William Bullock was born in Toxteth, Liverpool, on 6 October 1908, the son of Albert Edward Bullock, an engineer. He was educated at Liverpool Collegiate School before entering the University of Liverpool Medical School. He qualified in 1932 with first class honours and subsequently served in junior

Frederick Ronald Edwards was born in Chester on 14 April 1910. He graduated with honours at the University of Liverpool in 1932, won the Samuels Memorial Scholarship in surgery, obtained the FRCS in 1934, the ChM in 1935 and the MD in 1938. His surgical training was in Wigan and Liverpool and he was