Roger Grace was a consultant colorectal surgeon at Wolverhampton and director of the division of clinical sciences at the University of Wolverhampton. He was born in Hastings on 13 May 1934, the son of Archibald ‘Archie’ Hew Grace and Nora Lilian Grace née Stanislas. During the Second World War, his school was evacuated to Devon for three years, at the same time his father was serving in the Mediterranean with the Royal Army Medical Corps as an anaesthetist. Consequently, Roger did not see him for six of his formative years. His latter education was at Epsom College. After National Service in Shropshire and Germany, Roger decided on a career in medicine and began his training at St Thomas’s Hospital Medical School in London in 1955. It is this period that had a profound effect on his working life: he emerged from medical school as the archetypal ‘Tommy’s Man’, fiercely proud of his alma mater and fairly scathing about ‘lesser’ institutions. Shortly after qualifying, Roger met and soon married Alwyn (Elizabeth Alwyn Farthing). They were blessed with 60 years of happy married life and together made a formidable team. Their shared interest in fine art, antiques and dogs made them good company at social events. Roger and Alwyn had three sons, of whom he was immensely proud. Roger’s early surgical training was typical of that time – both peripatetic and unstructured. The family moved house 11 times whilst Roger undertook his surgical training in Burton-on-Trent, Cardiff, Bournemouth, Bookham and Liverpool. However, it was his time as resident surgical officer at St Mark’s Hospital that confirmed his commitment to colorectal surgery. After his appointment to the Royal Hospital in Wolverhampton, this commitment to colorectal surgery was a source of some friction with his established colleagues, who regarded themselves as old fashioned general surgeons and earned him the sobriquet ‘Rectal Roger’. What is undeniable is that his dedication to colorectal surgery was responsible for the establishment of the department of colorectal surgery in Wolverhampton, well ahead of widespread subspecialisation within general surgery in district general hospitals. In addition to his large clinical practice, Roger was an enthusiastic and diligent researcher, with interests in anal sepsis, cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. His commitment to research was recognised when he was appointed professor of colorectal surgery by the University of Wolverhampton, and he held the post of director of research and development until his retirement in 2000. Roger Grace was well regarded in national and international colorectal circles and had many friends and acquaintances around the world. He was a prime mover in the establishment of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, being its first treasurer and seventh president. In addition, he applied his considerable energy and persuasive powers to help establish the European Society of Coloproctology. Amongst other roles, Roger was president of the St Mark’s Association, president of the section of coloproctology of the Royal Society of Medicine and had been a Hunterian Professor in 1974. Roger Grace was a meticulous clinician and surgeon as well as an excellent clinical opinion on a ‘difficult case’. He had a large clinical practice, both NHS and private patients, who held him in high regard, even beyond his retirement from clinical practice. Roger practised the principle of daily consultant review of the firm’s patients well before this was seen as ideal practice by the wider surgical community. Much admired and respected around the hospital, Roger could also infuriate his colleagues and hospital managers with his single-minded determination. In the latter part of his career and especially post-retirement, Roger engaged in medico-legal report writing. His meticulous attention to detail meant his opinion was much sought after by lawyers. Roger Grace died on 20 January 2024 after a short illness. He was 89.