Samuel Hirsch Janikoun was joint professor of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Royal Army Medical College. He was born in the East End of London on 12 March 1913 into a Jewish family. He won a scholarship to Hackney Downs Grammar School and from there went on to University College Lo

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

Patrick Sames was a general surgeon in Bath with an interest in coloproctology. He was born on 17 January 1912 in Enfield, Middlesex, the only son of Christopher, a railway clerk, and Caroline née Radmore. He was a late entrant to medicine, leaving Harrow County School to become an apprentice in the

Hugh McDonald was the first consultant general surgeon with the FRCS appointed to Great Yarmouth Hospital, Norfolk, who did not also engage in general practice. He was born in London on 29 May 1914 and went to Guy's Hospital after schooling at Bishop's Stortford. House appointments at St Andrew's Ho

Cedric Longland was born at Bolobo in the Belgian Congo on 30 September 1914. His father, Frank Longland, was a civil engineer in East Africa and later Provincial Commissioner for Tanganyika Territory. Daisy Longland, Cedric's mother, was one of the earliest women to qualify in medicine at Edinburgh

Alexander John Heriot was born on 28 May 1914 in London. He was the youngest of the three sons of Robert and Lillie Elizabeth Heriot. His father had been born in Edinburgh in 1878 and migrated to London to start a building and decorating business in the early 1900's. He married Lillie, a London-trai

Dennis Van Meurs graduated from St Thomas's Hospital in 1937 and at first intended becoming an ophthalmic surgeon. However, he developed an interest in thyroid operations and decided on a career in general surgery. He was appointed to Kent County Council in 1940 and in 1948 became a consultant su

After qualifying John Drew joined the Indian Medical Service in which he served until the partition of India in 1948. He then went to become Medical Superintendent of the Fremantle General Hospital, returning to England only to pass the final FRCS. In 1954 he went to the Royal Hobart Hospital first

John Leslie was born in Bath on 22 December 1914. His father, George Herbert Leslie, was a schoolmaster and inspector of schools for the London County Council, having served in the Royal Artillery in the first world war and then with the Army Education Corps. His early education was at Wellington

Katharine Branson was a consultant surgeon at the Bruntsfield and Longmore Hospitals, Edinburgh. She was born in London on 5 August 1912. Her father, Frederick Henry Ewart Branson, was a solicitor. Her mother was Helen Mary, née Brown, the daughter of a solicitor. Katharine was educated at Hall S

Alan Leask was born in Hong Kong on 19 October 1914. His father, William Laughton Leask, was an architect and civil engineer practising in Aberdeen and Hong Kong. His mother was Mabel née Beaton. His elder brother Laughton Rennie Leask was also a Fellow (qv *Lives of the Fellows* Volume 8, p.186).

Alan Birt was born on 24 June 1915, the son of the Surgeon Dentist to King George V and Queen Mary. Like his father, he was educated at Wellington College and St Thomas's Hospital, where he qualified with honours in 1937. He held a number of junior appointments there and was later appointed senior r