David Harries was born near Llanybyther, Carmarthenshire in 1884. After attending the County school at Llandyssul he obtained his medical education first in Cardiff and later at University College Hospital, London. After holding house appointments in London he returned to Wales and worked at the City Lodge Hospital in Cardiff. During this time he devoted a lot of his time in the study of physiology and soon became lecturer in that subject in the medical school. When the first world war broke out he joined the RAMC and was posted to the Welsh Hospital at Netley. While there he obtained his Fellowship and shortly after was transferred to India as surgeon to Deolali. Within two years his skill was acknowledged by his appointment as consulting surgeon for a large part of India. During his time in India he submitted a thesis on bone surgery for which he was awarded a DSc; in his spare time he designed the local golf course and became a scratch golfer. In 1919 he returned to England a sick man but soon recovered his normal strength and vigour and began his surgical career in Cardiff. In 1922 he was appointed to the honorary staff of Cardiff Royal Infirmary and soon became also attached to numerous smaller hospitals in the vicinity of that city. Harries continued these various appointments until his retirement in 1950 having given a very distinguished service both as a surgeon and a teacher. Harries' liking for physiology and research enhanced his value as a teacher and he also, during his active life, published many papers on abdominal surgery. His many hobbies included golf, reading and gardening and he was always up to date in every aspect of medicine and surgery. He took an active interest in the BMA and was Vice-President of the Section of Surgery at the annual meeting in Cardiff in 1953. Latterly his health became poor and his life more peaceful, he died quite suddenly at his home in Cardiff on 25 February 1965 at the age of 80. He left a widow who all their married life had been untiring in her devotion for his welfare, and one son who is a dental surgeon in Cardiff.