Born on 16 November 1903, Max Ernst studied medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital, where he completed house jobs and then spent a period at sea as a ship's doctor. He then settled down in Romford as a general practitioner-surgeon. At the outbreak of war he was rejected for military service because o

Frederick Ross Stansfield was born at Ilkley, Yorkshire, on 28 September 1904, the son of a cotton manufacturer. His early education was at Ilkley Grammar School before entering the University of Leeds and St Bartholomew's Hospital for medical studies. He qualified in 1928 with honours in medicine a

Robin Pilcher was born on 22 June 1902 in Northwood, Middlesex, into a family without medical connections, although his younger brother Michael was to follow him into surgery. His father was Thorold Sturtevant Pilcher and his mother Helena, née Neilson. He was a scholar at St Paul's School and a pri

Donald Barlow was born on 4 July 1905 in Leytonstone, son of Leonard Barlow, an electrical engineer, and Katherine Monteagle. His eldest brother Leonard was killed at the age of 18 after winning the MC with two bars in the Royal Flying Corps; the second became FRS and a professor at University Colle