Robert Roaf was a distinguished orthopaedic surgeon and one of the few remaining pre-war Himalayan climbers. He was born into a Canadian academic family in Golders Green, London, on 25 April 1913, the second son of Herbert Eldon Roaf, professor of physiology at Liverpool, and Beatrice Sophia, the da

Ian Reynolds, formerly a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in Hereford, was born into a medical dynasty. His grandfather, Russell Reynolds, himself a third generation doctor, was a pioneer radiologist in the early years of the 20th century and some of his equipment is on display in the Science Museum i

Surgeon captain Bruce Jones RN was born on 26 June 1919 at Ringwood, Hants, the first son of Ernest Victor Jones, a dental surgeon, and Gladys Maud Jones née Sloper. He was educated at Great Ballard School near Hilton, Hants. He then moved on the Sherborne School. Initially, he started dental traini

David Edwards was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in Stoke-on-Trent. He was born in Sutton on 27 July 1936, the son of Reginald William Edwards, a managing director, and Irene Bertha Grace née Coad. He was educated at King’s College School, Wimbledon, from which he won the Williams exhibition in na

Alastair Lowry Macafee was a consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was born on 11 January 1935 in Belfast, the son of Charles Horner Greer Macafee, professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Queen's University, and Margaret Crymble Macafee née Lowry. His maternal

Martin Lowy was an orthopaedic surgeon at the Whittington Hospital, London. He was born in Aussig, Czechoslovakia, on 12 December 1933, the son of Julius Lowy, a general practitioner, and Helen Lowy née Wagner. He survived three years in a concentration camp and went to the UK at the age of 11 with

Frantz Langlais was chairman of the orthopaedic department at University Hospital Sud, Rennes, France. He was born in 1942 in Plouër-sur-Rance, Brittany, the son of a general practitioner. He trained in orthopaedic surgery in Paris under Robert Merle d'Aubigné, Jean Gossett and Michel Postel, and th

Ken McCluskey was the first orthopaedic surgeon to be appointed in Northern Ontario, Canada. He was born in Sorbie, Scotland, on 18 July 1925, where his father, James Joseph McCluskey, was a secretary. His mother was Alice née McShane. He was educated at St Joseph’s College, Dumfries, and then Stony

Noël Blockley was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in Glasgow. He was born in Bolton on 22 December 1921, the son of Frederick Austyn Blockley, a leather factory manufacturer, and Nora Blockley née Jackson, a teacher. He was educated at Miss Coffee's Primary, Bolton School and then Kingswood School

James Ashworth was an orthopaedic surgeon in Darlington and Northallerton. He was born on 2 November 1927 in Rossendale, the eldest son of George Ashworth, a yarn agent, and Doris Ashworth née Honey. He attended Haslingden Grammar School and Manchester University, where he was in the cross-country r

John Buck was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in the Woolwich and Greenwich area. He was born in Hove, Sussex, on 30 October 1915, the son of Arthur Herbert Buck, a general surgeon, and Lilian Maude Bligh, a theatre sister who was a direct descendant of the captain of the Bounty. John was brought u

Kenneth Wright was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Fylde. He was born on 8 May 1918 in Haslingden, Lancashire, the son of Thomas Smethurst Wright, a pharmacist, and Ellen Bleazard, a schoolteacher. He was educated at Haslingden Grammar School, proceeding to Manchester University, where he gradua