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

Educated in Australia, he graduated from the University of Sydney in 1920 and then came to London, where he worked at St Mary's and Guy's Hospitals. After taking the Fellowship in 1923 he held resident posts at St George's, the West London and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospitals. He then marrie

Michael Wilkinson was the eldest of six sons of Charles Robert Wilkinson and was born in Thetymu, Burma, on 1 May 1899. His father, a civil servant, grandfather and great grandfather were missionaries, and all served in India. His mother was Elizabeth Florence Sinclair and her father was a merchant.

Christie was born in Invercargill, New Zealand, on 13 July 1894, the eldest son of Andrew Christie, who farmed in Southland, New Zealand, and Lillian Laura, née Kenrick, daughter of Harry Kenrick, Stipendiary Magistrate. His primary education was at Kaikorai School, Dunedin, then in 1908 at Otago

Bryan Hartop Burns was born on 14 December 1896, at Higham Park, Rushden, Northants. He was the elder of the two sons of Hartop Burns, farmer, and Florence Ann, née Fuller. Both parents came from farming and landowning families in Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire. He was educated first at Kimbolt