22 SAS Brunton, Frederick James (Freddie)

John Robertson

Administrator
Staff member
  • SURNAME
Brunton
  • FORENAME
Frederick James (Freddie)
  • UNIT
Regimental Medical Officer
  • RANK
Captain
  • NUMBER
419044
  • AWARD
Mention in Despatches
  • PLACE
Malaya 1952
  • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Royal Army Medical Corps
b.18 December 1926 d.24 February 2003
MB BS Lond(1950) MRCP(1956) DMRD(1958) FFR(1963) FRCP(1976)
Frederick James Brunton (‘Freddie’) was a former consultant radiologist at Southampton. The third of seven children, he was educated at Dulwich College, before transferring to Blundell’s School in Devon during the war years. He went on to St Mary’s Hospital to study medicine, where he was a keen rock climber, an excellent swimmer and water polo player.
He qualified in 1950 and then carried out his National Service, as a medical officer with the SAS. He was parachuted behind enemy lines in the Malayan jungle, and was mentioned in despatches.
After returning to London, he continued his training at Central Middlesex Hospital, and then worked at the Brompton Hospital. He returned to St Mary’s to train in radiology, working with Rohan Williams and David Sutton.
In 1963 he was appointed to his consultant post at Southampton. With his colleagues, he helped transform and develop the department, becoming a much-respected father figure. As well as being a superb diagnostician, he was also a gifted and experienced teacher. He was one of the leading forces behind initiating a training programme in radiology.
Outside medicine, he was interested in the natural world. He was a keen ornithologist and gardener, and an enthusiastic artist. He played golf and was a skilled fly fisherman.
He met his wife, Gillian, then a medical student, at Central Middlesex Hospital. They had three children, Richard, Edward and Emma. He died following a short illness.
commissioned Lieutenant R.A.M.C. 10.9.1951
 
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