Born and educated in Trinidad, he obtained an island scholarship to England in 1917 from QRC Port of Spain. Proceeding to St Bartholomew's Hospital for his medical education, he qualified with the Conjoint Diploma in 1924 and then held various appointments, as resident anaesthetist at St Bartholomew

Born in 1901, son of R J Burt White, cotton goods buyer, of Crouch End, he was educated at Epsom College and St Bartholomew's Hospital, where he won the Foster prize in anatomy and the Harvey prize in physiology. He was house surgeon to W McAdam Eccles and Girling Ball, and served as intern midwifer