Paul was born in Campsie, NSW in 1923 on 4 February. At 16-years-old he left school and became a clerk in the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. He enlisted in the RAAF in 1942. After training as a navigator in Canada he was posted to 463 Squadron, RAF Waddington. His crew became operational in August 1944 and completed 37 operations at a time when the fatality rate amongst aircrew was 45%. On one occasion his Lancaster limped home on two of its four engines.

On demobilisation, unable to afford to study medicine for six years, he studied dental surgery. During the course he met Vena (Lavinia). They were married in 1950 and travelled to England the following year.

Paul first practiced in Ladbroke Road before settling in Notting Hill Gate. At the time Notting Hill was bedsit land, full of aspiring actors. As their careers flourished, so did his practice. Watching television in the 1970s was like looking through his appointment book.

After his children had left home, his practice moved firstly to 22 Harley Street and then to Cavendish Square. With great sadness he gave up practising aged 75. He said that when he went to a squadron reunion, he was the only one still working and his patients' names were as likely to appear in the obituary pages as in his appointment book.

Throughout his life he enjoyed various pursuits, taking chemistry and French at evening school and reading all the French classics with his dictionary to hand. He had learnt to sail in the 1950s and competed in several ocean races, earning membership of the Royal Ocean Racing Club. He remained a keen squash player into his sixties, having learnt to play in the air force. He had a great love of the garden, propagating geraniums, fuchsias, petunias and roses as well as managing a productive kitchen garden.

He was first and foremost a family man. His beloved wife, Vena, predeceased him just after their 62nd anniversary, and after temporarily rallying, he died peacefully on 5 December 2012.

He leaves three children (one an orthopaedic surgeon), nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.