Ian Donald was born in Scotland in 1910 and educated at Warriston School in Moffat, Fettes College in Edinburgh and following the family move to South Africa he graduated BA from the Diocesan College in Cape Town. He then studied medicine and was awarded MB BS at London University in 1937. During 1942-1946 he served as a medical officer in the RAFVR; was mentioned in dispatches and awarded the MBE for rescuing airmen from a burning aircraft. In 1951 he became Reader in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at St. Thomas Hospital Medical School and, at what is now, the Royal Post-Graduate Medical School in 1952. During this time he received a Research Scholarship from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for work on neonatal respiration and in 1954 gave the Blair Bell Memorial Lecture on that subject.

In the autumn of the same year he accepted the Regius Chair of Midwifery at Glasgow University, where, to quote his own words he "arrived with the residue of a Leverhulme Research grant from the RCOG, a rudimentary knowledge of radar from my days in the RAF and a continuing childish interest in machines, electronic and otherwise". This was combined with an awareness of echo-sounding (hence the preference for the term sonar) and contact with some of the few others in the world who were interested in its possible medical applications.

In recognition he received many honours including the Eardley Holland gold medal (RCOG), Blair Bell gold medal (RSM), Victor Bonney Prize (RCS of England), Honorary DSc from London and Glasgow Universities, CBE in 1973 and an Honorary FRCR in 1983. In 1984 Ian Donald and Tom Brown were made the first Honorary members of this Society. Only a fortnight before he died Ian made the journey to the Royal College of Physicians of London to receive an Honorary Fellowship.

 The work by which Ian Donald is known to most members of this society only represents part of his life. His paramount responsibilities were as a doctor and teacher and these he welcomed. To his patients he gave his full attention, and treated them as individuals, to his students he gave lectures delivered with care and enthusiasm. He was author of "Practical Obstetric Problems" which ran to five editions and gained a fine reputation while being widely regarded as a delight to read. His wider responsibilities extended to the supervision of the planning and design of the Queen Mother's Hospital which opened in 1964.

For many people not involved in ultrasound a dominant aspect of Ian Donald was his vigorous and sincere opposition to the 1967 Abortion Act. This act he saw as an "attempt to eliminate an evil by substituting a different evil".

Throughout nearly half his life Donald was beset by ill health and three times required major cardiac surgery. Following the last he was persuaded by a friend to commit to writing his memories of the ordeal. "On the receiving end" (Lancet 1969) is a moving yet wryly humorous essay of this painful experience. Among these recollections he tells how during the preoperative stage he self-diagnosed a retroperitoneal haematoma but that it required an ultrasonogram to convince his doubting, cardiac colleagues.

For recreation Ian took great pleasure in music and painting. The pictures decorating his office included some of his own watercolours, appropriately depicting boats and the sea since he was a keen and energetic sailor and in his earlier days built a number of boats.

Professor Ian Donald passed away on 19th June 1987 and was buried in the quiet country churchyard of St. Peters, Paglesham, Essex. He is survived by his wife Alix, whom he married in 1937, their four daughters and thirteen grandchildren.