I could not believe the news that my dear friend Carmel Apap Bologna Sceberras D’Amico Inguanez, MD FRCS FRCSE, 23rd Baron of Djar-il-Bniet and of Buqana, had died on September 7 at the age of 82.
He had a very long professional career as a senior consultant orthopaedic surgeon and has helped many patients over the years through his skill and dedication in his chosen vocation. He was a thorough gentleman, very much old school.
Despite his impressive background, he was the most modest of men, totally devoid of any airs and graces, who treated everyone with the utmost respect. He was the very epitome of noblesse oblige.
Carmel was educated at St Aloysius’ College Birkirkara and at the Royal University of Malta from where he graduated as a doctor of medicine in 1961. He then undertook postgraduate surgical training in the UK, obtaining the FRCS diploma in 1968.
In 1962, he married Ann Cassar Torreggiani who has been his soul mate and pillar of strength these many years.
He returned to Malta as a senior surgical registrar at St Luke’s Hospital, where I first met him as a newly qualified doctor in 1971.
I remember him as a highly skilled, hard-working surgeon whom I often assisted in the operating theatre in the dead of night. No case ever fazed him.
He was most kind and considerate to both his many patients and to all his junior staff. He held the admiration and respect of his colleagues, both senior and junior who all knew him affectionally as Il-Markiż.
Carmel and I remained very close friends, and he and his wife were my newborn daughter’s godparents at her christening in 1983.After undertaking further training in the UK, he specialised in orthopaedic surgery and obtained the FRCSE diploma in 1976.
He was appointed consultant orthopaedic surgeon at St. Luke’s Hospital in 1977 and eventually became the senior consultant orthopaedic surgeon there.
In 1983, he succeeded to the baronial titles of Djar-il-Bniet and of Buqana, created by the Kings of Sicily in 1350 and 1372 respectively and which are the premier titles of the Maltese nobility.
He served for a number of years as president of the Committee of Privileges of the Maltese Nobility and was also president of the L’isle Adam Band Club of Rabat, 1986-1990.
My condolences to his dear widow Ann, now the dowager baroness, and to his children.
May he rest in peace.