Richard Sampson (Dick) Handley was born in London on 2 May 1909, the eldest son of William Sampson Handley and Muriel Rigby, the daughter of the Reverend Clayton Rigby. Dick's father was on the surgical staff of the Middlesex Hospital, a member of both the Council and Court of Examiners of the Colle

Francis Martin was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, on 8 June 1911 the only son of Arthur Martin, a doctor, and Margaret (née Raby) whose father was a metal merchant in Manchester. Francis had three sisters, one a doctor, and his uncle was Sir George Martin of Leeds who gave the desk of Lord Moynihan to

Charles Donald qualified in Melbourne in 1934 and served as RMO at Prince Henry's Hospital. In 1936 he came to London and was appointed house surgeon at the West London Hospital under Henry Tyrrell-Grey. He passed the Fellowship in 1938 while at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital before returning as s

Sir John Croot was born on 14 October, 1907, in Portsmouth, the son of Horace Croot, LDS, RCS, a dental surgeon in Southsea, and Emily Winifred, née Daw. He was educated at Eastman's School, Southsea, and then at Haileybury College, Hertford, from 1921 to 1925, where he was a senior scholar. He trai

Irving Elliot Zieve received the MA from Cape Town University in 1929 and then continued his studies at Guy's Hospital Medical School. He was surgical registrar to Charing Cross Hospital. He became consultant surgeon to Marpeh Izhak Hospital, Nathania, Israel, and honorary assistant in surgery to Ea

Julius Karl Bremer was born in October 1922. He was educated at the high school in Graaf-Reinet and qualified MB ChB from the University of Kaapstad in 1935. During his years at the University he had a distinguished academic record and was elected to be chairman of the students' council. He won the

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

Denis Nash was a surgeon at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London. He was born on 10 February 1913 and educated at Dulwich College. He went on to study medicine at Bart's, where he won several scholarships and prizes, and qualified in 1935. After junior posts he became chief assistant in surgery at Bart

Frank Harland Mills was a pioneering Australian heart surgeon. He was born on 20 June 1910 in Armidale, New South Wales, and grew up on the south coast of the state, mostly around Ulladulla. Frank's mother died when he was young, and his father, a local magistrate, had to raise Frank, his brother Ro

Bernard Sanger was at school in Hastings and received his medical training at the London Hospital where he qualified in 1934. He pursued his surgical career at the London Hospital before his appointment to Southend Municipal Hospital in 1938. Rodney Maingot was a visiting surgeon at that hospital