Ralph Cameron, born in Mackay, Queensland, in 1913 to a Scottish engineer and the daughter of English free settlers, was a quiet, unassuming medical trailblazer.

He was dux of Brisbane Grammar School and won a scholarship to study a year of science at the University of Queensland then transfer to Sydney University Medical School, there being no Medical School in Queensland at that time. He graduated in 1936 with first class honours. After two years as junior resident and registrar at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force and was posted to the Middle East.

Were it not for a lone German bomber and a pinprick of light in the Gaza darkness one night in 1941, Bathurst and districts might not have benefited from the years of specialised medical services he gave them. A German plane was on its way back from the Suez Canal, saw the light of his unit and unloaded its unused bombs. Brigadier "Red Robbie" Robertson noticed Cameron dealing efficiently with the survivors of the attack and recommended his posting to a staff school and then back to Australia for training as a physician.

After a period with NORFORCE in the Northern Territory and Torres Strait, he finished his preparation at Concord General Hospital and became a member of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. He recalled giving a talk about this time to a group of army doctors on Thursday Island about a new medicine: penicillin. He was discharged with the rank of major in 1946.

In 1946 he joined surgeon Brooke Moore FRCS (Edin) in a general practice in Bathurst, probably the first qualified physician in New South Wales to work outside the "big smoke". Cameron brought with him what was possibly the first primitive electrocardiograph (stylus, ink pen and revolving paper drum) used in country New South Wales and developed his special skill in cardiology. He was consulted by the then Prime Minister, Ben Chifley, for his heart condition and enjoyed chatting with him about detective novels.

Together with 'Brookie' and their junior partners they formed a skilled team whose services were sought by the three town practices and others throughout the Central West. Ralph continued his general practitioner role until 1977, dealing with caesareans, laparotomies, fractured femurs, breech deliveries and giving anaesthetics for difficult cases. For the last 12 years before his retirement he confined himself to the role of consultant physician in collaboration with Peter Harvey.

He was on the visiting staff of the Bathurst District Hospital for most of his time in the Bathurst community and oversaw establishment of coronary care and intensive care units. He played a significant role in the establishment in 1976 of a complete rehabilitation service for the Central West and the Bathurst aged care assessment team. He also started a tuberculosis treatment service.

Cameron formed the Bathurst division of Sydney Legacy in 1963 and was chairman for some years. He was a member of the council of the Scots School, Bathurst, for twenty nine years and was school doctor for most of this time. The School's library is named in his honour. Cameron retired in 1988.

In Palestine he had met and fallen in love with a nursing sister, Joan Champion, whom he later married. They produced two sons and their partnership ended with Joan's death in 2002. She was the key to family life and was affectionately referred to as 'the gardener'. After losing Joan he lived alone for a number of years, enjoying his treasured classical books. He had a wry sense of humour and phenomenal memory. He wrote A History of Medical Practice in Bathurst from 1817 to 1986. There is a copy in the History of Medicine Library in Sydney.

Bathurst was fortunate in having the services of this groundbreaking, skilful and dedicated physician.

He is survived by his sons, Donald and Ian, and six grand children.