Freddy Durbin was born in Ealing on 23 January 1913, the son of Frederick William Durbin, a farmer and grocer, and Florence Albertine, née James. From the Merchant Taylors' School he went to St Thomas's Hospital, where he won the William Tite scholarship in anatomy and physiology. After basic surgic

Francis Martin was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, on 8 June 1911 the only son of Arthur Martin, a doctor, and Margaret (née Raby) whose father was a metal merchant in Manchester. Francis had three sisters, one a doctor, and his uncle was Sir George Martin of Leeds who gave the desk of Lord Moynihan to

Christopher Catterall was born in Middleton, near Manchester, on 5 April 1910. His father, Robert, was a clergyman and his mother was Sarah, née Fielden. His maternal uncle was William Hunter, a physician at Charing Cross. Christopher was educated at Rugby and Trinity College Cambridge, and did his

Sir John Croot was born on 14 October, 1907, in Portsmouth, the son of Horace Croot, LDS, RCS, a dental surgeon in Southsea, and Emily Winifred, née Daw. He was educated at Eastman's School, Southsea, and then at Haileybury College, Hertford, from 1921 to 1925, where he was a senior scholar. He trai

Alexander Innes was born in Edinburgh on 6 April 1910 the eldest son of Sir Peter D Innes, CBE, then a lecturer in physics at Edinburgh University and subsequently Director of Education in the City of Birmingham, and Maybelle Annie Stewart (née Wright). He was educated at West House School and at Ki

Philip Newman was born in Dovercourt, Essex, on 22 June 1911, the son of a civil servant, John Harker Newman, and his wife Violet Grace, née Williams. He was educated at Cranleigh School and at the Middlesex Hospital Medical School, London University, where he qualified with the conjoint diploma in

Denis Nash was a surgeon at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London. He was born on 10 February 1913 and educated at Dulwich College. He went on to study medicine at Bart's, where he won several scholarships and prizes, and qualified in 1935. After junior posts he became chief assistant in surgery at Bart

Arthur George Leigh was born on 22 March 1909 in Liverpool, the son of John McWhan Leigh. He was educated at Liverpool Collegiate School and Liverpool University Medical School. He qualified in 1933 and was appointed house surgeon and house physician at the Liverpool Royal Infirmary. He then underto

Valentine Logue was one of the most distinguished neurosurgeons of his generation. He will be remembered principally for his determined advocacy of the place of research in the training of young neurosurgeons. He was himself a meticulous and careful surgeon, notable not only for his superb operative

Joseph Schorstein qualified MD in Vienna in 1931. He then continued his studies at University College Hospital, London. He was chief assistant to the neurosurgical department of the Royal Infirmary, Manchester and then became consultant neurosurgeon to the West Scotland Neurosurgical Unit. When he r

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