Robert Marshall Laird was born on 4 February 1919. He studied medicine at Queen’s University Belfast, qualifying MB, BCh, BAO in 1942 and working there as a demonstrator in physiology. He served as a flight lieutenant in the RAFVR. After house jobs at Preston Royal Infirmary, he passed the fellowship of the college in 1951. He was appointed consultant surgeon to the East Antrim Hospital group and became a fellow of the Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland. He died on 13 June 2018 aged 99.