Francis Henley was a consultant gastrointestinal surgeon at the Central Middlesex Hospital, London. He was born in Liverpool on 23 May 1914, the son of Francis Henley, a director of a sports business, and Julia Virginia Henley née Kowrach, a housewife. He was educated at several Catholic schools, an

Neville Connolly was a paediatric surgeon in Washington DC. His father, William Frederick Connolly, left Dublin at the age of 16 to make his way in London. He did two jobs to support himself while obtaining a law degree, then joined the Civil Service, working for the Inland Revenue. After the First

Michael Reilly was born in Sheringham, Norfolk, on 30 August 1913, several weeks post-mature. This procrastination was to be a feature of his life. There was a suggestion that he should be christened 'Fabius', after the great Roman general Fabius Maximus Cunctator, but he was saddled with the family

Mike Butler helped establish and develop general surgical services in the Isle of Thanet, Margate and Ramsgate, Kent. He was born on 21 January 1924 in London, the third child and first son of Frank Butler and Ailsa Butler née Beckwith. His father served in the First World War and was a dentist, ori

Ronald Edward Connor received his medical education at St Mary's Hospital Medical School, passing the Conjoint Diploma in 1944 and graduating MB BS in 1949, in which year he also obtained his Fellowship. After serving as a Sub-Lieutenant RNVR from 1946 to 1948, he became supernumerary surgical re

Frederick Samuel Gorrill was born on 30 July 1913 at Okehampton, Devon, the son of a village constable. He was educated at Torquay Grammar School and King's College, London, where he obtained an honours BSc in chemistry in 1934. He became involved in research in biochemistry, and was later appointed

Arthur Nurick was chief medical officer to Williamson Diamonds Ltd, Tanzania, and later a general practitioner in Western Australia. He was the third and last child of Max Nurick, a north London GP, and Annie Nurick. After Haberdashers' Aske's School, he entered the Middlesex Hospital Medical School

Jim Guest died peacefully in Melbourne on 20th January 2015, during his 99th year. He had a distinguished career in surgery, medical education and civilian life. Jim was born in Mildura, the only child of Edith and James. His early education was at Mildura West State School and subsequently Geelong

Charles Evans was born in Liverpool on 19 October 1918, the only child of Robert Charles Evans, a solicitor, and his wife Edith, née Lloyd Williams, a farmer's daughter. He was brought up largely by his mother in North Wales as his father was unfortunately killed in the closing stages of the first w

Allan Clain was a consultant general surgeon at Dudley Road Hospital, Birmingham. The son of Louis Clain, an accountant, and Lily Clain née Rose, a housewife, he was born on 21 March 1922 at Muizenberg, a seaside town near Cape Town, South Africa. He qualified in medicine in 1944 from Cape Town Univ

Ralph Beverly Lynn, known as ‘Bev’, was born on 24 August 1921 in Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada. Having initially attended a local school, he moved to one in Midland, Ontario. He studied medicine at Queen’s University Medical School in Kingston, graduating top of his year in 1945. After house job

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