Francis Arthur d'Abreu, always known as Frank, was born in Handsworth, Staffordshire, on 1 October 1904, the second son of Dr John d'Abreu, a medical practitioner, and Teresa Noonan. He came from a large family of twelve children; his younger brother, Professor A d'Abreu FRCS, was also a surgeon.

Oswald Vaughan Lloyd-Davies was born at Chariton, Kent on 13 January 1905, the son of Rev Samuel Lloyd-Davies BA, a congregational minister, and Anna Marguerita, née Evans. He was educated at Caterham School where he secured the Honoratus Prize before entering the Middlesex Hospital Medical School f

Enid Rockstro was born on 17 December 1902 in Halesowen, Worcestershire, the daughter of Frank Braine Rockstro, a general practitioner, whose father was a leading flautist and musician of his time, and whose uncle was the well known musician, Sir William Rockstro. Her mother, Elaine Mary, née Ashby,

George Hollis was born on 11 June 1904 in Durban, the son of John George Hollis, a building contractor, and Ethel, née Shirley a printer's daughter. He was educated at Durban High School and Natal University, then came to Guy's Hospital Medical School to study dentistry, qualifying LDSRCS in 1927, a

Chandra Bhan Singh was professor of surgery and anatomy at the Medical College, Agra, India. He was born in Akaltara, Bilaspur, Madhya Pradesh on 12 January 1900, into a distinguished Rajput family. His father, Thakur Pachkour Singh, was a landlord; his mother was Swarn Kumari Devi Singh. He studied

Alphonsus d'Abreu, 'Pon' to his many friends, was the younger son of a Birmingham general practitioner and was born on 5 April 1906. He was educated at Stonyhurst College and at Birmingham University. Following graduation in 1930 and resident and registrar appointments in Birmingham he became a lect

C S Patel was born on 13 October 1905 at rural Palana, went to school there, and afterwards at Baroda and Poona. His medical education was at the Grant Medical College and the JJ group of hospitals in Bombay. He had a brilliant career as a student obtaining 13 prizes, medals and scholarships; he qua

Franz Konrad Saddler Hirschfeld was born on 26 April 1904 in Brisbane, son of Dr Eugen Hirschfeld, a graduate of Strasbourg University, who emigrated to Australia in 1890, to become the first honorary bacteriologist to the Royal Brisbane Hospital and later honorary physician. Konrad was educated at

William (Bill) Tandy was born on 9 September 1904, one of the three sons of W S Tandy, a jeweller, and Ann, née Hickman. He was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham, and St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical School. After qualification in 1927 he worked as a surgical registrar at the General Hos

Edward Carew-Shaw was born in Lymm, Cheshire, on 28 March 1901, the son of Edward, a cotton broker, and Carolyne Hetty Newman, an actress. He received his schooling at Connaught School, Hove, and then Brighton Grammar School. He began evening classes at King's College, London, and then two years lat

Reginald Keene was born in Islington, London, on 11 September 1897, the son of a chief administrative officer of the LCC Mental Hospitals' Department, and used to visit Oulton Broad on holiday as a child. A foundation scholar of Highgate Grammar School, he passed his first MB in 1915 but shortly aft

James Reid was born in Bournemouth on 24 October 1906, the son of George Alexander Reid, a general practitioner, and his wife Muriel, née Hopwood. He was educated at Hailey Preparatory School in Bournemouth, and Marlborough College, Wiltshire. He then went to Oxford University and on to St George's