New Plymouth.

Ian trained to be a doctor at Otago University and began working at New Plymouth Hospital in his fifth year of studies before transferring to Wellington Hospital. His Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery was conferred in January 1943 and he then served as a medical officer with the Royal New Zealand Airforce during the Second World War. Sadly, Ian’s mother Jessie died on 1 February 1942 before he graduated. Ian achieved the rank of Flight Lieutenant in 1945 and was later awarded the War Medal 1939-1945 and the New Zealand Service War Medal.

Ian married Helen Luke on 1 June 1946 and the couple had two children, Janet and John. He set up his own medical practice at 196 Devon Street East in New Plymouth the following year.

Ian was a keen climber and a founding member of the Taranaki Alpine Club when it was formed on 21 March 1953. He made at least fifty ascents of Mount Taranaki including one with New Zealand’s most famous mountaineer, Edmund Hillary, who had been based at the RNZAF Station in Bell Block at the same time as Ian during WWII.

Ian Auld died on 23 October 1978 aged 60 and is buried in Awanui Cemetery, New Plymouth.