Thomas McNair was born on 1 March 1927 in Edinburgh, the son of David MacMillan McNair, a mining engineer, and his wife Helen Jackson, née Rae. He received his education at George Watson's College before entering the medical school at Edinburgh University where he qualified in 1949. He served in the

Mary Fredericka Richardson was born in Portland, Dorset on 10 April 1917, the daughter of Surgeon Captain Arthur Henry Sims Richardson, DOMS, RN, who after retirement from the Navy became an ophthalmic surgeon in Hereford in 1927. Her mother was Emma Fredericka, née Barker. She came from a medical f

Walter Henry Collins Scott was born in Melbourne, Australia, on 10 August 1924, the son of Walter C Scott and Florence (née Tonks). His father was a successful businessman and a veteran of the Gallipoli campaign in the first world war. He received his early education at Scotch College, Melbourne and

Christopher Anders was born in Umtata, Transkei, on 28 December 1927. His mother, Lilian, née Westell, had been a London Hospital sister and was doing missionary work in South Africa. His father, Henry Daniel Anders, was a school inspector. Christopher was at the Dragon School in Oxford and on his s

Alexander Walt was a former president of the American College of Surgeons. He was born in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1923 and went to school and university there. After qualifying in 1948 he completed his house jobs at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, before winning a Dominion studentship to

Jan Leembruggen was born in Queensland on 12 February 1920, the son of a Methodist Minister. He was educated at Invermay State School and Launceston High School in Tasmania and spent the final school years, from 1932-1938 at Wesley College, Melbourne where he gained its highest distinction. He then

Kenneth Sweetman qualified in Melbourne where he did junior posts. Later he worked as a surgical specialist in the Government Hospital in Tripoli, Libya and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Aden. His last position was Chief Medical Officer to the Shell Petroleum Company in Brunei. He retired to Hindhea

Jack Stevens was born in Ingleton in Yorkshire and was proud of his West Riding roots. He won a scholarship from his school to Christ College, Cambridge, where he distinguished himself in the rowing club, as well as academically. He graduated MA, MB ChB in 1949, and spent two years as a National Ser

Robert Shannon was born on 10 May 1928 in Brisbane, Australia, the son of Reuben Samuel Shannon, a company manager, and Muriel Adeline, née Bone. He was educated at Brisbane Grammar School and Queensland University where he graduated MB BS in 1950, proceeded to the MS in 1955 and gained the Fellowsh

Keith Franklin Drysdale Sweetman was born in Perth, Western Australia, on 5 February 1914. His father was Joseph Franklin, a hardware merchant, who married Gladys Edith Drysdale. His great grandfather arrived in Western Australia as a civilian in 1834 from the United Kingdom but nothing is known of

John Macdougall (known as 'John MacD' to his friends) was born on 18 February 1925 in Blackheath, South East London, where he attended Cherry Orchard Preparatory School, and subsequently the City of London School, where he excelled in both cricket and rugby. He then won an open scholarship to Corpus

Rasamay Ganguly was born in Barisal, Bengal, on 1 May 1918. His father Heramba Chandra Ganguly was an excise officer in the Bengal Civil Service. His mother was Hemanginee Mukherjee, daughter of a deputy magistrate in the same service. The second son in a family of six children, he was educated at t