John Allison Strachan Marr was born in Knysna and was educated at Rondebosch Boys' High School. His father was the first doctor at Knysna. He graduated in medicine at the University of Cape Town and spent four years in postgraduate training in England, obtaining the Conjoint Board Diploma in 1933, a

Donald McGavin was a general surgeon at Leicester Royal Infirmary. He was born on 23 September 1906 in Wellington, New Zealand, the son of Mary Allan née Chapple and Major General Sir Donald Johnstone McGavin, FRCS, who had been director general of the New Zealand Army Medical Services at the end of

George Qvist was born on 13 August 1910, in London, the third son of Emil Qvist, a bookseller, and his wife Emily. After education at Quintin School he entered University College, London, for his preclinical studies and was elected Bucknill Scholar at University College Hospital. He was awarded the