Captain David Draffin was an Irish otolaryngologist whose name comes up in Australasian ORL operating theatres on an almost daily basis. In 1951, he published an article in the British Medical Journal describing an instrument for supporting the mouth gag used in tonsillectomy; a ubiquitous ORL procedure. The simple, effective, and highly useful instrument is still in use today. His life however was anything but simple. Born in 1917, he studied at Queen’s University, Belfast and graduated in 1939 just in time for the start of World War II. He enlisted in the Royal Army Military Corps (RAMC) but was unfortunately captured early in the war. He was notorious for his numerous but unsuccessful attempted escapes, from multiple German prisoner of war (POW) camps. He ended the war in the infamous Colditz Castle, having been in so many POW camps that the question “Did you ever meet Draffin in your travels?” was asked of new prisoners to the camp, to determine they were not a German infiltrator. His post-war career in ORL stuttered, but he was successful in property dealing, becoming quite wealthy. Unfortunately, he appeared several times before the General Medical Council with alcohol problems. He never managed to pass his part II surgical examination and remained a senior registrar until he was struck off in 1967. He died less than a month later. This presentation will briefly trace the interesting history and contribution made by Captain David Draffin.