Roy Parkinson was born in 1911 and received his medical education at the London Hospital, whence he qualified with the conjoint diploma in 1932 and with the London MB BS the following year. After qualification he held posts as assistant orthopaedic surgeon at the East Ham Memorial Hospital and as su

John Robert Blackburne, known as 'Robin', was a consultant surgeon at Hull Royal Infirmary. He was born on 27 August 1909, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where his father, John Devereux Blackburne, was a banker. His mother was Francisca, née Lopez. Robin was sent home to school, at Berkhamstead, from w

Leslie Lauste was a consultant general surgeon at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Hove General and the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Sick Children in Brighton. Born on 30 March 1908, he was the elder son of the famous French pioneer film cameraman, Emile Lauste, who was awarded the Croix de Guerre

Henry Reynolds Thompson was born in Hampstead, London, on 14 February 1908 the son of Harold Theodore Thompson (1878-1935) MD, FRCP, FRCS, physician to the London Hospital (*Lives of the Fellows*, 1930-1951, p.764) and Elinor, née Waller (whose father was a dental surgeon in Alexandria). He was educ

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,

Samuel Ernest Birdsall was born on 14 February 1908 in Skipton, Yorkshire, the only son of James Ernest, an optician, and his wife, Eva. He attended Skipton Grammar School winning an open exhibition to Christ's College, Cambridge. His clinical studies were carried out at St Bartholomew's Hospital, L

Geoffrey Myers was born on 24 January 1908. He passed the FRCS in 1937 and, during the second world war served with both the RAMC and the NZMC. He spent his career in general surgery working for such organisations as the United Fruit Company Inc. and the North and West Africa Socony Mobil Oil Compan

Roland Lewis was born in Ystalyfera, near Swansea, on 23 November 1908, the third of five sons. His father, William James, who was from an old Cardiganshire family of farmers, trained in Edinburgh and became a GP and medical officer of health to the rural district of Pontardawe. His mother was Const

George Clayfield Sawyer was born on 14 August 1909 in Portsmouth where his father was a sports journalist, later becoming Clerk to the local Medical Committee before the introduction of the NHS. He was educated at Portsmouth Grammar School and Guy's Hospital. Deciding on a career in surgery he held

William Gordon Gill was born in Reigate on 3 January 1908. He was educated at Kingswood School, Seaford, and Marlborough College, from where he won an exhibition to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. From Cambridge he went to Guy's Hospital where he qualified in 1932; becoming FRCS in 1934 and M

Sydney Vernon Humphries, the eldest child of Sydney William Humphries, a bank manager, and Violet Humphries (née Kirkman), was born on 24 January 1907 at Middelburg, Cape Province, South Africa. He was educated at Michaelhouse, Natal, and Pembroke College, Cambridge, before entering St Thomas's Hosp

Hugh Morgan Williams was born in Shrewsbury on 10 September 1908, the son of Roger Morgan Williams, a bank manager. He was taken as a young boy to South Africa where his first schooling was at Potchefstroum College in the Transvaal. Returning to England he entered Bedford School and went to St Barth