Herbert Dales was born in Lisburn, County Antrim, on 17 October 1919. His father was Samuel Hugh Dales, a mill manager. His mother was Muriel Gertrude née Calvert. He was educated at Campbell College, Belfast, and went on to Queen's University Belfast to study medicine. There he won scholarships in his last two years. After junior appointments in Belfast he joined the RNVR. On demobilisation, in 1946, he returned to demonstrate anatomy in Belfast, passed the FRCS, and became a lecturer in surgery. In 1955 he was appointed consultant surgeon to Belfast City Hospital and Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast. In 1963 he visited St Mary's to study the vascular surgical techniques of Charles Rob and Felix Eastcott, and on his return pioneered the use of gusset grafts for aortic reconstruction. In the early days these were made up by his theatre sister from terylene. Unfortunately, he developed a sensitivity to latex gloves, which was complicated by infection and he took early retirement in 1979, at the age of 60. He had married Frances Audrey née Pope, another Belfast graduate, in 1950. They had two daughters, Alison Gertrude, who became an accountant and married a Mr Fuller, and Jennifer Anne, who was a civil servant. After retirement he and his wife went into general practice in Torquay, where they could enjoy their hobby of sailing. He died on 28 December 2001 from a carcinoma of the common bile duct.