Arthur Hughes was born at Oswestry in Shropshire on 3 December 1910, the son of the Reverend Hywel Hughes, a Welsh Presbyterian minister, and his wife Myfanwy; he was a twin and his brother John also became a minister in their father's church. His schooling was rather peripatetic because of his pare

Born in Surrey, on 19 November 1908, the second son of Edmund Henderson Hunt, MCh, FRCS (Eng) and Laura Mary, daughter of Sir James Buckingham. His elder brother, John, was elected a Fellow of the College *ad eundem* for services as a co-opted Member of Council and to medicine. Educated at Charte

Cyril Fletcher ('Peter') Critchley was born on 7 July 1909 in Dulwich, south London, the son of James Critchley, a barrister, and his wife Margaret, née Fletcher. He was educated at Dulwich College and St Thomas's Hospital, and qualified in 1934. As a student, he fenced for London University. His

John Howell Hughes was born on 25 October 1908, in Liverpool, to John Hughes, a builder, and Anne Ellen, née Williams. He was educated at Liverpool Collegiate School, where he was captain of rugby, and went on to study medicine at Liverpool University. After qualifying, he was house surgeon and hous

Kenneth George Frederick Mackenzie was a general surgeon at Shotley Bridge Hospital, County Durham. Born on 20 June 1911 in Brookwood, Surrey, he was the only son of John Mackenzie, a colonel in the RAMC and his wife Hilda Constance née Johnston. After attending Arnold House, a preparatory school in

Francis William Shepherd, who was born in Nottingham on 6 December 1906, grew up in Castletown, Isle of Man. With a London BSc he studied medicine at Cambridge and St Bartholomew's Hospital. After holding posts in Hampstead and Ilford he was appointed RSO at Huddersfield in 1938 and, it is said, ser

Born on 5 October 1910 in Lanchowfu, Kansu Province, China, he was the elder son of Albert Penard Laycock, a medical missionary and Winifred, née Hingston. He was educated at St Paul's School, West Kensington, where he was a Scholar. He gained scholarships to St John's College, Cambridge and to St T

Guy Blackburn was born on 20 November 1911 in Harrogate, the eldest son of Dr A E Blackburn, a general practitioner, who later moved to Beckenham, Kent. Guy was educated at Rugby (without great exposure to the game!), Clare College, Cambridge, and St Bartholomew's Medical College. At Clare he took u

Harry McGladdery was born on 9 September 1911 in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland, to Kevin McGladdery, a farmer and landowner, and Margaret Wilson, a schoolteacher. He was educated at Walthamstow Technical College and Sir George Monoux School, before entering St Bartholomew's Hospital, one of

Arthur Sangster was born in Windsor, Nova Scotia, the son of Herbert, a lawyer. He was at school at King's College in Windsor before entering Ashby College in Ottawa, and then on to his medical training at Dalhousie University. His early surgical experience was at the Victoria General Hospital in Ha

Stafford George Mayer was a surgeon in Durban, South Africa. He studied medicine at Cambridge University and the London Hospital Medical School, and qualified MRCS LRCP in 1934 and, three years later, gained his MB BChir and his FRCS. He was a house surgeon at King George Hospital, Ilford, and at

Geoffrey Myers was born on 24 January 1908. He passed the FRCS in 1937 and, during the second world war served with both the RAMC and the NZMC. He spent his career in general surgery working for such organisations as the United Fruit Company Inc. and the North and West Africa Socony Mobil Oil Compan