Maurice James Bennett-Jones was born in Liverpool on 30 November 1906, his father was William James Bennett-Jones, consultant anaesthetist to Liverpool Royal Infirmary and his mother was Dr Daly - a Doctor of Medicine and a JP. He was educated at Rossall School, Fleetwood, and Liverpool University w

Francis Arthur d'Abreu, always known as Frank, was born in Handsworth, Staffordshire, on 1 October 1904, the second son of Dr John d'Abreu, a medical practitioner, and Teresa Noonan. He came from a large family of twelve children; his younger brother, Professor A d'Abreu FRCS, was also a surgeon.