Duncan Gillard Churcher was born at Dunoon, Scotland, on 4 October 1894, one of six children of Dr Thomas Churcher, a medical missionary, and Margaret, née Robertson, an Edinburgh trained nurse. He was educated at the City of London School and obtained a scholarship to St Thomas's Hospital which he represented at rugger during his student days as well as playing for the Surrey team. He qualified a year early with MRCS, LRCP in 1917 in order to serve with the Royal Navy, hunting submarines off the coast of Ireland. At the end of the war he returned to St Thomas's Hospital and passed both the final MB BS and the FRCS in 1920. Two years later he passed the London MD and was appointed surgical registrar at St Thomas's Hospital, a post normally reserved for those expecting a consultant appointment there. Hitherto his education had been funded by scholarships but he was unable to continue in an honorary capacity and accepted an appointment as inspector in the Sudan Medical Service for several years before returning to general practice in England, initially at Tarporley and later at Eastbourne. He wanted to join the surgical staff at Princess Alice Hospital but as no surgical vacancy was expected for some years he applied for a post as physician and served on the consultant staff in that capacity from 1926 to 1959. In addition he served as doctor to the Eastbourne lifeboat and as police surgeon; he also looked after the royal household when King George V convalesced at Eastbourne. After retiring from his post as consultant physician at the age of 65 he returned to general practice and continued as police surgeon until 1975. His relaxation came from the sea and he spent many hours on the Eastbourne lifeboat. In 1940 the SS *Barnhill* was bombed and set on fire in the English Channel. Although it was thought that all survivors had been taken off, the ship's bell was heard and the lifeboat was launched once again, Churcher leapt on to the ship and found the severely injured captain ringing the bell with his teeth. After his rescue the man made a good recovery returning to service at sea. He died on 13 July 1983, survived by his wife Nancy, a medical practitioner, and by five children, two being consultants, one a general practitioner and one a nurse.