John Talbot was a popular and highly regarded graduate of St Mary's Hospital Medical School and surgeon at Harold Wood Hospital. Born on 12 August 1912 in Wales, he was educated at Llandovery College. Like others at Mary's he had played rugby as a schoolboy for Wales. He was in the legendary pre-sec

Charles Gordon Scorer was born in Lincoln on 4 September 1912, the fourth child and first son of Charles Reynolds Scorer, a solicitor. He was educated at Seacroft Preparatory School, Skegness, Repton School and Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He qualified from the London Hospital in 1937, being appoint

Bruce Pender was born in Bombay on 9 September 1921, the son of George T Pender, general manager for the British American Tobacco Company. He was educated at Mount House Preparatory School and Marlborough College before entering St Thomas's Hospital Medical School. After qualifying in 1944 he served

John Henry Charles Phillips was born in Hampstead, London, on 24 April 1917, the son of Samuel Phillips, an import and export businessman, and his wife Elise. He was educated at Heathmount School, Hampstead, and Hillsbrow School, Redhill, before going to the Leys School, Cambridge. His medical studi

John Withycombe was born in Exeter on 11 August 1918. the son of Arthur John Withycombe, a barrister, and his wife Winifred Annie, née Kiddle. He was educated at Sherbome, Pembroke College, Cambridge, and the Middlesex Hospital Medical School, where lie qualified in 1942. After only one house job

Peter Blaxland was very much a family man, with a warm and welcoming manner and an appreciation of the simple pleasures of life. These characteristics concealed a considerable intellectual ability, and gave no hint of his understanding of the problems of surgery, and his gifts, both innate and culti

Cyril Thomas (Tom) Collins was a consultant surgeon at the Wellington Hospital. Born on 28 April 1915 in Auckland, he was the son of Cyril George Collins and Mary Theresa Collins née O’Connor, the daughter of a building contractor. Both his father and grandfather became the Auditor-General of New Ze

Ronald Peatfield was a former consultant surgeon at Bedford General Hospital. Born on 28 December 1912 at Wilmslow, Cheshire, his father Thomas Crompton Peatfield was a railway executive. His mother was Mabel Brayshay Hughes. He was educated at Stowe and Queen's College, Cambridge, before going to t

Athol George Riddell was born in Whitstable on 31 January 1917. He was educated at Folkestone and University College, London, where he gained the Gold Medal in physiology, graduating from University College Hospital Medical School in 1939. After holding a resident surgical post on the Professorial U

Denis Westgarth Lacey was born on 14 March 1914. He was educated at the Perse School, Cambridge, and St Edward's School, Oxford, before proceeding to the Middlesex Hospital Medical School where he qualified in 1937. He joined the RAMC in 1939, was taken prisoner at the evacuation of Dunkirk and rema

Personal charm and a laid back imperturbability, allied to unquestionable surgical competence enabled David Bain to build a busy and well-respected practice in Windsor and Eton, including both the Castle and the College. He was born in London on 30 June 1915, the son of a consultant civil engineer,

Evan Griffiths was a consultant surgeon at Bridgend Hospitals, South Wales. He was born into West Wales farming stock on 13 December 1916. His father, Edgar Griffiths, owned and ran a grocery business in Llanelli. His mother was Mary Evans. Early schooling was at Llanelli Grammar School, where he di