A Malvern man who served as a surgeon during the Falklands War has died.

Dr Peter Mayner was on the SS Canberra when it was requisitioned by the MOD for service in 1982 and volunteered to stay on board as the ship became a troop carrier.

Dr Mayner was born in 1938 in Harborne, Birmingham, and came to Malvern with his mother Lucie and sister in 1940, following the death of his father.

Educated at Haileybury College, he studied classics at Trinity College, Cambridge and then medicine at the Queen Elizabeth Medical School, Birmingham.

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He took various hospital positions and training before starting a 22-year career with the P&O Shipping Line as a surgeon on cruise ships.

Dr Mayner retired from P&O in 1996 due to ill health, but continued to practice medicine, undertaking medicals for shipping personnel and locum shifts for GP practices.

Malvern Gazette: Dr Peter Mayner was a surgeon on cruise ships for P&ODr Peter Mayner was a surgeon on cruise ships for P&O (Image: NQ)

He was the medical adviser to Avery Berkel in Birmingham for some years and served on the Board of Shipping in London as an advisor upon seagoing medicine.

Dr Mayner was a lifelong lover of sport, playing rugby, cricket, squash and tennis at college and university and later, when he joined Malvern Rugby Club, Manor Park Tennis Club and a local cricket team.

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He was a keen swimmer and underwater diver, belonging to the Cambridge Underwater Exploration Society. He was also a pilot having trained with the University of Birmingham Air Squadron (RAF).

In later years he joined the Hadley Bowling Club, where he had many friends and happy times

Dr Mayner's love of music involved him with the Friends of the English Spring Orchestra and he supported this whenever he could.

Malvern Gazette: Dr Mayner was heavily involved in public life in MalvernDr Mayner was heavily involved in public life in Malvern (Image: NQ)

His further interest in local history resulted in his collaboration with neighbours in producing two local village history books.

He was a long-term Trustee of the local Malvern-based charity, ARCOS and this position and work was very important to him over many years.

Dr Mayner, who was known as Teddy, passed away peacefully at his home near Malvern on Friday, January 20.

He leaves a wife, daughter and two grandsons, and a brother and his family.