Frederick (Fritz) Kohn was born of Jewish parents on 22 May 1892 in Komotau in North West Bohemia, the son of a horse dealer and his early education was at the local gymnasium (grammar school), where he was taught by Cistercian monks. In 1910 he went to Prague for medical studies at the German Karl

Terence Kennedy was born in Plymouth on 12 December 1919 to Charles Matheson Kennedy, MBE FRCS, former surgical first assistant at the London Hospital and consultant surgeon at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Plymouth, and Mabel Maud, née Hore, a nurse. His grandfather had qualified at Trinity, Dublin

Vernon Thompson ('VCT') was born at Tutshill, Tidenham, Gloucestershire on 17 September 1905, his father, Cecil Charles Brandon Thompson, being a general practitioner and his mother, Dorothy Christian, née Ford, the daughter of a solicitor. He went to Seafield School, Bexhill-on-Sea, and then on to

Peter French was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at St George's Hospital, London. He was born on 2 July 1921, in Temple Fortune, north London, the eldest son of the reverend Reginald French and his wife, Gertrude née Haworth. His father was the local vicar, later moving to Stepney in east London, a

Professor Peter Williams was an outstanding anatomist who was known and respected world-wide for the editing and revision of *Gray's Anatomy*. He was born on 11 November 1926 at Caerleon in Gwent, the elder son of Jack Williams, a Welsh education and child-welfare officer. His father, who held st

Alan Kenneth Yates was born on 9 December 1932 and after early education entered the University of Sheffield Medical School. During his student years he represented Essex and Yorkshire at swimming, often training at night. He was awarded the University medal for both the second MB and the final MB a

Madhukar Kulkarni was a consultant surgeon in Malaysia. He was born on 4 July 1931 in Nagpur, Maharastra, central India, the son of a general practitioner and the eldest of six children. His third sister also became a surgeon. He studied medicine at the University of Nagpur, where he qualified in 19

Edward Phillimore Brockman was born at Liverpool in 1895 and educated at Liverpool College and at Cambridge. His university career was interrupted by the first world war, when he served in the Royal Navy before returning to St Thomas's Hospital. He qualified in 1919 and proceeded in due course to th

Harold Daintree Johnson was born in London on 26 May 1910, the second son of Sir Stanley Johnson, a solicitor and one-time Conservative MP for Walthamstow. His mother, Edith Heather, was the daughter of a professor of mathematics. After education at Westminster School he entered University College L

Percival Ross Wheatley was born in Westbury, Wiltshire on 4 May 1909, the son of Reverend Percival Wheatley, a Congregational minister and Margaret, née Wallis, the daughter of a dental surgeon. He won a scholarship to St Dunstan's College, Catford, for his early education and later gained an open s

Charles Alexander Wells was born in Liverpool on 9 January 1898 the elder son of Percy M Wells. His early education was at Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby, until 1916 when he joined the Royal Field Artillery for the final two years of the first world war. He continued his education at Liverpool Uni

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