John Grayson Grounds

John was born in London, then moved to Sheffield and North Wales, where he attended Penygroes Secondary School. He qualified from St Andrew’s in 1947 and undertook his pre-registration year at the University Hospital in Dundee. On completion he was called up for national service and became a medical officer in the Black Watch; he was sent through Egypt to serve with the 2nd King’s African Rifles in Nanyuki, Kenya. Here he met and married Sylvia in 1950, shortly before his demobilisation from the army.

He immediately applied for service as a medical officer in the Colonial Service and, after training and studying for his diploma in tropical medicine and hygiene, was posted back to Kenya. He worked initially in …