Martin Cox was born in Ladysmith, Cape Province, on 7 March 1922, the son of Herbert Walter Cox, an inspector of banks for Barclays DCO. His early education was at the Diocesan College, Rondebosch, from 1933 to 1939 where in addition to obtaining a first class matriculation he was also captain of boxing, winner of the Jameson Prize for athletics and was awarded colours in Rugby. After leaving school he joined the 5th Field Regiment South African Artillery as a gunner in July 1940, later attending the officers' course from May to September 1941 and being commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant. He was posted to Egypt in 1942 where he served in the 4th Field Regiment, South African Artillery during the Battle of El Alamein. He returned to South Africa after the battle when the 1st and 2nd South African Divisions were repatriated but was again posted to Egypt in September 1943 serving with the 6th South African Armoured Division, and later transferring to the South African Air Force. He qualified as a pilot in December 1944 and after acting as a Royal Artillery "spotter" in early 1945 was later employed ferrying Beaufighters to India. His final posting was to 28th South African Air Force squadron based in Algiers, flying Dakotas up to the time of his demobilisation in March 1946. He studied medicine at the University of Cape Town where he was awarded half blues for tennis and boxing and at Groote Schuur Hospital, qualifying in 1951. His early house appointments were at his teaching hospital followed by six months at Peninsula Maternity Hospital under Professor Louw. In August 1953 he came to England for postgraduate study and initially worked at Mount Gould Orthopaedic Hospital, Plymouth, as senior house officer to Michael Salz and Norman Capener. Later he was appointed casualty officer and surgical registrar at Chelmsford and Essex Hospital, where he worked under Peter Martin. He passed the FRCS in 1958 and shortly afterwards returned to South Africa, where he was appointed honorary surgeon at Witbank Hospital after joining a general practice in the town. Whilst attending courses at the College he met Georgina Elizabeth Woodgate who was secretary to the British Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the British Association of Plastic Surgeons and who earlier had been tennis champion of Middlesex in addition to representing her country at tennis. They were married in December 1957 and had two daughters, Elizabeth and Margaret Louise, neither of whom took up medicine. He continued his sporting activities after the war and was the main instigator of a squash club at University College Cape Town, both of his daughters becoming experts at the game. He was also very fond of golf. Sadly he developed a malignant tumour in the lung and after a long debilitating illness died in July 1989 aged 67, survived by his wife and family.