John Howkins was a gynaecological surgeon at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London. He was born in Hartlepool, County Durham, on 17 December 1907, the son of John Drysdale Howkins, a civil engineer, and Helen Louise née Greenwood, the daughter of a bank manager. He was educated at Cargilfield Preparator

Stewart Young Feggetter was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 10 April 1908, the son of William Feggetter, a ship broker, and his wife Amelia, née Young. After early education at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, he entered the University of Durham for medical studies. His brother, George,