Born on July 25th, 1817, the son of the Rev Thomas Coles of Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire. He was educated at University College, London, where he won the Fellowes Gold Medal for reports on cases in the hospital during the session 1838-1839. He served on board the HEIC's troopship *Minerva* until 1843, having been appointed temporary Assistant Surgeon, Bengal Army, in 1841. During this time he took part in the China War and was acting Assistant Surgeon with the Artillery at the taking of Canton. He received the two medals for this service. On his return home he graduated MD in the University of Edinburgh in 1844, and was gazetted Assistant Surgeon in the Bombay Army on March 1st, 1845, being promoted Surgeon on October 27th, 1861, and Surgeon Major on March 1st, 1865. He retired on July 14th, 1867. He served with the 78th Highlanders, the 20th Bombay Native Regiment, and the Madras Artillery. He was also Assistant Civil Surgeon, Surgeon to the Coroner, and Garrison Surgeon at Bombay. From 1849-1854 he was Professor of Midwifery and Medical Jurisprudence at the Grant Medical College, of which he acted as Principal during the absence on furlough of Herbert Giraud in 1852-1853. He frequently acted as Secretary to the Bombay Medical Board from 1848, until he was regularly appointed to the office in 1855. He held it until 1865, displaying great administrative powers and acting with zeal, energy, and tact. During the later years of his stay in India he was engaged in promoting the interests of the Bombay Medical Retiring Fund, and in 1869 he was successful in getting the Fund transferred to Her Majesty's Government. He was the recipient of two testimonials - one a service of plate on the occasion of his leaving India, in recognition of his conduct of the Bombay Medical Board; the second a silver epergne from his friends at the Grant Medical College. He retired to Bourton-on-the-Water when he left India, as both he and his wife owned property in the town, and employed himself as Secretary of the Cottage Hospital. He married in 1866 Miss Hanks of Bourton-on-the-Water, and by her had one daughter. He died on May 17th, 1888. Publications: *An Introductory Lecture delivered in the Grant Medical College*, 8vo, Bombay, 1852. *An Account of the Bourton-on-the-Water and Cotswold Village Hospital (Gloucestershire), from the Period of its Commencement to the Present Time*, 8vo, London, 1877. *Temperature Charts*, 4to, London, 1881.