Geoffrey Housden was educated at King's School, Canterbury, and at Guy's Hospital London, where he qualified in 1927. After several house appointments at his teaching hospital he went into a general practice in Sloane Square. His interest in surgery led him to take his Fellowship in 1939. He then mo

John Dobree was born in Woolwich on 25 April 1914, the son of Hatherley Moor Dobree OBE, a civil engineer, and Muriel née Hope. He was educated at Victoria College, Jersey, and St Bartholomew's Hospital, where he qualified in 1938. He was house physician at the Metropolitan Hospital and the Western

Laurie Lassman was born in London on 21 June 1913, the son of Henry Lassman, an electrical engineer, and Julia, née Abrahams, a Hebrew bookbinder. He was educated at Raine's School and went on to the London Hospital Medical College to study medicine, qualifying with the conjoint diploma in 1937 and

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

Beric Stutter was born in North London. After graduating in 1938 at the Middlesex Hospital he held various resident posts with the intention of making a career in surgery. War intervened, he joined the Royal Navy and took part in the evacuation of Dunkirk. He served in Arctic convoys, the Mediterran

Blundell Jones was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in Exeter. He was born on 10 June 1915, in Blackpool, Lancashire, the eldest son of William Jones, the principal of a technical college, and Elizabeth Blundell. He was educated at Arnold School, Blackpool, and University College Hospital London, wh

Arthur Messent obtained an open exhibition to Mill Hill School and proceeded to St Bartholomew's Hospital where he won the Brackenbury Prize in surgery and anatomy. He qualified in 1938 and after a short spell in general practice he joined the Royal Air Force and served in Coastal Command both in th

Born in Sheringham, Norfolk, on 5 July 1914, Francis Edgar Stock's father was Edgar Stephen Stock, a clerk and former farmer. His mother was Olive Blanche née Cook. He was educated at Colfes Grammar School, London, and won the Sambrooke scholarship to King's College in 1933. At King's he won prizes

Douglas Freebody was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Kingston Hospital. He was born in Woolwich, London, on 19 April 1911, the son of a successful tailor, and attended the City of London School, before entering Guy’s Hospital Medical School, which he represented at hockey and boxing. After quali

Kenneth Herbert Taylor was born on 7 August 1915, the fourth in a line of a family of doctors, and was educated at Epsom College and St Thomas's Hospital, graduating in 1938. At the outbreak of the second world war he joined the RAMC and served with the Welsh Guards during the evacuation from Dunkir

Donald Macrae was born on 8 February 1916 and educated at Oundle School. After medical training at St Bartholomew's Hospital he graduated in 1938 and served as house surgeon to Professor Paterson Ross. He then joined the staff of the Lord Mayor Treloar Hospital, Alton, as a resident medical officer.

Patrick Hunter Jobson was a consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon at Guildford. He was born in Ilford, Essex, on 19 December 1913, the son of Thomas Battersby Jobson MD, a consultant otolaryngologist, and Muriel Catherine Dorothea née Maconechy, whose father was a clergyman. Jobson was a direct de