Elmer Samuel James was born in Craigmont, Ontario in 1910. He went to school in Biggar, Saskatchewan, and then to Winnipeg for the medical course, graduating MD in the University of Manitoba in 1935. He subsequently came to Great Britain for postgraduate training, passed the Conjoint Board examinati

David Le Vay was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon to Woolwich Brook General Hospital, London, for more than 30 years. During this time, he spent a year at the World Health Organization in Geneva and was later a visiting professor of surgery at the Shiraz Medical School, Iran. After his retirement fr

Geoffrey Wooler was a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at Leeds General Infirmary and a pioneer of open heart surgery. He was born in 1911, the son of a successful Leeds businessman. He was educated at Leeds Grammar School and Giggleswick School, before going up to Cambridge to read law. After two

Samuel Hirsch Janikoun was joint professor of the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the Royal Army Medical College. He was born in the East End of London on 12 March 1913 into a Jewish family. He won a scholarship to Hackney Downs Grammar School and from there went on to University College Lo

Kenneth Mullard was born on 27 December 1912 in Enfield, Middlesex, where his father Stanley R Mullard MBE was founder and chairman of the Mullard Radio Valve Company. His mother was Emmie née Hole. He was educated at Lancing and Clare College, Cambridge, and went on to St Thomas's to do his clinica

Alan Leask was born in Hong Kong on 19 October 1914. His father, William Laughton Leask, was an architect and civil engineer practising in Aberdeen and Hong Kong. His mother was Mabel née Beaton. His elder brother Laughton Rennie Leask was also a Fellow (qv *Lives of the Fellows* Volume 8, p.186).

Robert Brain studied medicine at Birmingham University and trained at the Middlesex and St Bartholomew's Hospitals. He became a Fellow of the College in 1940. He had early house appointments at the General and Queen Elizabeth Hospitals in Birmingham. During the second world war he served as a surgic

Dennis Van Meurs graduated from St Thomas's Hospital in 1937 and at first intended becoming an ophthalmic surgeon. However, he developed an interest in thyroid operations and decided on a career in general surgery. He was appointed to Kent County Council in 1940 and in 1948 became a consultant su

John Dunlop was born on 29 June 1915 in India, where his father, John Dunlop, was a doctor. He was educated, with an entrance scholarship, at Epsom College, and in 1932 gained a scholarship to St Thomas's Hospital Medical School, and qualified in 1937. After holding a number of resident posts at St

Katharine Branson was a consultant surgeon at the Bruntsfield and Longmore Hospitals, Edinburgh. She was born in London on 5 August 1912. Her father, Frederick Henry Ewart Branson, was a solicitor. Her mother was Helen Mary, née Brown, the daughter of a solicitor. Katharine was educated at Hall S

Patrick Sames was a general surgeon in Bath with an interest in coloproctology. He was born on 17 January 1912 in Enfield, Middlesex, the only son of Christopher, a railway clerk, and Caroline née Radmore. He was a late entrant to medicine, leaving Harrow County School to become an apprentice in the

Gordon Midgley received his medical training at the Westminster Hospital Medical School where he qualified in 1937 and proceeded to house appointments at the Charing Cross Hospital. In 1938 he joined a general practice in Winchester and also the Territorial Army. He was called up in 1939 and served