Eric Stanhope died on 11 December 2004 aged 89. He was born in Leicester on 22 May 1915 where his father ran a successful textile business; it was always thought he would follow in his father's footsteps.

A single event changed all that. Eric's father was opening his mail and one of the letters was a bill from his dentist. When he opened it he gasped and exclaimed 'these people earn a fortune!' At that point the young Eric decided to go into dentistry.

He moved to London, graduating from Guy's in 1938 and taking a staff job in the dental department of Bart's hospital. But by late 1938, war clouds were gathering; Eric decided to enlist and was commissioned into the Army Dental Corps in November the same year.

He spent the war in East Africa where he ran the dental department of a 1,200 bed military hospital; it was here that he first met his future wife Simone. After the war he was posted back to the UK and he and Simone married in 1948.

They moved frequently during his military career living and working in military hospitals in Germany, Hong Kong, Gibraltar and occasionally in less exotic locations such as Catterick in Yorkshire. In all they had some 23 different homes during his army career.

Eric retired in 1975 at the age of 60 after 37 years' distinguished service. By then he had reached the rank of Brigadier and was Consulting Dental Surgeon to the Army. He passed the HDD in 1946 and was awarded FDS RCS (Edin) in 1966. As a captain he became an MBE in 1946.

After retiring they lived in Redhill and Eric took an appointment with the National Advice Centre, giving advice to overseas postgraduate dental students who wanted to study in this country. He had always been an active member of the FDI and became its president in 1972. This prestigious accolade allowed him to travel extensively and gain many new friends of differing nationalities.

Eric was a devoted husband and as Simone began to lose her eyesight, he became her eyes and had to acquire new skills. He learned to cook and managed, for the most part successfully — only setting fire to and blowing up the oven on one occasion.

Twenty years ago Eric and Simone moved to Walberton and they loved it. Eric could watch cricket at Arundel, and listen to his jazz music. They loved the view from their home of the village church, where his final farewell took place on 22 December 2004. Eric and Simone were married for 57 happy years.

He was a dedicated clinician, amusing and charming, kind and considerate to patients and staff.

Eric Stanhope was a tall, handsome officer and a true gentleman who graced the uniform he loved with a fine military bearing. He was a dedicated clinician, amusing and charming, kind and considerate to patients and staff.

Our condolences extend to Simone, to their son Simon and to Eric's stepdaughter Jocelyn and their families.