William M Smith

As a medical student, William M Smith (“Bill”) was an enthusiastic member of the University Air Squadron and after graduation served with the Royal Air Force both at home in the UK and abroad, including Cyprus. In the early 1970s he was a greatly valued member of the aviation medicine training team based at RAF North Luffenham; his commanding officer at the time, commented that Bill had a significant role in establishing and developing the high standards of safety training now enjoyed by aircrew of modern high performance military aircraft. He retained a lifelong interest in and detailed knowledge of military aircraft and regularly attended reunions of those with whom he had served in the RAF.

After leaving the RAF he took over a position in a singlehanded general practice in York; this came with great challenges, but he successfully developed the practice over subsequent years. Fortuitously, his arrival in York coincided with a new appointment to an adjacent practice, also singlehanded. Over the early months of …