Donald Beard was the first director of surgery at Modbury Hospital in South Australia and served with distinction in the Korean and Vietnam wars. He was born in Adelaide, South Australia, on 22 February 1925, the son of Harold Douglas Beard, a civil servant, and Alison Mavis Beard née Wright, a housewife. He was educated at Adelaide Technical High School and Adelaide High School, before studying medicine at the University of Adelaide, qualifying in 1947. As a student, he had served in the Australian Army Medical Corps, Commonwealth Monitoring Force. In February 1949, he volunteered for full-time Army service with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan. In December 1949, he extended his tour of duty and was promoted to major. On the eve of his return to Australia, North Korea invaded South Korea. Don volunteered to serve in Korea, with a reduction in rank to captain as the regimental medical officer of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR), part of the 27th Commonwealth Brigade. On his arrival in Korea, he took three days to find 3RAR bivouacked near Seoul, challenged by the retreating human tide as he travelled north. There was no regimental medical officer with the battalion, and they were facing the worst winter in memory (-30°C). The battalion were not clothed for cold weather, and there was a shortage of medical equipment and medicines. Don had to improvise constantly, especially treating frostbite. A novel treatment was developed with soldiers directed to use Barbasol (shaving cream – labels removed), rubbed vigorously into their hands and feet. Don taught first aid, wound management and fracture splintage to battalion band members, who were co-opted as stretcher bearers. The support team included a 14-year-old Korean refugee lad who remained with the unit during major engagements. Later, with the support of Don and others, he emigrated to Australia. On 22 April 1951, 300,000 Chinese invaded South Korea. 3RAR was moved northeast to the slopes of the Kapyong Valley, a main invasion route. The 27th Brigade was opposed by a 12,000-man Chinese division. On the evening of 22 April 1951, 4,000 Chinese attacked 3RAR (600 men), and fought a furious close-quarter battle. The regimental aid post was under direct fire, with Don Beard an obvious target. Following intense fighting, the 3RAR was ordered to withdraw to higher ground, having fought the Chinese to a standstill. Most casualties were evacuated, but 30 remained near the Chinese positions. On several occasions, Don rode forward in a US Sherman tank under fire to pick up these injured solders, lashing them to the outside of the tank and returning very quickly. After Korea, Don became a much admired and respected figure in 3RAR circles. He would attend the annual 3RAR Kapyong Day formal parades at Holsworthy, New South Wales and later in Townsville, Queensland, either placing the Kapyong decorations on the regimental colours or reading the US Presidential Citation awarded to the battalion. He returned to the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) surgical staff. In March 1953 he was given leave from his position at the RAH, having been selected as the medical officer for the Australian contingent attending the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953. He travelled in the aircraft carrier HMAS *Sydney* to the UK. Don received an invitation for drinks at Buckingham Palace from Major John Althorp, equerry to HM the Queen, whom he had initially met in Adelaide. John Althorp became the 8th Earl Spencer, father of Princess Diana. Don, in uniform, was saluted by then five-year-old Prince Charles inside the palace. On the coronation march, Don stood out as the tall left marker in the front rank (he was 1.95 metres). In 1955, he returned to the UK for further surgical training and, in 1957, passed the surgical exams for the fellowships of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and of Edinburgh. On his return to Australia, he passed the exams for the fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and then served on the RAH staff until 1963. He was appointed to the surgical staff of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital until 1973, when he was made the first director of surgery at the new Modbury Hospital. He held this post until his retirement in 1990. In the Army, he was again promoted to major (in 1958), then lieutenant colonel (in 1961). He was promoted to colonel and posted as commanding officer 3rd General Hospital in 1965. He volunteered for full-time duty in Vietnam in March 1968 and was posted as the only surgeon to 8th Field Ambulance, which was enlarged as 1st Australian Field Hospital in April 1968 at Vũng Tàu. It was the end of the Tet offensive, there were many casualties and a shortage of medical and nursing officers. Morale was understandably low, and standards of discipline had fallen. Colonel Donald Beard’s arrival restored humanity to the hospital. His reputation and professionalism were acknowledged, and all patients, friend or foe, were treated equally. His generosity, tolerance and good humour in this time of adversity was noted. When blood supplies were short, fresh donor blood from soldiers was used. Don would then shout ‘lunch’ for the donors to thank them for their life-giving contribution. Don returned to Australia in June 1968 and was appointed as director of medical services for the Army in South Australia from September 1970 to October 1974, a role in which he excelled. If he believed in a soldier’s or officer’s worth, then he backed them fully to the highest level. His record was well known and respected throughout the Army. Further military appointments included being made an honorary surgeon to Her Majesty the Queen in February 1976 and, in December 1978, being appointed as a consultant surgeon to the Army headquarters, a post he held until February 1987. He was made a Member of the Military Division of the Order of Australia in 1987. He was subsequently appointed as an honorary colonel (colonel commandant) of the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps, South Australia, from June 1988 to 1991, then for Australia in 1991. He was also a member of the council of the Australian War Memorial. He also had a long interest in and concern for road trauma. In 1974 he was appointed as chairman of South Australia’s Road Safety Advisory Council. He was chairman of the South Australia State committee of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons from 1978 to 1980. Don Beard had many and varied interests including a passion for music, opera and the arts. In the late 1980s, State Opera South Australia, looking for a tall man, rang him to play the role of the ghost in Richard Strauss’ *Elektra*. His brief operatic career continued with parts in *Samson and Delilah* (Saint-Saëns) and as King Duncan in *Macbeth* (Verdi). In June 2002 he delivered an outstanding oration ‘Music and warfare’ to the annual scientific congress of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and again, in 2005, to the quincentenary congress of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. For many years he was a member of the Robert Burns Society, celebrating the life and works of the great Scottish poet and lyricist. He played club cricket in many countries. He played A grade cricket (and baseball) for university and later cricket for Sturt as a fast medium opening bowler. His cricket involvement continued for life. For 30 years he was an honorary medical officer for the South Australian and Test teams at the Adelaide Oval. He was also a medical adviser to the Australian Cricket Board. Many international players sought his wise counsel, and, among many, he became a close friend of Sir Donald Bradman. Don Beard married Margaret Dunn, a radiographer, in January 1962 at St Augustine’s Church, Unley. They had two sons – Matthew, a physiotherapist, and Alastair, an accountant. Don died on 6 December 2022, aged 97. His funeral at the Adelaide Oval on 19 December 2022 was attended by the commanding officer and regimental sergeant major from 3RAR; the coffin was piped out by a representative from the battalion band. General Sir Peter Cosgrove, past governor general, said in a tribute: ‘His role as a doctor tending soldier in combat is a byword in the Australian Army. At the Battle of Kapyong his inspirational care and leadership contributed to the love this strong man had for peace and compassion.’