Mohamed Kamel Hussein was professor of orthopaedic surgery at Kasr El Ainy Medical School, Cairo, and was known in Egypt as the 'father of orthopaedics'. He was born in Cairo on 20 March 1901, the third child of Mohamed Aly Hussein, a school teacher. After his parents died, Hussein was brought up by

Francis Allan was born on March 21 1900, received his medical education at St Thomas's Hospital and qualified in 1925. After holding a resident post at his teaching hospital he became an assistant at the Royal Cripples' Hospital, Birmingham, and thereafter spent his professional life in the Midlands

Richard Butler qualified MRCS LRCP from Cambridge and St Thomas's Hospital in 1927 and he spent his early postgraduate years gaining experience in general and orthopaedic surgery, working for Bristow, Perkins and Trethowan. He became FRCS in 1928 and took the MCh in 1933, winning the Robert Jones Go

Cecil Wood Flemming, the son of Percy Flemming, ophthalmic surgeon at University College Hospital and Dr Elizabeth Flemming, physician to the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, was born on 20 August 1902 at Ewhurst, Surrey. He was educated at Rugby School and Trinity College, Oxford, moving to Uni

Herbert John Seddon was born on 13 July 1903 in Derby, the elder son of John Seddon, who worked in the Union Cold Storage Company, and of Ellen (née Thornton). He spent his childhood in Manchester and was educated at the William Hulme Grammar School from whence he entered St Bartholomew's Hospital M