Geoffrey Scarlett was born on 3 January 1928 in Sydney, the son of a businessman, Wilfred Lea Scarlett, and Constance Mary, née Tuttill. Educated at De La Salle College, Ashfield, Sydney and the University of Sydney Medical School, Scarlett qualified MB BS in 1951. During his career he held posts

Bernard James Bowden was born in 1927 at Mt Albert, Auckland, the only son of William and Catherine Bowden. He was educated at Takapuna Grammar School and entered Auckland University as a Sinclair Scholar, graduating BSc in 1948. He spent that year as a junior master at King's College, Auckland, but