Walter Gilford was the eldest son of a general practitioner who practised in Reading and he received his early education in Reading School. He soon showed great talent for physical sciences gaining the highest marks on record at his school for physics and mathematics in the old Higher School Certifi

Hugh Cecil Fletcher-Jones was born in Yung Ping Fuh on 26 February 1911, the third son of Dr Arthur Fletcher-Jones who was, for 20 years, a medical missionary in China. He was educated at Monkton Combe School in Bath and qualified MB BS in 1935 at the Westminster Hospital, did his residency there an

Alan Wardle Bone was born on 17 April 1910, and educated at Felsted School, Essex, and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. He received his medical training at the London Hospital qualifying in 1936. He then decided to take up surgery and held a number of resident posts at the London Hospital a

Born in Cardiff on 1 July 1912, Clive Howell Tanner was educated at Cardiff High School and the University of Wales, completing his undergraduate training at the London Hospital from which he graduated MB BS in June 1936. He was house physician and house surgeon at Cardiff Royal Infirmary and later

Dennis Van Meurs graduated from St Thomas's Hospital in 1937 and at first intended becoming an ophthalmic surgeon. However, he developed an interest in thyroid operations and decided on a career in general surgery. He was appointed to Kent County Council in 1940 and in 1948 became a consultant su

Alan Birt was born on 24 June 1915, the son of the Surgeon Dentist to King George V and Queen Mary. Like his father, he was educated at Wellington College and St Thomas's Hospital, where he qualified with honours in 1937. He held a number of junior appointments there and was later appointed senior r

Arnold Aldis was a consultant surgeon and former postgraduate dean at Cardiff. He was born on 30 September 1910, in Paoning, Szechuan, China, the son of missionary parents. He qualified in medicine (with honours) from University College, London, in 1937. His ambition to return to China was thwarted

Charles Bliss qualified in England but emigrated to New Zealand, where he worked in Whangaparaoa. At one time he served in the Indian Army. His diaries, notes and papers were given to the National Library of New Zealand. He died on 18 January 1997, survived by his three sons, Paul, Anthony and Simon

Michael Harmer was consultant surgeon to the Royal Marsden, Paddington Green Children's and St Andrew's Hospitals. He was born in London on 6 July 1912, the third son of William Douglas Harmer, a distinguished surgeon at St Bartholomew's Hospital. His mother, May Hedley, was the daughter of John Hed

William Douglas Park was a consultant general surgeon at Oldchurch Hospital and King George V Hospital, Ilford. He was born in Melbourne on 15 November 1912, the son of Charles Leslie Park, a doctor, and Lilian née Davis, the daughter of a timber merchant. He was educated at Melbourne Grammar School

Born at Invercargill, New Zealand on 30 April 1912, son of Wilfred Francis Bisset a newspaper owner and his wife Christina Scott Rew, daughter of Robert Rew an Auckland merchant. He was educated at Invercargill and graduated from Otago Medical School, Dunedin in 1936. After a short time as a house s

Gerald De Lacey was born 2 December 1910 at Dowlais in South Wales and did his preclinical studies at the University of Wales, going to the London Hospital in 1930. He was surgical dresser to Sir Henry Souttar, Alan Perry, Russell Howard and George Neligan, and clinical clerk to Sir John Parkinson a