Born 14 February 1897, the ninth child and third son of George Fitzsimons, a farmer, and his wife, *née* Haining. He was educated at Dumfries Academy, Scotland, and Waitaki Boys High School in New Zealand. He received his medical training at Otago Medical School, Dunedin, and later at Guy's Hospital

Educated at Birmingham University School of Medicine and at King's College Hospital, London. At the time of his death his address was c/o Ali Hussein Pasha, El Zamalek, Cairo, Egypt.