David Harland was born in Heathfield, Sussex on 17 January 1916. His father, Percy Cave Harland, was on the staff of Barclay's Bank and his mother was Emma, née Colenutt. He attended Roborough School, Eastbourne, until he went to St Bartholomew's Hospital where he won the Hallett Prize in 1948. He h

Maurice Hershman received his medical education at St Bartholomew's Hospital and qualified MB BS with honours in 1941, obtaining the conjoint diploma in the same year. After qualification he was surgical registrar at the Postgraduate Medical School, London, assistant principal surgical officer at Cr

Arsene Klidjian was born in Alexandria, Egypt, on 22 April 1918. His father, Karnig Klidjian, was a pharmacist and among those who had fled Armenia in the Turkish massacres. Arsene was educated at Victoria College. His elder brother was expected to help run the family business, but Arsene was sent t

John Shipman was a consultant surgeon at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage. He was born in London on 20 September 1917. His father, Henry, was in business, his mother was Rachel née Harwich. He studied medicine at University College Hospital, where he qualified in 1941 and after junior posts joined t

Robert Bell was born in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, on 22 November 1917. His father, Robert Duncan Bell, was a farmer, having previously been a missionary to the Ojibway and Chinook Indians. His mother was Violet Lydia Clarke, daughter of an actor-manager from Bilston in Staffordshire, England. Rob

Richard Dennis Wilkins studied medicine at Oxford University and St Thomas's Hospital, London. He qualified MRCS in 1941 and FRCS in 1948. Returning to Canada he entered family practice while also doing some general surgery. He became consultant surgeon to the Marine General Hospital, Goderich, the

Wallace Black was born at 14 Park View Road, Finchley on 12 September 1917; his father, James Black was a company director and his mother was Jane Duckworth, whose father was an electrical engineer. Black was educated at Finchley County School and at King's College London, and Westminster Hospital M

Charles Edward Drew, eldest son of Edwin Frank Drew, an accountant, and of Eunice (née Lloyd-Davies) was born in Lambeth on 15 December 1916. He was educated at an elementary school in Stockwell and at Westminster City School and then secured an open scholarship in 1935 to King's College, London, an

John Holmes Tasker was born in London on 20 January 1917, the son of Dr Ludwig Tasker, a general practitioner, and May, née Gadsden, a registered nurse. He was educated at Epsom College before entering Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, in 1935 with the Haviland exhibition. After completing pre-clin