William (Bill) Hamilton Smith was born in Melbourne in July 1916, an identical twin. His father was Thomas James Smith, cartage contractor and his mother was Elizabeth, nee Maslen. His twin brother James later became MRACP and a radiologist. His other siblings were Father John Hamilton Smith SJ, Bernadette, a social worker and Patricia Nakouz, a librarian.

Educated at Xavier College, he was Dux of School in 1933. In 1939 he graduated MBBS from the University of Melbourne Faculty of Medicine, winning the Margaret Ryan Scholarship as the top student in general medicine. In addition, he won the Old Collegians’ Scholarship for academic excellence at Newman College. During World War II he served as a medical officer with the RAAF, 1940-46, rising to the rank of Squadron Leader.

His early clinical training was at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, followed by some years as a clinical fellow at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith, and Visiting fellow at King’s College Hospital, London (1947-51). Returning to Melbourne, he pursued a career as a consultant physician in medicine with a special interest in endocrinology and diabetes, and published several papers on these subjects. He became a visiting physician to St Vincent’s, including duties as Senior Physician to the Diabetes and Endocrinology clinics (1952-82), the Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital, (1955-67) and the Repatriation Department (1952-82). During his thirty years as a Visiting Physician at St Vincent’s he was also a clinical teacher for the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Melbourne. From 1958-1960 he was a member of the Victorian State Committee of the RACP.

In 1949 he married Eileen Joan (Billie) Green, a medical receptionist and they had three daughters Adrienne, Toni and Terrie. Bill was smallish in stature, with a gentlemanly appearance and demeanour. He was interested in literature as a writer and reader. His death occurred in July 2000 in Melbourne, from leukaemia.