Alf Derham was born in Camberwell, Victoria and educated at Scotch College, and the University of Melbourne. His medical course was distinguished with high honours in the pre-clinical years, but was interrupted in the fifth year when he enlisted as a private in the First AIF. He landed on Gallipoli as second lieutenant in 5 Battalion and was one of the first to be awarded the Military Cross for distinguished leadership and bravery, an account of which is recorded in the Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-1919.

He returned to Australia in 1916, completed his medical course in 1918, re-enlisted in the AAMC and while he was on his way to the front the Armistice was signed. While still a medical student, he married Frances, the eldest daughter of JT Noble Anderson, in July 1917. This union was to prove a wonderful partnership and companionship in family life and professional and community service.

After demobilisation in 1919 he was appointed resident at the Children's Hospital, then honorary physician to outpatients in 1920 and to inpatients 1934-52. He was in general practice in Preston 1920-22 and during this time completed an MD. In 1922 he was appointed medical officer and superintendent of the Children's Welfare Department's institution at Royal Park for children who had been wards of state. He was appalled at the conditions under which these children lived. Inadequate nutrition and severe infections resulted in a death rate of 5.1% of 1,500 children who were incarcerated there. Despite an indifferent bureaucracy and government he and the matron managed to improve conditions, and during the six years he was there the death rate fell to 0.27%. During the time he was superintendent he had the right of private practice and he slowly built up consultative practice in Collins Street and continued his honorary work at the Children's. In addition to these activities he was medical officer to the Kew Council, a member of the council of the Baby Health Association of Victoria and a member of the council of British Medical Association (Victorian branch). He also established a Children's Health Bureau in Anzac House for the supervision and treatment of children of servicemen. Preventive and curative care of children's health were equally important to him.

In 1939 he enlisted in the Second AIF and was appointed DMS of the ill-fated 8th Division, the majority of whom were captured by Japanese and imprisoned in Singapore and elsewhere. He demonstrated his true greatness during the following difficult years. His deputy, Dr Glyn White writes `To all ranks of the medical corps in 8th Division he was the chief influence in turning what would have been a tragic, unhappy experience into something of an inspiration and a time to be looked back on with regret that such relationships between men cannot always exist'. After his release from captivity his vigour and health never returned. Several years of increasing ill health were born courageously and closed a remarkable life of service.

John Flynn, the founder of the Australian Outback Aerial Medical Services once said `A man is his friends'. Alf Derham had many friends during his life, professional friends in medicine and nursing, the men and women with whom he served his country in two World Wars, the children of Melbourne, who through no fault of their own were placed in the care of an indifferent government, and all children and their families with whom he dealt professionally. He was a quiet, unassuming man, but one of the great men and physicians of his era.