Maurice Mercadier was a leading French gastrointestinal surgeon and a former president of l'Académie nationale de médecine. He was born in the small village of Pradelle in the Aveyron region of France on 21 January 1917. His family background was modest and his father died when he was eight years ol

Alan Johnson was a leading gastro-intestinal surgeon and medical ethicist. He was born on 19 January 1938, at Epsom Downs, Surrey, the son of Douglas Johnson, a doctor. He was educated at Epsom College and Trinity College, Cambridge, with his clinical studies being carried out at University College

Francis Henley was a consultant gastrointestinal surgeon at the Central Middlesex Hospital, London. He was born in Liverpool on 23 May 1914, the son of Francis Henley, a director of a sports business, and Julia Virginia Henley née Kowrach, a housewife. He was educated at several Catholic schools, an

Christopher Wastell was professor of surgery at Westminster Medical School, London. He was born on 13 October 1932 in Birmingham, the fourth child and third son of Edgar Barker Wastell, a manager, and Doris Emeline Wastell née Pett. He was educated at George Dixon Primary School, Edgbaston, and then

Born in London on 30 August 1903, the eldest child of Nathan Price, a hardware merchant, and his wife Yetta Nyfield. He was educated at Daventry Foundation School and King's College Hospital, where he won numerous scholarships and prizes and served the usual residential posts. He also served as hous

François de Gaudart d'Allaines was born in Blois. His father was serving in the French Army but resigned in 1905 on account of the Army becoming implicated in the controversy between the Catholic Church and the anti-clerical government. François early decided to be a surgeon and when the first wo

William Michael Cooke was a consultant general surgeon at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough. He was born on 16 June 1937 in Derby City Hospital, where his father, Gordon Cooke, became the youngest medical superintendent. Gordon was from the Isle of Man, and his father was a Methodist min

Michael Hobsley was a professor of surgery at University College London and at the Middlesex Hospital Medical School, before it merged with University College Hospital Medical School in 1987. He was born on 18 January 1929 in Calcutta, where his father worked, and attended St Saviour's College, C

Born at Newcastle-on-Tyne on 16 March 1881, the eldest child of Henry Septimus Miller, a timber merchant, and Annie Elizabeth Potts, his wife. His childhood was spent in Canada, but his parents came back in 1893 and he was educated in London at William Ellis's school and Guy's Hospital, where he won

Joe Siegenberg was a surgeon in British Columbia, Canada. He was born on 3 January 1927 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the son of Lewis (Lou) Siegenberg and Sarah Siegenberg née Bernstein. He was a self-starter, an individual who, even though he came from a challenging, difficult background, managed

Robert de Vernejoul was a prominent French cardiac surgeon. He was born on 19 March 1890 at Montcaret in the Dordogne. His father was a pastor. He came from a noble family, originally from the village of Vernajoul near Foix. His ancestors can be traced back to 16th century. He was educated at the Ly

William Roy Carswell was born in 1915, the son of a Dunedin doctor, and was educated in the University of Otago where he graduated MB ChB in 1939. He was appointed house surgeon to Wellington Hospital and then joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He had a distinguished military career and was