Ralph Marnham was born in Stellenbosch, South Africa on 7 June 1901, the eldest son of Arthur Marnham, a farmer, and Janet (née Micklem) the daughter of a farmer. He was educated at Diocesan College, Rondebosch and on coming to England, at Caius College, Cambridge and St George's Hospital, London, q

Arthur Espie Porritt was born in Wanganui, New Zealand, the elder son of E E Porritt, VD, MD, FRCS, and of Ivy Elizabeth, née Mackenzie, whose father was also a medical practitioner. After education at Wanganui Collegiate School and Otago University, where he had an outstanding athletic record, he s