Albert Tompkin was born on 14 March 1921 in Nottingham, the son of Albert, an analytical chemist and his wife, Lucy, née Wilson, who was a teacher. He went to Nottingham High School and long before he left he had made up his mind to be a surgeon. In 1937 while still only sixteen years of age he was

Anthony Partridge was born on 8 February 1920, in London, the son of Walter Partridge, a dental surgeon, and Evelyn Edgar. After education at Framlingham College, Suffolk, he entered Charing Cross Hospital where he qualified and held appointments as house surgeon in general surgery, and as house sur