Born in Bathurst in 1874 son of W Burton Wade, he was educated at Sydney Grammar School and the University of Sydney. Qualifying in 1896, he commenced a lifelong association with the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, starting as resident medical officer in 1896, then senior resident medical officer in 1897, honorary registrar and anaesthetist 1901-02, honorary assistant surgeon 1902-13, honorary surgeon 1913-34 and honorary consulting surgeon from 1934; in 1932 he was President. At the University of Sydney he was surgical tutor 1908-16 and lecturer on the surgical diseases of children 1926-32. He was also honorary medical officer to Marricksville District Hospital 1903-11 and honorary consulting surgeon from 1911 onwards. At Royal South Sydney Hospital he was honorary surgeon 1913-32 and consulting surgeon after 1932. In 1933 he was appointed honorary surgeon to Prince Henry Hospital, Sydney. President of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1935, he was a member of the Board of Censors. He was President of the New South Wales Medical Board and member of Council of the BMA being president of the Section for Diseases of Children in 1923. He was also President of the Section of Ophthalmic Surgery at the Australian Medical Congress in Adelaide in 1937. During the war of 1939-45 he was director of orthopaedics to the Army at Randwick Military Hospital. He married M M Furber who died in 1943 and by whom he had three daughters. He died on 13 May 1954 aged 80.