John Bertram Phillips was born in Sydney, New South Wales, on 9 June 1924, the only son of Gerald Bertram Phillips, a dental mechanic, and his wife Isabel May, née Cunningham. His early education was at Lindfield Primary School, Sydney, and North Sydney Boys' High School. He studied medicine at Sydney University and qualified MB BS with second class honours in 1946. He then held posts as junior RMO at Sydney Hospital in 1946, clinical assistant in the outpatient department, 1949, junior RMO at the Royal Newcastle Hospital in 1950 and senior RMO in 1951. In that year he married Mary Howarth, daughter of a retired English doctor. In 1952 he worked as junior RMO at the Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney. In 1961 he came to England and worked as surgical registrar in Torbay Hospital, Torquay, for Hugh Guerrier, FRCS, and Michael Gardner, FRCS, both of whom influenced him greatly. He took his FRCS while in England. On his return to Australia he was appointed surgical registrar at St George's Hospital, Sydney, in 1963. His interests outside surgery included work as medical officer to the local Boy Scouts and athletic relaxation from ski-ing, competitive car-driving and competitive dancing. He died in January 1982 at the early age of 57, leaving his wife Mary and four children, the youngest of whom is keen to follow his father's profession.