John Dreadon was born in Northern Wairoa, North Auckland, New Zealand on 29 May 1898, the fourth child in a family of six; his father was a farmer and his mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Webb. He was educated at Auckland Grammar School and Otago University, Dunedin, qualifying in 1921. He held va

William Stirk Adams was born at Acocks Green, Worcestershire, on 31 May 1896 and educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham. His father was a schoolmaster. He won an entrance scholarship to Birmingham University in 1915. He served as a Surgeon Probationer RNVR in 1916 to 1917; qualified MRCS LRCP

Capps was born in the Naval Hospital, Gibralter, on 17 May 1898, the only son of Fleet-Surgeon Frederick A Capps, who lost his life in action at the Battle of Jutland (1916). With this family background he was from an early age destined for a career in the Royal Navy, and accordingly entered the Roy