Born on 15 August 1886 at Graaff Reinet in the Karoo, where he received his primary education and whence he came to Edinburgh, graduating in 1910. On his return to South Africa he became a general practitioner in Senekal, Orange Free State. In 1921 he came back to Britain and obtained his MD with honours and the FRCS; most of the time he worked under W H Trethowan at Guy's and collaborated with C Lambrinudi. Once more returning home, he set up as an orthopaedic surgeon in Johannesburg in 1925 with a clinic at Germiston. Later he was appointed to the Johannesburg General Hospital as orthopaedic surgeon and lecturer on orthopaedic surgery from which posts he retired in 1946. He founded the Hope Training Home for Cripples in 1934, and in 1942 became chairman of the newly formed Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons of South Africa. During the war of 1939-45 he served as Colonel in the South African Medical Corps and consultant in orthopaedics. 'Fookie' as he was familiarly and affectionately known was a pioneer of orthopaedics in South Africa. He died on 20 August 1962, survived by his wife, two children and three grandchildren.