Born at Nhill in the west of Victoria in 1894, he moved to Melbourne with his parents at an early age. He was educated at Brighton Grammar School and the University of Melbourne, qualifying in 1916. He joined the Australian Imperial Force immediately, without serving any resident hospital appointment, and was posted to the 1st Australian General Hospital in Rouen, but after a short time became regimental medical officer of the 14th Battalion. He was gassed and awarded the Military Cross which he could never be bothered to collect so that in the end it had to be sent to him. After the war he worked in England to obtain his Fellowship, in company with his friend Hugh Cairns. Returning to Australia in 1921 he was appointed to the staff of the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, where in 1930 he established the first neurosurgical unit in Australia and in 1939 was able to get a special block constructed for it in the hospital. His surgical interests were wide, however, covering orthopaedics and thoracic surgery, so that for a long time he remained a general surgeon; but from 1939 to 1946 he was a consultant neurosurgeon to the Army with the rank of Major. As befitted the son and nephew of two famous international Australian cricketers, he was himself a good ball-game player, particularly of cricket and golf. He was a skilled mechanic and designed numerous tools and instruments. He did not care for parties, although anyone was welcome to come and talk to him while he was working at his bench in his workshop. In 1930 he married Uira Law by whom he had a son and a daughter. He died on 16 October 1962.