Ian Ayliffe Hamilton was a surgeon in Adelaide, Australia. He was born in Geelong, South Australia, on 22 October 1901, the son of Frank Hamilton, a winemaker, and Violet Elsie May Hamilton née Ayliffe. He was educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide, and then studied medicine at Adelaide University

Alan Harding Lendon was born in Adelaide on 11 August 1903, the youngest son of Dr Alfred Austin Lendon who had been a prominent member of the profession in South Australia. He was educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide and at Adelaide University where he won the Davies Thomas Prize in 1924 and 19