Louis Bloom Cohen spent much of his career as a surgeon in various politically unstable countries in Africa and in Iran. He was born in Glasgow on 16 November 1915, the son of Arthur Israel Cohen, a company director with the Rank Organisation, and Louise née Bloom. He was educated at St Paul's Schoo

John Stephens was a general surgeon at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. He was born on 29 March 1919 in Northamptonshire, where his father was an engineer with farming interests. Educated at Stowe School, his scholastic achievements were complimented by a flair for sport, particularly rugby. At Gonvill

Charles Burgess, known as Terence, was born in Hoylake, the Wirral, Cheshire, on 10 January 1913, into a medical family. His father, Charles Herbert Burgess, was a general practitioner, as was his grandfather, Robert Burgess. His mother was Meta Jeanette née Leitch. Terence was educated at Haileybur

Pritam Singh was chief medical officer, director of health services and deputy secretary of health to the Punjab government in India. He was born in Patiala, India, on 9 January 1920. His father, Harcharan Singh Seraph, was an architect who had worked with Lutyens on the building of New Delhi. His m

John Davis was a consultant general surgeon at the Whittington Hospital, London. From Cambridge he went to St Thomas’ Hospital for his clinical training and house appointments. After qualifying he served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve for two and a half years in a minesweeping squadron. Afte

John Hadfield was an outstanding teacher and ambassador for British surgery. He was born in Long Ashton near Bristol on 19 April 1923. His family hailed from Plymouth. His father, Geoffrey Hadfield, was professor of pathology at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and later became the Sir William Collins prof

Peter Ferry Jones, clinical professor of surgery at the University of Aberdeen, was an outstanding surgical craftsman, a major academic contributor to coloproctology and paediatric surgery, as well as a renowned teacher of operative surgery. He was born on 29 February 1920 in London, the son of Erne

Owen Daniel was a consultant general surgeon for the Clwyd and Deeside Health Board, Wales. He was born in Ystradgynlais, Breconshire, on 19 February 1917, the third child of David Daniel, a mining engineer and colliery manager, and his wife, Annie. Brought up in the south Wales valleys, Owen and hi

Desmond Laurence Bond Farley was a consultant surgeon at the Royal North, Highlands General, Wood Green and Southgate hospitals, London. He was born in London on 30 January 1921, the son of Laurence George Farley of the Indian Army, and Isabelle Beatrice Farley née Bond. He was educated at the Pilgr

Paul Large was a general surgeon in Durban, South Africa, and then in Melbourne, Australia. He was born in Beira, Mozambique, on 12 August 1920, but was brought up in Durban. He was educated at Michaelhouse, a rural boarding school in Natal, and then, in 1938, went to the UK to study medicine at Guy

Keith Lothian was a general surgeon in Birkenhead. He was born in 1919 in Dunedin, New Zealand, and raised in the city. He studied medicine at Otago University, qualifying in 1943. He then joined the New Zealand Medical Corps, becoming a captain. In 1947 he worked his passage to the UK as a ship's

Thomas Gordon Evans Loosemore was born in Caerphilly on 23 June 1918. He was educated at Plymouth College, St John's College, Cambridge, and St Bartholomew's Hospital. He graduated MB BCh in 1943 and MA in 1943. He obtained the MRCS, LRCP in 1943, the FRCS in 1948 and the MCh in 1951. During the sec