Douglas Freebody was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Kingston Hospital. He was born in Woolwich, London, on 19 April 1911, the son of a successful tailor, and attended the City of London School, before entering Guy’s Hospital Medical School, which he represented at hockey and boxing. After quali

Blundell Jones was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in Exeter. He was born on 10 June 1915, in Blackpool, Lancashire, the eldest son of William Jones, the principal of a technical college, and Elizabeth Blundell. He was educated at Arnold School, Blackpool, and University College Hospital London, wh

Alan Graham Apley was born in London on 10 November 1914, the youngest son of a Jewish immigrant tailor from Poland, Samuel Apley. His mother was Mary Hilda, nee Tandos. He attended St Ethelburga's school where he came top of all London in the eleven-plus equivalent of the day. He subsequently atten

Donald Macrae was born on 8 February 1916 and educated at Oundle School. After medical training at St Bartholomew's Hospital he graduated in 1938 and served as house surgeon to Professor Paterson Ross. He then joined the staff of the Lord Mayor Treloar Hospital, Alton, as a resident medical officer.