Obituary: Brian Fairgrieve OBE, FRCS, surgeon, regional Scout president and deputy Lord Lieutenant

Like the true Scout he was, Brian Fairgrieve lived by the motto "Be Prepared" - be it on active service against Communist terrorists, in the operating theatre, on a typhoon-lashed campsite or deputising for the Lord Lieutenant.

His meticulous planning, attention to detail, high standards and decisive nature served him outstandingly well. Along with his immaculate appearance, wise-cracking wit and articulate conversation, they made him an inspirational leader who motivated others to give their all for the cause, at work, in combat or play.

Hugely influential in the development of young people through Scouting, in which he was a regional president, he was also a surgeon, worked with police to pioneer a mobile accident unit and lectured at their training college, became a captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps, a rugby club doctor and accomplished photographer.

He also found time to sail the west coast, support the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the Gurkha Welfare Trust and regularly throw entertaining dinner parties.

Born in Cambuslang, he was the son of Colville's Steel Works manager John Fairgrieve and his wife Elizabeth. Educated at Gresham House Boarding School, Kilmarnock, and Glasgow Academy, he graduated MB ChB from Glasgow University.

Gaining 18 months' pre-registration experience at the Western Infirmary, Glasgow, where he became a senior resident, much of his time was spent in his chosen area of acute trauma.

His career was interrupted by national service when he was called up as a lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps. After very basic weapon training and a warning to remember they were "non-combatant", he quipped that he wasn't sure whether, given his gun skills, that should be spelled with a "b" or a "p".

Sent to the Singapore area, he was attached, briefly, to a leper colony outside Kuala Lumpur and the anti-vice squad in Singapore - learning more about life in those short weeks than in five years at university.

His permanent posting was to 2/6th Gurkha Rifles as regimental medical officer on active service against Communist terrorists, initially in Kluang, Johore on the South Malayan peninsula and later to Segamat. He gained automatic promotion to Captain, survived a convoy ambush in which the Gurkhas killed six terrorists and declared military service "one of the best experiences of my life".

Returning to Scotland, his first surgical post was at Killearn Hospital, followed by general surgery at the Western Infirmary and Stobhill Hospital. He went to Falkirk Royal Infirmary on a temporary basis in 1957, was appointed to a senior post as general surgeon there three years later and stayed until taking early retirement in 1987.

During the 1960s, in light of his accident and emergency experience, he was approached by Central Scotland Police and became instrumental in setting up one of the country's first mobile accident units.

Keen to see the ambulance, fire and police services work together in emergency situations, he willingly gave up his time to lecture on the latest techniques. He worked closely with the ambulance service, tutoring and examining their personnel and was a member of the Council of St Andrew's Ambulance Association for many years.

He was also regularly invited, over 32 years, to lecture and examine at the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan.

He worked hard to make first aid more interesting, initially for Scouts and then others in the emergency services. His frighteningly realistic casualty make-up and accident emergency simulation was legendary and never to be forgotten by participants. His often gory presentations were skilfully and professionally delivered - with humour where appropriate - and unpleasant, gruesome images quirkily interspersed, for light relief, with photos of the laburnum tree in his garden.

His Scouting service had begun as a youth with the 138th Glasgow Scout Group in Cambuslang when he was also recruited as an ARP messenger.

In 1956 he was asked to serve as a medical officer at the 6th Scottish International Jamborette at Blair Atholl and he returned every two years, becoming camp chief and raising its profile worldwide in an association lasting until 1986.

During the 50th anniversary World Jamboree in 1957 he offered his services as a young surgeon - the only one - and found all 400 field hospital beds filled in two days with an outbreak of "Hong Kong" flu. He never worked so hard before or after.

He moved to Polmont in 1960 and was appointed District Commissioner in Grangemouth. In 1971, he defied a three-day typhoon at the World Jamboree at Mount Fuji, Japan, staying put while all around fled, only to emerge with his fellow Scots, resplendent in kilts and white shirts, to perform in the main arena.

Invited to the VIP box, he sat with Neil Armstrong, who had set foot on the moon two years earlier. He was "never more proud of Scotland than that night", he said.

He was awarded the Scouts' Silver Wolf in 1983, for services of the most exceptional character over many years. In 1987 an OBE followed, for services to international Scouting.

Fairgrieve was Stirlingshire County Commissioner then Forth Valley Area Commissioner between 1975 and 1988; Forth Valley Area President from 2006-8 and Forth Region President from 2007 until his death.

He became Deputy Lord Lieutenant, Falkirk and Stirling Districts, in 1972, and president of Falkirk Rotary Club in 1989. He had also been Grangemouth Rugby cub doctor and honorary vice president.

He believed Scouting was a "truly amazing, international movement". It is now a movement that has lost one of its most inspired and influential leaders.