Alec Benjamin was a consultant orthopaedic and trauma surgeon at west Hertfordshire from 1961 until 1984. Initially, he was on the staff of Watford General and Hemel Hempstead hospitals, but in the early eighties he moved his sessions from Watford to St Albans. He was born at home in Stoke Newin

Eric Candlin was a consultant orthopaedic and general surgeon at St Leonard's, Manor House, Enfield War Memorial and Cheshunt Cottage hospitals. He was born in Mukden, Manchuria, China, the third child and second son of George Alfred Candlin, general manager of the Russo-Asiatic Bank in the Far East

Richard Batten was the son of Lindsey Batten, FRCP, FRCGP, a Bart's-trained GP in Hampstead. Batten's disease, an inherited neurological condition, was named after his ancestor, also of Bart's. Richard trained at the Westminster Hospital, entered the RAMC on qualifying, and served in Italy. After de