Stevens Dimant was a neurosurgeon in Washington, USA. He was born on 2 January 1919 in Christchurch, Hampshire, England the son of Cyril Ivan Dimant, an architect who had served as a captain in the 2nd Australian Pioneer Battalion during the First World War and had been awarded a Military Cross, and

Thomas Tyrell King (known as Tom or TT) was born on 28 March 1930 in London, while his father was working in the UK. His mother, Nina Mary née Keynes, was a nurse whose father qualified in Cork, Ireland and then migrated to Australia, becoming a general practitioner in Nathalie, Northern Victoria. H

Mike Briggs was a consultant neurosurgeon at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford. He grew up in Norfolk and won a scholarship to Norwich School. Because of wartime damage to the school, they were unable to teach science subjects, so Mike had a classical schooling, but it never seemed to put him off. A

Born on 5 October 1929, Ian Campbell Bailey came from an eminent Dublin family. He was the eldest son of James Rowland Bailey, a company director, and his wife Hilda Maud née Campbell, the daughter of Ottwell Campbell, a civil servant. Educated initially at Rathgar Boy’s Preparatory School, he then

Loyal Edward Davis was born on 17 January 1896 in Galesburg, Illinois, the son of Al Davis, a railroad engineer who had worked from the age of seven. It was assumed by all in that small community, except his father, that he would earn his living on the Burlington Railroad. Al, however, frequently ad

Jack Crawford was born on 19 November 1917 and received his education at Brentwood School and the London Hospital Medical College. After graduation he obtained a post in the clinical laboratory before his house appointments at the London. In September 1939 he became house surgeon to Douglas Northfie

Alan Sutcliffe Kerr was born in Liverpool on 31 May 1909 and educated at the Liverpool Institute for Boys and Liverpool University. He graduated MB ChB with first class honours in 1932. He chose a career in surgery and his interests were directed into the field of neurosurgery. Three years later

Patrick Clarke was a consultant neurological surgeon at Middlesbrough General Hospital. He was born in Cheltenham on 16 April 1921, the son of Edward Rutland Clarke, a headmaster of a grammar school who had gained the Military Cross in 1917, and Edith Frances Clarke née Smith, a housewife. He was ed

Brian Patrick Gardner was born in Fort Jameson, Zambia on 17 July 1948. He was the first son, and third child, of Trevelyn Codrington Gardner CBE and his wife Briege Therese née Feehan. His father was a distinguished Colonial administrator who went on to have a second career in university administra

Arthur Norman Guthkelch was born in Woodford Green, East London and educated at Christ's Hospital School, Horsham. At first, because of his love of animals, he aimed to become a vet but when his mother enquired if people were not more important he decided to study medicine instead. He won a scholars

Peter Wilson was a meticulous neurosurgeon at Swansea who was committed to the highest standards of clinical care and fostered the same work ethic in his colleagues. He was born in Portsmouth on 8 April in 1933, the elder son of Herbert Wilson and Kathleen Wilson née Humphries. His father was an

Douglas Phillips (or Dougie to those fortunate enough to be close to him) was a consultant neurosurgeon and surgeon in charge of the regional neurosurgical unit in Bristol. He was born in New Zealand on 6 May 1912 in Kumara, Westland and obtained his MB ChB in 1935. His house officer appointments we