John Herbert Harker Webster was a consultant surgeon in Southampton. He was born in Heswall, Cheshire, on 2 October 1929, the son of Herbert Webster, a biscuit manufacturer, and Doris Louise née Harker, the daughter of a chandler. In 1935 the family moved to Prenton in order to be near to Birkenhead

James Hadfield was a consultant general surgeon with a urological interest at Bedford Hospital. He came from a distinguished medical family: his father, Geoffrey Hadfield, was professor of pathology at the London School of Medicine for Women at the Royal Free Hospital. His mother was Sarah Victoria

Bhanu Ratilal Shah was a surgeon who practised in Mumbai, India. He gained his FRCS in 1960.

Roger James was a general surgeon who lived and worked in Canada. He qualified from the University of Sheffield in 1953 and passed the fellowship in 1960. He moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba where he was on the staff of the Misericordia General and Victoria General Hospitals. He died on 18 January 2007.

Air Vice Marshal Rhys Tudor Brackley Jones was born on 16 November 1925 in Middlesex, the son of the late Sir Edgar and Lady Jones. He studied medicine at St Mary’s Hospital, where he qualified MRCS LRCP in April 1950 and became a house surgeon there. His surgical training rotation continued at Haro

Eric Philip Simkin was a consultant surgeon at Royal Liverpool University Hospital. He attended Jesus College, Cambridge, where he studied medicine, qualifying in 1952. He was an accident officer at Middlesex Hospital, London, and then a surgical registrar at Liverpool Royal Infirmary. Prior to his

Akinpelu Oludele Adesola was vice chancellor and formerly head of the department of surgery at the University of Lagos, Nigeria. He was educated at Queen's University, Belfast, qualifying in 1956. He went on to hold several posts at the Royal Victoria Hospital, including house surgeon, house officer

George Decker was chief of surgery at J G Strijdom Hospital, Johannesburg, one of the five main provincial teaching hospitals of the University of the Witwatersrand. He was born in Mossel Bay, a coastal town in the Cape Province of South Africa. His parents were of Dutch and German decent; his only

John McFarland was a consultant surgeon in Liverpool. He was born on 17 September 1930 in Rodney Street, Liverpool, into a well-established medical family. His father, Bryan McFarland, was professor of orthopaedics at the city's university; his mother, Ethel McFarland née Ashton, was also a doctor.

William Michael Mee was a consultant surgeon at Luton and Dunstable Hospital. He was born on 27 February 1928 and studied medicine at St Mary's Hospital Medical School, qualifying in 1954. He gained his FRCS in 1960. Prior to his appointment at Luton and Dunstable Hospital he was a senior surgica

Pradip Majumdar gained his FRCS in 1960. He lived in Calcutta, India. His death was notified to the Royal College of Surgeons in October 2006.

John Masterton epitomised the term "canny Scot" and also adopted the Aussie characteristic of giving everyone "a fair go". The Royal Australasian College of surgeons has indeed been fortunate that John chose to spend the last 52 years of his working life since 1963 here in Melbourne. The College