St John Dudley Buxton was born on 26 December 1891 in London, the son of Dr Dudley Wilmot Buxton MD, MRCP, who was anaesthetist to University College Hospital, the National Hospital, Queen's Square, and the Royal Dental Hospital. His mother was Louisa Frances Agnes Clarke, daughter of the Rev T G Cl

George Perkins was born in Staines, Middlesex, on 22 September 1892, the second child and elder son of George James Perkins, a butcher, and Lilian Straker, a retired stationer. Perkins was deeply indebted to his father whom he described as a 'marvellous man' who left school at the age of 12 and late

Robert Young Paton was born on 18 January 1894 in Perth, the son of Dr Edward Ley Paton, and was educated at Perth Academy and St Andrew's University, where he was Matheson Scholar. He came to St Mary's Hospital for his clinical studies which were interrupted in 1917 when he served for over a year a