Leslie Norman Reece was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 1 February, 1880. He was the fourth son of William Reece, a pioneer and importer. He attended Nelson College in New Zealand and then came to England to study medicine at St Thomas's. There he became house surgeon and resident assistant su

Douglas was born on 25 May 1893, was educated at Bristol University, and the Middlesex and London Hospitals. In 1913 he graduated BSc with first class honours after research in biochemistry. When war broke out in 1914, he joined the Worcester Regiment, and gave up his work as a medical student to se