Thomas Kelly was born on 27 March 1912 at Burra in South Australia, the son of a farmer and a farmer's daughter, and was educated at a convent school and the Christian Brothers College at Rostrevor. He went to medical school in Adelaide where he obtained the Duncan Hughes and Lady Duncan Scholarships and leaving honours. He was a surgical resident and registrar at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, working with Sir Henry Newland and Sir Ivan Jose. His postgraduate training also included spending a year with Lord Brock and three years with J Leigh Collis when he developed his special interest in hiatus hernia and oesophagitis. During the war he joined the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps and attained the rank of Captain. He served as Professor of Surgery in the University of Bagdad. Kelly became the resident medical superintendent of the Royal Adelaide Hospital and was also honorary assistant surgeon to the Adelaide Children's Hospital. He had been a keen cricketer and played for Adelaide University, he also played Australian rules football. He died in March 1981.