Maurice Philip Susman was born in Sydney, Australia, on 4 August 1898, the son of Philip Susman, a merchant, and Gertrude, née Lehane. His early education was at Sydney Church of England Preparatory School and Sydney Church of England Grammar School, afterwards entering the University of Sydney for medical studies. He qualified in 1921 and was initially resident medical officer at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, working under Sir Alexander McCormick. He came to England for postgraduate studies working at the Brompton Hospital under Mr Arthur Tudor Edwards and passing the FRCS in 1925. After returning to Australia he passed the FRACS in 1930 and was appointed honorary surgeon to Sydney Hospital and honorary thoracic surgeon to the Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney. Shortly after the outbreak of war he joined the Australian Imperial Forces as a surgical specialist with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, serving in Greece, Crete and Syria and after demobilisation returned to his previous civilian posts until his retirement. Throughout his life he had always been interested in flying and he obtained his pilot's licence in 1928. At the end of 1964, after retirement he spent three months with the flying doctor service in Queensland. He also undertook many locum consultant posts in the National Health Service in Great Britain. He married a Miss Shanahan in 1934 and they had a daughter, Jenny. He died after a short illness on 13 September 1988, aged 90, and is survived by his wife and daughter.