It is with sadness that we report the death of Hugh Lester Leech on 1 February 2010 aged 88. Hugh was born on 11 September 1921 near Newport, South Wales, and was educated locally, his singing ability leading to him being selected for the Newport Cathedral Choir, and later the Exeter Cathedral School and Cathedral Choir. He went up to Bristol University in 1939 to study dentistry. His studies coincided with the Bristol Blitz. The Bristol Royal Infirmary and Dental School being close to the centre, he found himself at night on fire-watch duty on the roof of the BRI, as well as carrying injured people on stretchers up and down stairs if the lifts could not be used, particularly during air-raids. He was also in the Home Guard, guarding the Clifton Suspension Bridge. A keen sportsman, he found time to captain the Rugby 2nd XV, as well as playing football, tennis and cricket, later becoming a member of the MCC on moving to London. On graduating in 1944, he joined the Army Dental Corps, being posted to Egypt where he served with the Paras. At demob, he studied orthodontics at the Eastman. He then lectured at Birmingham Dental School before, in 1958, being appointed as one of the earliest consultant orthodontists. Initially he worked at Bedford, Luton, Stevenage, Hemel Hempstead and Watford from his home base of Amersham, where he met his future wife Lorna at amateur dramatics. They married in 1961. Slowly, he managed to hand over some units to new consultants: Bedford and Stevenage in 1979, Luton and Hemel Hempstead in 1987, and Watford in 1990, when he was finally able to take his well-earned retirement. Throughout his career Hugh showed total commitment to the NHS, and was very popular with his patients, receiving many expressions of gratitude. In retirement, he continued to attend the Lord's Test Match each year, and played tennis and golf, until his wife’s failing health took precedence for a number of years until her death in 2007. Sadly their only child Nicky also predeceased him in 2008.