Gerard William Taylor was born in Natal, South Africa, on 23 September 1920, the son of William Ivan Taylor, an engineer. His early education was at Bemrose School, Derby, and he then entered St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, qualifying in 1943. After junior hospital appointments he served

Fred Graves was a general surgeon in Staffordshire with an interest in urology. He was born in Hereford in 1919, later studied medicine at University College Hospital and specialised in surgery at King’s College Hospital. He was subsequently appointed consultant general surgeon at Staffordshire Gene

Donald Griffiths was a consultant general surgeon in Aberystwyth. He was born in Colwyn Bay on 12 March 1921, the son of Thomas Owen Griffiths, a science master, and Alice Adelaide, the daughter of a tailor. He was educated at Penmaenrhoe Council School and Colwyn Bay County School, and was Denbighs

Basil Arthur Ward was born on 26 October 1916, and was educated at Cranleigh School and St Thomas's Hospital where he qualified in 1942 with the degrees of London University, obtaining honours and distinction in surgery. He was appointed house surgeon prior to being commissioned as a Lieutenant in t

John Robinson Wilson was born in Leeds on 19 November 1919, and was educated at Stonyhurst College and Leeds University where he qualified with the Conjoint Diploma and the University MB ChB in 1943. He held house appointments at Leeds and Sheffield, and then spent two years as a ship's doctor in th

Bernard Hand was born on 21 November 1919. His father, Ernest Francis Hand, was an architect and his mother, Mary, née Searle, was the daughter of an engineer. He was descended from Sir William Hillary, founder of the lifeboat service; as a consequence he gave constant support to the RNLI throughout

Jacob Zimmerman qualified from St Bartholomew's Hospital in 1943. He was a foundation member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, a Fellow of the New York Academy of Science and an Hunterian Professor of our College in 1966. He was an assistant Professor of Anatomy and Surgery at the New York Medica

Anthony Barker was born in Birmingham on 3 September 1920, the son of Charles Edward Barker, a solicitor and clerk of court in Birmingham, and Alice Mary, née Short. He was educated at Mill Hill School and the University of Birmingham Medical School, where he met his future wife Margaret (Maggie) Ne