Born in Sydney in 1913 of Latvian descent, he distinguished himself as an athlete, playing Rugby football for Australia and swimming in the Sydney Life-savers Club. Qualifying in 1940 he served for five years in the Royal Australian Naval Medical Service, working for a time in the North Sea convoys

Ian Maxim Monk was the son of a musician who had been director of violin studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. After education at Sydney Church of England Grammar School he graduated from Sydney University in 1940. He was resident medical officer at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, and then s