David Bailey was a consultant surgeon at University College Hospital (UCH). He was born on 1 March 1922. Qualifying in medicine from the University of Cambridge and UCH his first post was at the latter. After proceeding to the Royal Northern Hospital and Barnet General Hospital as consultant surgeon he returned to UCH as a consultant and senior lecturer in clinical surgery. He was also honorary consultant surgeon to St Luke's Hospital for Clergy in London. In 1963 he published a book *The infected hand* and, throughout his career, produced various papers on aspects of arterial surgery. He was a member of the BMA and a fellow of the RSM. He died on 8 August 2007, aged 85 years.