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John Buchanan was born in Scotland and educated in Edinburgh. He graduating MB ChB from the University of Edinburgh in 1923. John served in the Black Watch during World War I and was mentioned in despatches in 1916. After the war, he had a remarkable career in international rugby playing for Scotland from 1921 to 1925 and as captain in 1924. It would be no surprise that in his retirement years he was captain of his golf club.
He entered the Colonial Medical Service in 1925 and served originally in Tanganyika, Somaliland and Aden. During World War II, he served in East Africa with the RAMC as a DDMS with rank of colonel. He was again mentioned in despatches. In 1945, he was seconded for duty in the South Pacific and appointed inspector-general of the Fiji Medical Services. The health service had been sponsored by the British Colonial Office and the New Zealand Government, its objective being the improvement of the general standard of medical practice in the British Commonwealth territories in the South Pacific.
College records refer to him as: 'a sound administrator, of unimpeachable character . .' and in 1947 he was invited to receive Fellowship of the College under the special provisions for those of such high standing and achievement. In 1961, he received a Knighthood in recognition of his services to medicine through the Colonial Office. He also was honoured by appointment as a Knight of St John.