Basil Tracey was born on 19 October 1899 at Willand, Devon, where his father, Henry Eugene Tracey, was a general practitioner, four of whose eleven children were qualified medical practitioners. His mother was Emily Alice, née Martin. He was educated at Monkton Combe School and St Bartholomew's Hosp

Francis Joselin Jauch was born in Hampstead on 17 February 1897, the son of Alexander Karl Sigismund Jauch, an importer and exporter of toiletries, and his wife Elise, née Waibel. After early education at the school which later became the Marylebone Grammar School, his dental studies were interrupte

Arthur Reginald Lister was born in Totteridge, north of London, on 4 April 1895 into a distinguished medical family. Lord Lister was his great-uncle, his father, Sir William Lister, and his cousin, Arthur Lister, were well-known eye surgeons, and one of his brothers was a consultant physician at Ply