Eric John Smith was a consultant surgeon at the Royal Free Hospital, London. He was born on 31 March 1910 in Norwood, Surrey, the second son of Robert Percy and Edith Smith. His early life was overshadowed by the death from Hodgkin’s disease of his elder brother who had been a child prodigy, and Eri

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

'Uncle' Tom Griffin was born in Alton where his father, Thomas Noel, was a vicar. His mother was Mary née Rose. He studied medicine at St Mary's, where he qualified in 1934. After junior posts, he specialised in surgery and was appointed honorary assistant surgeon to Scarborough Hospital in 1939. On

Charles John Gordon was born on 24 June 1910, in Angmering, Sussex. He came of a long line of clerical forbears, several of whom were bishops in Lincoln. His father was the Reverend George Gordon, who was Vicar of Angmering. His mother, Eileen Hutton, came of an army family. He was the only son and

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

George Cuthbert Dewe Roberts was born in Plymouth on 20 August 1909. He was the son of George Augustus Roberts and his wife Florence Muriel, née Mills. His father was at that time honorary surgeon to the Royal Hospital, Devonport, before moving to Winchester where he was appointed to the Royal Hamps

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

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

David Rowlands studied medicine at University College Hospital and qualified with the conjoint diploma in 1933. He served in the Royal Army Medical Corps in Europe throughout the second world war and then embarked on a long career in the Taunton area. He was on the staff of Taunton and Somerset H

Francis William Shepherd, who was born in Nottingham on 6 December 1906, grew up in Castletown, Isle of Man. With a London BSc he studied medicine at Cambridge and St Bartholomew's Hospital. After holding posts in Hampstead and Ilford he was appointed RSO at Huddersfield in 1938 and, it is said, ser

Popatlal Premchand Sheth was living in Ahmedabad, India, at the time of his death which, according to his son K P Sheth, took place sometime in 1978 or 1979.

Brian Wilberforce Smith was born on 5 September 1910, went to Mill Hill School and then to Guy's Hospital where he qualified in 1933, proceeding to MB BS in 1935 and FRCS in 1939. His house appointments were at the Cancer Hospital in London and the Royal Infirmary Sheffield. Soon after the outbreak