Francis Allan was born on March 21 1900, received his medical education at St Thomas's Hospital and qualified in 1925. After holding a resident post at his teaching hospital he became an assistant at the Royal Cripples' Hospital, Birmingham, and thereafter spent his professional life in the Midlands

He was educated at the Cardiff Medical School, University of Wales, and came to London in 1921, entering the Charing Cross Medical School and Hospital where he served the office of house surgeon for the year 1923-24. He was afterwards resident medical officer at Queen Mary's Hospital, Carshalton, wh