Romiel Anthonis was the most celebrated Asian surgeon of his day, and a role model to generations of Sri Lankans. He was born in Bambalapitiya, a suburb of Colombo, on 21 January 1911, one of the 16 children of Polwatte Arachchige Michael Anthonis, a master-carpenter, and Hettiarachchige Engaltina P

Graham Smart was a general surgeon at Wairau Hospital, Blenheim, New Zealand. He was born in Croydon, Surrey, on 8 November 1915, the son of Sidney William Smart, a railway executive, and Lilian Smart née Bachelar. He attended elementary school in Croydon and went on to Selhurst Grammar School. As a

Robert Fuller was born in Acton, London, on 4 January 1916. His father, Charles, was a company director. His mother was Mildred Kate née Lambert, a housewife. Robert was educated at St Paul's from 1928 to 1934, and then went on to St Mary's Hospital to study medicine. After qualifying in 1939, with

Murray Pheils was professor of surgery at the University of Sydney. He was born in Birmingham on 2 December 1917, the younger of the two sons of Elmer Theodore Pheils, an osteopath, and Lilian Mary née Cole. His father Elmer was a colourful character: he was born in Toledo, Ohio, and trained as an o

Gordon Andrew Barclay was a consultant surgeon in London's East End, at St Andrew's Hospital, Bow, East Ham Memorial Hospital and Queen Mary's Hospital. He was also an honorary lecturer at the London Hospital Medical College. Prior to his consultant appointments, he was a member of a British paedia

St John Michael Clive Birt was a consultant general surgeon at Jersey General Hospital. He was born on 12 February 1916. His father, Amelius Cyril Birt, was a general practitioner in Wantage. His mother, Gertrude Isabel Kidd, came from a medical family: many were doctors attached to the London Hospi

Roland Thompson Grime was a consultant general surgeon in Stockport. He was born in Cheadle Hume, Cheshire, on 18 July 1916, the son of Horace Grime, who was in the cotton trade, and Lily Grime née Thompson. He was educated at Ellesmere College, Shropshire, and then studied medicine at Manchester Un

Douglas Robertson was a consultant general surgeon at the Royal Hospital, Sheffield. He was born in London in 1919 of Scottish parents. His father, Falconer Robertson, was a banker, and his mother, Jane Mary Duff, was a teacher. Douglas was educated at the Stationers’ Company School. He entered St B

Clarence Stanley Day was born in Toronto on 4 March 1908, the second child and first son of Amy Lillian, nee Gilroy, and Walter Arthur Day. He attended Withrow Public School, Humber Collegiate and Riverdale Collegiate. He studied medicine at the University of Toronto and became chief surgical reside

Roger Miles was born in Liverpool on 1 May 1915, the third child of Edwin Griffith Miles, a Presbyterian minister and Annie Miles, née Jones. Most of his childhood was spent in Felixstowe on the Suffolk coast where he developed his lifelong love of sailing and the sea. He was educated at Bradfield C

Frank Ivor Tovey was born on 1 September 1921 in Bath, the son of Ernest and Ellen Louise Tovey. He was educated at Kingswood School and then entered Bristol University Medical School, graduating in 1944. The following year he applied to work overseas under the aegis of the Methodist Missionary Soci

Richard Pelham Warren was born on 2 October 1919, the second son of Richard Warren DM, MCh, FRCS (*Lives of the Fellows*, 1952-1964, p.429) assistant surgeon to the London Hospital and later surgeon to Weston-super-Mare Hospital, and his wife Violet Irene, née Jenkin. His early education was at Char