Arthur Capel Herbert Bell was born at Epsom, Surrey, on 18 September 1904. His father was John Herbert Bell, a solicitor who was the eldest son of Dr William Bell, general practitioner at Wallasey. The second son, and uncle of Arthur Bell, was William Blair Bell, first President of the College of Ob

Currie was born on 16 June 1903 in Leeds, the third son of James Irvine Currie, wholesaler clothier, and Florence Emma, née Dixon. His uncle Hugh Currie, a surgeon in Johnannesburg, was at the relief of Ladysmith. An elder brother, Donald Currie, gained his FRCS in 1923. He was educated at Leeds Gra

Frederick Ross Stansfield was born at Ilkley, Yorkshire, on 28 September 1904, the son of a cotton manufacturer. His early education was at Ilkley Grammar School before entering the University of Leeds and St Bartholomew's Hospital for medical studies. He qualified in 1928 with honours in medicine a