Born in 1897, Daniel Alexander Davies first took the BSc and then studied medicine at St Thomas's Hospital. He qualified in 1922, became house surgeon there, and later whole time demonstrator of anatomy. In 1926, after taking the FRCS Davies settled at Deal. He combined the skills of a first-rate general practitioner with those of a consultant surgeon. He was on the staff of the Victoria Hospital, Deal, and was a popular doctor and a sound diagnostician. He kept abreast by wide reading and frequent visits to St Thomas's. During the 1914-18 war Davies had served in the Welsh Guards and wished to serve abroad again in the second world war, but had to content himself by combatant training of the Home Guard and by war surgery during the bombing of the Kent coast. Shortly after the war Davies had a severe attack of coronary thrombosis which he described most graphically in *The Lancet* in the "Disabilities" series (1949, 1, 36). After recovery he worked as hard as ever, not only in his practice but for the St John Ambulance Corps, the Kent and Canterbury executive council and the SE Kent hospital management committee. He was also a golf and football enthusiast. Alec Davies lived vigorously; his colourful, direct speech fitting his warm personality. He died in Deal Hospital on 8 April 1958, aged 60, survived by two daughters.