Peter Rickham was one of a small group of pioneering surgeons who helped to establish the specialty of paediatric surgery in the UK. He was born in Berlin on 21 June 1917, where his father, Otto Louis Reichenheim, was professor of physics at Berlin University. His mother was Susanne née Huldschinsky

John Gibson Taylor, known as ‘Ian’, was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. He was born on 8 June 1918, three months before the end of the First World War, the only child of Scottish parents Kate and William Taylor. Ian’s father was an engineer employed at the Royal Aer

Hugh Guerrier was a consultant surgeon in Torbay. He was born in Muswell Hill, London, on 2 January 1913, the only son of Arthur Philip Guerrier, a solicitor, and his wife, Hilda Gwendolene née Davies, whose father was a general practitioner. Hugh was educated at Cambridge House School, Margate, and

Duncan Davidson Cranna, son of Robert Cranna MB, ChB Aberdeen 1901, of Bolton, was born on 24 June 1909, and was educated at Merchiston Castle, Edinburgh, and at Manchester University. He graduated MB, ChB in 1934 and obtained the Conjoint Diploma in the same year. His interest in orthopaedic surger

Michael Hugh Melville (Hugh) Ryan AM spent 65 years as an ophthalmologist, retiring only eight months before he died. His life was led with great intellectual integrity, a thirst for knowledge and a compassion for people. He graduated Dux of the Medical Course at Melbourne University in 1937 and

Warwick Macky was the leading urologist in New Zealand for more than half a century, and a man of outstanding presence and charm. He was born on 8 December 1920 into a successful family of importers. His father, Frank Macky, who qualified in 1914, was senior surgeon of the Auckland Hospital from 192

Romiel Anthonis was the most celebrated Asian surgeon of his day, and a role model to generations of Sri Lankans. He was born in Bambalapitiya, a suburb of Colombo, on 21 January 1911, one of the 16 children of Polwatte Arachchige Michael Anthonis, a master-carpenter, and Hettiarachchige Engaltina P

Leslie Le Quesne was professor of surgery at the Middlesex Hospital, London. He was born in Ashburton, Devon, on 24 August 1919. His father, Charles Thomas Le Quesne, was a prominent barrister, originally from Jersey; his mother, Florence Elizabeth Eileen Pearce Gould, was the granddaughter of Sir A

George Herbert Ashby 'Bertie' Simmons was a surgeon in Guernsey. He was born on 31 August 1911 in Hackney, where his father, George Wickham Simmons, was a bank clerk and a Congregational lay preacher. His mother was Margaret née Offer. The family moved to Mill Hill and he went to Mill Hill School, w

Roger Miles was born in Liverpool on 1 May 1915, the third child of Edwin Griffith Miles, a Presbyterian minister and Annie Miles, née Jones. Most of his childhood was spent in Felixstowe on the Suffolk coast where he developed his lifelong love of sailing and the sea. He was educated at Bradfield C

John Francis Neil Ward-McQuaid, the son of Colonel John FTP Ward-McQuaid and his wife Enid Ecila, née Cheshire, was born on 30 December 1918 at Neston, Cheshire. He was educated at Stonyhurst College, Lancashire, where he won several prizes and was a notable cricketer. As the son of a serving army o

Murray Pheils was professor of surgery at the University of Sydney. He was born in Birmingham on 2 December 1917, the younger of the two sons of Elmer Theodore Pheils, an osteopath, and Lilian Mary née Cole. His father Elmer was a colourful character: he was born in Toledo, Ohio, and trained as an o