George Elkington was born in Newport, Shropshire on 20 March 1889, the eldest child of two general practitioners, Ernest Alfred and Annie Isabella Baddeley. The Baddeley practice had existed in Newport since the 1770's and the Elkington family had practised medicine in Birmingham since the 1830's. George was educated at Adams' Grammar School, Newport, and the University of Birmingham, qualifying in 1912. He was resident pathologist at the General Hospital, Birmingham when the first world war started. Volunteering for the RAMC immediately, he sailed for France on 26 August 1914 in company with A A Martin who described their early experiences together in *A surgeon in khaki*, published in 1916. He spent the entire war (temporary commission - Captain - Acting Major) in forward positions of great hardship and danger, much of it with the West Yorkshire Regiment, as recounted in Sidney Rogerson's *Twelve days, and General Jack's diary 1914-18* edited by John Terraine (1964). George's own diary has been presented to the Imperial War Museum. In 1919 he served with the RAMC in Germany until October and was awarded the Military Cross in that year in recognition of his prolonged and gallant service. After demobilisation he studied in London and in 1920 obtained both the FRCS and the London MB BS, the latter in emulation of his father's own degree. He was especially proud of his distinction in pathology. James Paterson Ross obtained distinction in surgery at the same examination. Whatever his experience and ambitions may have been George Elkington did not subsequently practise as a surgeon. Instead he joined the family practice in 1921 to assist his father (a former house surgeon to Joseph Lister) who at 72 was unable to retire because his younger children were still undergoing education. The youngest of these was J St C Elkington of St Thomas's Hospital and the National Hospital, Queen Square. George Elkington had unrivalled knowledge of and love for the people and country along the Shropshire/Staffordshire border where he spent almost all of his life. His great pleasures were country pursuits with his family; his great virtues were steadiness and rectitude. He was Chairman of the Shropshire Panel Committee for several years. He retired in 1959, completing with his father 99 years in practice in Newport. He continued to live in the town until his death at 97. To the end he remained intensely interested in the science and development of medicine. On 20 April 1931 he married Kathleen Mary Budgen (Kitty), second daughter of the Rector of Newport, and almoner to the Westminster Ophthalmic Hospital. They had one daughter and three sons (two consultant surgeons and one consultant physician). George Elkington died on 6 May 1986.