Cecil Murray was born in Alexandria on 8 January 1910 and was educated at King's College Canterbury and the Middlesex Hospital Medical School, qualifying MRCS LRCP in 1933 and MB BS two years later. As a lieutenant colonel surgical specialist in the RAMC he had a distinguished war record in North

Cyril Fletcher ('Peter') Critchley was born on 7 July 1909 in Dulwich, south London, the son of James Critchley, a barrister, and his wife Margaret, née Fletcher. He was educated at Dulwich College and St Thomas's Hospital, and qualified in 1934. As a student, he fenced for London University. His

Ernest Harold Carr Harper was a consultant surgeon at West Kent Hospital, Maidstone. He was born in Surrey in 1908, where his father Harry was managing director of a shipping company. His mother was Constance née Carr. He was educated at Hurstpierpoint School, before going to St Thomas's to study me

Lionel Zelick Cosin, son of Benjamin Cosin, a tobacconist, and his wife Mary, née Magoon, was born in London on 8 November 1910. He was educated at Westminster City School and Guy's Hospital Medical School, qualifying in 1933. His brother, the radiologist Dr C F Cosin, was senior to him at Guy's. Hi

Eric Vernon was born on 29 November, 1909, in Marple, Cheshire, the son of Arthur Vernon, furnisher and antique dealer. He was educated at Stockport Secondary School (Hallam Scholar) and Manchester University where he graduated BSc in 1930 and MB, ChB in 1933, winning prizes for pathology and paedia