TRIBUTES have been paid to a Newport surgeon who cared for a number of notorious Nazis as a prison doctor following the end of the Second World War.

Dr Eric Sturdy, from Stow Park Circle, was posted with the Welsh Guards in Germany as part of his national service and looked after seven Nazi prisoners at Spandau Prison in Berlin from 1952.

Among those in the cells were Rudolf Hess, Adolf Hitler’s deputy, and Albert Speer, Hitler’s chief architect and minister of armaments and war production.

The prisoners were incarcerated following the Nuremberg Trials in 1947, with sentences ranging from 10 years to life.

Although Dr Sturdy could not refer to them by name – instead by their cell number- he soon got to know their individual personalities, whether it was Hess’ hypochondriac traits or Speer’s love of walking.

Following the completion of his national service, Dr Sturdy worked at a number of hospitals across the UK, including Great Ormond Street, and met his future wife, Meriel, while working at Morriston Hospital in Swansea.

They settled in Newport in 1962 and Dr Sturdy would go on to spend 30 years as a consultant surgeon at the Royal Gwent Hospital, where he helped develop a specialist service in urology and paediatric surgery.

A passionate rugby fan, the father-of-three was also a medical officer for Newport RFC at that time and helped establish a first-class medical facility closer to the pitch.

In his retirement, he wrote a number of books, including Hess? Which Hess?, and loved time with his seven grandchildren and one great-granddaughter, Frankie.

Dr Sturdy completed his memoirs before suffering a fatal stroke and died in hospital at the age of 88 on Sunday, April 3.

Paying tribute, his youngest daughter, Cerys Coghlan, 52, said the family home was “like a florist” with dozens of letters and tributes from Dr Sturdy’s former patients.

She said: “He was brilliant with the kids and a fantastic Dad. He loved partying and hosted fantastic parties at the house with fancy dress.

“He was always wanting to keep going.”

A spokesman for Newport RFC added: “Eric first came to the club in the 1960s, working in the medical team alongside Dr John Miles and his great friend Dr Lindsay Roblin.

“This was a golden era of rugby for Newport and Eric played a huge part in ensuring the players were fighting fit and well prepared for the games.

“A great Black and Amber man who, through good times and bad, remained passionate about rugby football and his beloved Newport RFC.”

Dr Sturdy’s funeral will take place at Bethesda Baptist Chapel , Rogerstone on Friday at 11am followed by a service at the Gwent Crematorium in Cwmbran.