John Ball was a true general surgeon, having spent his entire consultant career in practice on the isolated Scottish island of Skye, where he established a first-class surgical reputation, as well as becoming a much loved and hugely respected local figure. His reputation on the island was such that

Melvyn Keith Tidman trained at University College Hospital and passed his FRCS in 1964. He moved to the Bristol area and became senior house officer in general and orthopaedic surgery to the Bristol Royal Infirmary and then surgical registrar to the Bath clinical area. He moved to Canada and practic

Richard John Earlam, who was a consultant general surgeon at the Royal London Hospital, played a crucial role in the introduction of the air ambulance service to London thus contributing to a huge drop in deaths from trauma in the capitol. Born in Liverpool on 26 March 1934 he was the son of Francis