Born on 27 December 1914, at Dunoon, Renfrewshire, the son of a Scottish minister, Hugh lived in Naples as a child and went to school in Switzerland. He qualified MRCS LRCP from Westminster Hospital Medical School in 1939 and MB BS (London) in 1940. During the war-time bombing of London he worked at

Eric Ralph Davies, the son of Henry William Davies, a master printer and bookbinder, and of Louise Matilda (née Court), was born at Thornton Heath, Surrey, on 22 October 1908. He was educated at Steyning Grammar School, Sussex, and at Guy's Hospital where he won a scholarship and the Lubbock Prize f

Hilary (Larry) Wade was born on 13 February 1916 at 25 Park Place, Cardiff, the house where his father James (Jimmy) Wade OBE, FRCS (qv *Lives of the Fellows* 1952-64) a distinguished surgeon and anatomist had lived, and where he himself was to live and practise for over thirty years. His mother Kat

George Desmond Cribb was born on 14 August 1917 at Northwood, son of a dental surgeon, and educated at Sherborne and University College Hospital, where he qualified with the Conjoint Diploma in 1939. At the beginning of the second world war he joined the RAMC. Taken prisoner at Dunkirk, he was medic

Douglas Vellacott was born on 12 November 1914, in Stoke, Devonport. His father, Harold Fitz Vellacott, MC, FRCS, was a consultant surgeon in Plymouth. His mother, Josephine Sempill, SRN, had been a sister at Poplar Hospital, London. He was educated at Sherborne School, Dorset, then for a year at Ki

Denis Ebrill was born in Limerick, Ireland, on 7 March 1916. His father, Charles, was an attorney. His mother was Margaret née Foley. He was educated at St George's College, Weybridge, King's College, London, and St George's Hospital, where he held junior posts and was resident assistant surgeon. He

Paul Stringer was born in London on 5 September 1914, the son of Richard Stringer and Sabina née FitzSimons. He was educated at Holloway County School and then read English language and literature at the University of Southampton, before going on to the Middlesex Hospital. There he won a prize for m

Peter Rees-Davies was born on 23 February 1913 at Long Ditton, Surrey, the son of John Rees-Davies, a general practitioner, and his wife Grace, née Etheredge. He was educated at Epsom College, and then received his medical education at the London Hospital, as had his father before him. In the sec

Reginald Seymour Lawrie, always known as 'Rex', was a consultant general surgeon to Guy's Hospital from 1948 until 1977. He did much pioneering work in paediatric surgery before it became recognised as a specialty. He also worked at the Evelina Hospital, holding appointments at Sydenham Children's,

Alfred John Drew, known as ‘Jack’, was a former consultant general surgeon in Walsall. He was born in Ceylon on 17 February 1916, the son of the chief pilot for the harbour at Colombo. He was educated at Nuwara Eliya, and was then sent to Ipswich School at the age of 11. He became head boy and rugby

Robert Fuller was born in Acton, London, on 4 January 1916. His father, Charles, was a company director. His mother was Mildred Kate née Lambert, a housewife. Robert was educated at St Paul's from 1928 to 1934, and then went on to St Mary's Hospital to study medicine. After qualifying in 1939, with

Bob Horton was a consultant surgeon at the United Bristol Hospitals. He was born in south London on 5 July 1917, the son of Arthur John Budd Horton, a schoolteacher, and Isabel Horton née Cotton, the daughter of a master mariner. He was educated at the Haberdashers’ Aske’s School, and studied medici