Peter Alexander Ring was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon of international repute who worked at Redhill General Hospital. He was born in Finchley, Middlesex, on 30 December 1922. His father, John Richard Ring, was a shop manager. His mother was Caroline née Matthews. Peter went to school at Christ's

Gerard William Taylor was born in Natal, South Africa, on 23 September 1920, the son of William Ivan Taylor, an engineer. His early education was at Bemrose School, Derby, and he then entered St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, qualifying in 1943. After junior hospital appointments he served