James Warne Ardagh, son of Patrick Augustine Ardagh, CBE, DSO, MC, a surgeon, and Lily Hebe Anderson (née Lowick), was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 5 December 1920. After education at Loreto College and Christ's College, Christchurch, he entered the University of Otago in 1940 and graduated in 1944. After house surgeon appointments in New Zealand he came to London where he took a number of resident surgical posts before completing the FRCS in 1948. Returning to New Zealand in 1949 he was surgical registrar at Christchurch Hospital and became FRACS in 1949. In the same year he entered general practice and held a number of assistant surgical posts at Christchurch Hospital and Burwood plastic surgical unit. He gave up general practice in 1953 and two years later was appointed visiting surgeon to the North Canterbury Hospital Board, becoming chairman of surgical services and head of the department of surgery in 1979. He had also been appointed honorary surgeon to the Mary Potter Hospice in 1961. His father had served as a Brigadier with the New Zealand Army Medical Service and he himself was commanding officer of the 3rd N.Z. Field Ambulance from 1960 to 1966; director of medical services to the New Zealand Combat Division from 1966 to 1976 and Colonel Commandant of the ANZAMC from 1977 to 1980. He was surgeon consultant to the New Zealand Armed Services in 1975 and had three tours of duty. James Ardagh had great administrative ability which was well utilised in his hospital and military appointments. He was Chairman of the Christchurch Hospitals Post-Graduate Society 1971-74, chairman of medical staff 1974-76 and President of the Canterbury Division of the NZMA in 1977. He also served on the Canterbury Disciplinary Committee up to the date of his death and was a member of the New Zealand Dominion Committee of the Royal College of Surgeons from 1962 to 1970. He was recognised as a talented surgeon of wide interests with a special interest in vascular surgery on which he published a number of papers. A reserved and somewhat diffident manner masked a warm character with a nice sense of humour which served him well in his committee work. He was a man of firm faith and a dedicated churchman who was never too busy to help friends and colleagues when they were in trouble. He was principal medical officer of the St John Ambulance in the Canterbury and West Coast centre, and divisional surgeon to the St Matthew's Nursing Division, being appointed to the Order of St John in 1981. When he died at his home in Christchurch on 23 June 1983 he was survived by his wife Margaret, and by their four sons and three daughters.