Doug Tracy was foundation professor of surgery at the University of New South Wales at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney from 1969 to 1986. He was born in Sydney on 14 May 1926, the eldest of three sons of Haydn Douglas Tracy and Florence Tracy née McCarthy. His mother died in childbirth when he was jus

Geoffrey Wilson, the son of Norman Wilson, a manufacturing mild owner, and of Gertie Wilson (née Green), was born at Silsden, Yorkshire, on 13 February 1923. He was educated at Keighley Boys' Grammar School and Leeds University Medical School, graduating with honours in 1947. He then served as house

Trevor Layzell was a general and vascular surgeon at Bishop Auckland General Hospital. He was born on 2 February 1949 and studied medicine at Newcastle University, graduating in 1972. He started his career at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, followed by a move to Sunderland Roya

Peter Henry Dickinson was a consultant surgeon at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, an honorary consultant in vascular surgery for the Newcastle Regional Health Board and a lecturer in clinical surgery at the University of Newcastle. He was born on 17 June 1922 and studied medicine

Charles Raymond Helsby was born on 13 February 1921 in St Helens, Lancs, the son of a local businessman, Frederick Johnson Helsby and his wife Emily, née Cawley. Following the local infant school he attended Merchant Taylors' School in Crosby and went on to the Liverpool Medical School. He qualified

Mike Solan was born in Eltham, London, on 31 January 1932. His father, Michael, was a Bank of England official and his mother was Doris Winifred Gladys Rogers, a Librarian. He was educated at Douai Abbey School, Berkshire, and at Woolwich Polytechnic and he attended St Thomas's Hospital Medical Scho

Colin Skelton was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 31 March 1935 and educated at Christchurch West High School and Otago Medical School. After house appointments at Christchurch Hospital and Grey Hospital, Greymouth, he became surgical registrar at Christchurch Hospital and then came to England

Alan John Edwards was born on 25 July 1928 and educated at Drayton Manor School. He served in the Royal Air Force from 1946 to 1949 and after a year at Brunel College, London, entered Christ's College, Cambridge in 1951 as a scholar and took a first-class honours degree in the Natural Sciences Tripo

Ian Christopher Gordon-Smith was born in 1941 and was educated at Haileybury, Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, and the Middlesex Hospital. He qualified in 1964. After house officer posts at the Middlesex he was surgical registrar at Cheltenham General Hospital, taking the FRCS in 1969. He then

Ian Massey was a consultant general and vascular surgeon at the Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, Lincolnshire. Born in Birmingham on 31 May 1939, Ian was the son of Charles William Massey, a master baker and managing director of a large bakery in Lancashire, and Ellen née Astley. He had one brother, Alasta

John Chamberlain was a consultant in general and vascular surgery to the Newcastle upon Tyne hospitals for 26 years. He was born in Leicester on 27 January 1938 to Jack and May Chamberlain. He was an only child. As a young boy John was fascinated by steam engines and was very proud of his grandfathe

Justin Paul Fleming was born on 26 September 1917 in Sydney, the first son and second child of James Fleming, a hospital administrator, and Ethel Mary (née Downey). He was educated at St Patrick's College, Goulburn, New South Wales, Waverley College, Sydney, and the University of Sydney where he gra