Will Davey wrote the first textbook on surgery in tropical countries. He was born on 28 February 1912 in Dunmurry, near Belfast, in Northern Ireland. His father, Robert, was a minister of religion. His mother was Charlotte née Higginson. One of a family of five, he studied medicine at Queens Univers

Neville Rees was a former medical director of Saudi Medicare and a medical superintendent in Perth, Australia. He was born in Gorseinon, near Swansea, on 20 February 1922, the son of David Cyril Rees, a steel worker, and Olwen Elizabeth née Clark. From Gowerton Boys Grammar School he went to the Lon

In the course of his career, Douglas Roy held appointments as a professor of surgery on three continents. He was born on 10 April 1925, the son of Arthur Roy and Edith Mary (née Brown). Educated at Paisley Grammar School, he went to Glasgow University to study medicine. After house appointments, he

Donald William Hugh Ruddick was a senior surgeon at Montreal General Hospital. He was born in Montreal on 23 October 1916, the son of William Wallace Ruddick, a general surgeon at Montreal General Hospital and a graduate of McGill University, and Ernesteen Angelic née Saucier. The family had a medic

Geoff Smiddy was a senior surgeon at Leeds General Infirmary and a prolific author. He was born in Kendal on 4 January 1922. His father was a hotelier and his mother looked after a haberdashery shop. His was not an easy childhood – his father left the family home shortly after he was born and his mo

Eric John Smith was a consultant surgeon at the Royal Free Hospital, London. He was born on 31 March 1910 in Norwood, Surrey, the second son of Robert Percy and Edith Smith. His early life was overshadowed by the death from Hodgkin’s disease of his elder brother who had been a child prodigy, and Eri

Leader Stirling was an eminent missionary surgeon and a former minister for health in Tanzania. He was born on 19 January 1906 in Essex. Many of the family were doctors, although a cousin did found the SAS – the Special Air Service. Stirling was educated at Bishop’s Stortford and then went on to the

Alfred John Drew, known as ‘Jack’, was a former consultant general surgeon in Walsall. He was born in Ceylon on 17 February 1916, the son of the chief pilot for the harbour at Colombo. He was educated at Nuwara Eliya, and was then sent to Ipswich School at the age of 11. He became head boy and rugby

Fred Graves was a general surgeon in Staffordshire with an interest in urology. He was born in Hereford in 1919, later studied medicine at University College Hospital and specialised in surgery at King’s College Hospital. He was subsequently appointed consultant general surgeon at Staffordshire Gene

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

Born in Calcutta on Aug 6th, 1798. He was educated at Edinburgh; after becoming MRCS in 1819 he was appointed Assistant Surgeon to the Bengal Army on April 15th, 1820. He was promoted on June 18th, 1831, to Surgeon, later to be Staff Surgeon (1st Class), Apothecary General and Superintendent of Vacc

Practised at Chaddesley-Corbett, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, later at 41 Brunswick Street, Leamington. He was at one time Surgeon Major in the Militia, and died in or before 1890.