Philip Hack, the eldest child of Lewis Joel Hack, a merchant, was born on 25 May 1900 at Saduve, Lithuania. The family soon moved to Irene, Transvaal, South Africa. Philip was educated first at Hope Mill School, Cape Town, and then at Pretoria Boys' High School before entering the University of Cape

Cedric Ivor Tuckett was born on 12 December, 1901. He was educated at Rugby, Cambridge University and St Thomas's Hospital where he won the Cheselden Medal and qualified MRCS, LRCP in 1926. He played rugby for the hospital and held a number of senior resident posts, becoming FRCS in 1928 and MCh in

John Henry Milnes Walker was born on 16 March 1902 in Wakefield, the son of John William Walker and his wife Constance Elizabeth, née Holdsworth. His father and grandfather had both been surgeons on the staff of Clayton Hospital and his wife's father had been a physician there. He was educated at Ou