Ralph Brooke did his medical training at Guy's where he was house surgeon and out-patients' officer. He became general surgeon to the Worthing Hospital and orthopaedic surgeon to the Royal County Hospital. During the second world war he was appointed surgical specialist for the 21st General Hospital

Francis Louis was born in 1900, and went for his medical education to University College, London where he qualified with the Conjoint Diploma in 1922, proceeding to the London University degree in 1924. In 1926 he obtained the FRCS and then held posts in general surgery in various London hospitals,

Bryan Hartop Burns was born on 14 December 1896, at Higham Park, Rushden, Northants. He was the elder of the two sons of Hartop Burns, farmer, and Florence Ann, née Fuller. Both parents came from farming and landowning families in Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire. He was educated first at Kimbolt