Surgeon Rear Admiral John Brian Drinkwater was a naval medical officer of considerable distinction, serving clinically as a highly-respected surgeon before moving into leadership roles. John was born in Beeston, Nottinghamshire on 5 June 1931 to Ellis Drinkwater and Hilda May Drinkwater (née Spicer). He gained a place at Henry Mellish Grammar School in Nottingham and at the age of 17 entered Sheffield University Medical School. He qualified in June 1954 and undertook house officer posts in Doncaster and Sheffield before joining the Royal Naval Medical Service in August 1955. He was appointed as squadron medical officer to the 6th Frigate Squadron in October that year and spent 20 months at sea in the eastern Mediterranean, including during the Suez crisis. In April 1957, he embarked on surgical training at Royal Naval Hospital Haslar, Royal Hospital Portsmouth and Hammersmith Hospital, obtaining his FRCS in 1961. He then served as a surgical specialist in HMS *Ganges* and Royal Naval Hospitals Haslar, Plymouth, Malta and Gibraltar before being granted consultant surgeon status in 1968. As a consultant surgeon he again served in Haslar, Plymouth and Malta, becoming head of the surgical department at Haslar in the mid 1970s and adviser in surgery to the medical director general (Navy) in 1981. He was appointed as medical officer-in-charge of RNH Haslar in 1983 and became deputy medical director general (Navy) in 1984 before his final appointment as surgeon rear admiral (operational medical services) from 1985 to 1987. He was an Officer of the Order of St John, and appointed Queen’s Honorary Surgeon in 1983. ‘JBD’, as he was affectionately known by his juniors, was an excellent clinical opinion, a fine surgeon, a skilled administrator and a natural leader, qualities that were recognised in his rapid rise to senior ranks when he gave up clinical surgery. He was also an accomplished pianist and was renowned for his production and performance in mess cabarets at the Royal Naval Hospital at Stonehouse in Plymouth in the 1970's. The ‘JBD Follies’ were staged cabaret style in the officers’ mess and became eagerly anticipated annual events which were guaranteed to entertain and amuse, especially when the pride of senior colleagues was mischievously but gently tickled. He retired from the Royal Navy in 1987 and joined Muscular Dystrophy UK as director of support services, where he revelled in being able to help those affected by muscle wasting conditions and their families. A few years later, he moved with his family to Argyll, taking up a part-time post as clinical medical officer with the Argyll and Clyde Health Board and enjoyed the quieter rural environs of Kintyre. John’s flair for administration and efficiency was recognised when he was asked to stay on beyond normal retirement age, which he did, before finally hanging up his stethoscope and putting aside his briefcase in 1998. In his younger days, John was a keen participant in rugby, tennis and squash and at university was well known for his considerable poker skills. Later in life, these pastimes were replaced by bridge, snooker and woodwork – including making toys for his children. His interest and enjoyment in linguistic and logic puzzles was satisfied by broadsheet crosswords and super fiendish sudoku, both of which were tackled assiduously. As well as continuing to play the piano daily, he was a member of a local barbershop chorus and played the organ in the local church most Sundays and at weddings for many years. John, with his family, relocated several times around Scotland, exploring and enjoying some of the more rural and remote coastal spots, before moving six years ago to Cumbria. It was there he passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, in his favourite chair, on 11 February 2018 at the age of 86. John was survived by his wife Carole, their daughters Alexandra and Olivia, and two daughters from his first marriage, Sylvia and Julia.