David Whibley Ludbrook was born at Pakaraka in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand on 28 February 1931 to Geoffrey Valentine Ludbrook who was a sheep farmer and his wife, Lucy, nee Whibley. He was educated at King's School and College, Auckland and qualified MB, ChB at Otago Medical School in 1956. After a spell studying plastic surgery he proceeded to the UK where he served as registrar at Hastings, the King Edward Memorial Hospital, Ealing, and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. He passed the FRCS in 1965. Retiring to New Zealand he became consulting surgeon to the Taranaki Hospital Board in 1968 and practiced in New Plymouth for the rest of his life. He was a great sportsman, playing rugby for Otago and Auckland and against the Springboks in 1956. He played lock forward in a New Zealand team in 1954 and was also NZU heavyweight boxing champion in 1953. He was a gregarious person and a patient and intrepid surgeon with an extensive practice in orthopaedics and sports injuries. In 1957 he married Nancy Sayers, daughter of Sir Edward Sayers, former Dean of Otago Medical School and Past President of the RACS. His wide interests included surf life-saving and the theatre. He also laid down an excellent cellar, but was prevented from enjoying it at maturity by his tragically early death in a motor accident on 27 June 1984. He was survived by his wife and three children - two sons; an actor and an army officer, and a daughter, Jane who was studying medicine.