John Grocott was the surgeon in charge of the plastic department at North Staffordshire Royal Infirmary. He was born on 23 January 1910, the only son of William Harley Grocott, headmaster of the Church of England school at Fenton, Staffordshire, and Eleanor Jane Grocott née Shemilt. He had two siste

David Owen Davies was a consultant surgeon to the Epsom group of hospitals. He was born in Hampstead, London, on 17 June 1909. His father, Frederick Moses Davies, was a bank official. His mother was Amy Maude Mary Flanders. Educated at St Olave's Grammar School, Tower Bridge, he went to St Bartholom

John Fulford Jarvis was born at Carshalton, Surrey, in 1910 and educated at Whitgift School, winning an open scholarship at King's College and King's College Hospital. He graduated in 1933 and then took the MRCP and the FRCS. He joined the Colonial Medical Service to work in Tanganyika in 1936. He w

Hedley Walter Hall was born in Farsley, near Leeds, on 3 October 1907. His father, Walter, was a Methodist minister. His mother was Julia Florence née Copestake. He was educated at Goole Primary and Secondary Schools, then Shebbear College, north Devon, where he was captain of the school. He studied

Arthur Belson King was born in Norwich on 15 July 1909, the son of Arthur Edward King, a retail chemist, and Adelaide, née Walker. He attended Bracondale School, Norwich, and Bishops Stortford College. From here he went to University College, London, and completed his clinical work at University Col

Daniel Anthony Andersen was born in India in 1906 and educated in England. He qualified with the Conjoint Diploma from University College Hospital in 1933, taking the MB BS later that year. In 1939 he took the FRCS and was appointed by the Salvation Army as chief medical officer to the Evangeline Bo

Ernest Harold Carr Harper was a consultant surgeon at West Kent Hospital, Maidstone. He was born in Surrey in 1908, where his father Harry was managing director of a shipping company. His mother was Constance née Carr. He was educated at Hurstpierpoint School, before going to St Thomas's to study me

Leslie Claremont Oliver was born on 5 February 1909, the son of an engineer. He was educated at Latymer School and Guy's Hospital, London, qualifying in 1933 and proceeding immediately to FRCS in 1935, gaining general surgical experience as registrar, Bristol General Hospital, and as resident assist

Harold William Burge was born on 23 July 1909. He originally entered King's College, London, as an engineering student and shortly transferred to the faculty of medicine to graduate from King's College Hospital in 1933. After a few years in general practice he decided on a career in surgery and took

Percival Ross Wheatley was born in Westbury, Wiltshire on 4 May 1909, the son of Reverend Percival Wheatley, a Congregational minister and Margaret, née Wallis, the daughter of a dental surgeon. He won a scholarship to St Dunstan's College, Catford, for his early education and later gained an open s

Eric John Smith was a consultant surgeon at the Royal Free Hospital, London. He was born on 31 March 1910 in Norwood, Surrey, the second son of Robert Percy and Edith Smith. His early life was overshadowed by the death from Hodgkin’s disease of his elder brother who had been a child prodigy, and Eri