David Stanley Leitch was born in Leeton, New South Wales, on 9 January 1923, the son of John Stanley Leitch, a farmer and grazier and Marian, née Killen. He was educated at All Saints' College, Bathurst, New South Wales and at St Andrew's College, Sydney University, before joining the Australian Arm

James Calvert, neurosurgeon, was born at Mount Bute, near Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, where his parents owned a sheep farm. He was educated first at the local state school and then at Ballarat Grammar School. On leaving school, he worked briefly for the Commercial Bank of Australia, before enlist