Thomas Denness was born in Motherwell, Lanarkshire, on 13 September 1912, the son of Thomas Denness, a mechanical and electrical engineer in the Civil Service, and Janet née Collins. He was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School, Charterhouse Square, London, from which he gained the Merchant Taylo

Philip Kerr was born on 22 February 1921, the son of Dugald Kerr, a Scottish civil engineer, and Charlotte Annie, née Tasker. He was educated at Oundle, where he won many prizes, and at St Thomas's Hospital Medical School. He qualified in 1943 and served as a medical officer in the RAF in Western Eu

Gordon Rose was an orthopaedic surgeon who pioneered the development of walking orthoses (surgical appliances). He was born in Coventry on 28 April 1916, and qualified in medicine at Birmingham in 1940 with the gold medal in surgery. He then joined the RAMC, serving throughout the war in the Middle

Joscelyn (‘Jos’) Penrose was an orthopaedic surgeon for some 37 years, progressing from his first post at St Thomas’ Hospital, London, to his retirement as a senior consultant orthopaedic surgeon to the Coventry and Warwickshire group of hospitals. Born on 15 August 1915 in Banbury, Oxfordshire,

Gordon France was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Lewisham Hospital and Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup. He was born in Heckmondwike, west Yorkshire, on 12 July 1912. His father was a cabinet maker and joiner, and his mother, Harriet Alice née Firth, a dressmaker. From Heckmondwike Grammar School,