Edgar Frederick (John) King was born in Midsomer Norton, near Bristol, on 3 December 1899. His father, Edgar James King was in commerce and his mother was Sarah Denning, nee Bird. He was educated at King Edward's School, Bath, and at Bristol University and Medical School. He served as a Second Lieut

Leslie Morris was born on 23 June 1900, the son of the headmaster of the school in Ashton-under-Lyne where he was educated. For the medical course he went to Manchester University where he graduated MB ChB in 1923, taking the Conjoint Diploma in 1924. In 1925 he obtained the FRCS and then held a ser

Walter Harvey Gervis was born on 22 February 1901 in Brighton, Sussex, the son of Henry Gervis, medical practitioner and Matilda Death, a miller's daughter. His great, great grandfather was in practice in Ashburton. His great grandfather practiced in Tiverton and his grandfather was obstetric physic

Born on 11 August 1903 in Hong Kong, he was the first child of Richard Octavius Boon, CBE, a civil servant, and Emily Mary Fothergill. He was educated at Edgecliffe Preparatory School in Sydney, Australia and at St Paul's School London. He then became one of the most distinguished students at St Tho

Reginald Cyril Tatham was born on 19 September 1901 at Watford, the youngest son of an import and export merchant in the City of London. He was educated at Felsted School before entering Middlesex Hospital Medical School. He qualified in 1924 and in the following year was appointed ship's surgeon to

Gordon King was born in London on 7 July 1900, the son of the Reverend Frederick Henry King, a Baptist minister, and Minnie Elizabeth née Wakeham. He was educated at Bristol Grammar School and the Liverpool Institute, before going to the London Hospital, where he won the Buxton prize in anatomy, the

Silvanus Mottram Milner was born on 21 January 1901 at Salford, the son of Edmund T Milner, honorary consultant surgeon at Salford Royal Hospital, and his wife, Emma, née Chandley. During his early childhood his father suffered a stroke, relinquished his hospital appointment and moved with his famil

James Ivor Griffiths was born in Tredegar on 26 December 1901, the son of James Evan Griffiths and Naomi, née Morgan. He was awarded a scholarship to the University of Wales in Cardiff where he graduated BSc in 1921. He won an open scholarship to University College Hospital, qualifying MRCS, LRCP in

William Eric Joseph was born in 1898, the only son of a Congregational minister. He was educated at Taunton School and in 1916 won an open scholarship to Peterhouse College Cambridge. By then he had entered the Artillery Cadet Training School in Exeter, and the scholarship was kept open for him unti

Dudley Marks was born on 3 April, 1899 at Peckham Rye, and was educated at Haberdasher's Aske's School from whence he secured a scholarship to Cambridge. With the outbreak of the first world war he joined the Queen's Own Regiment on his 18th birthday in 1917. In the following year he suffered severe

Kenneth Owen Parsons was born at Swansea on 12 January 1898, the second son of Tom Parsons, a printer and his wife Florence, née Williams, and was educated at Swansea Grammar School and later at Bristol Grammar School. On leaving school in 1916 he joined the Royal Welsh Fusiliers; he was twice wound

John Edward (Jack) Piercy was born in Victoria, British Columbia in 1899 and during the first world war served with the Royal Flying Corps. He returned to England in 1920 to start medical studies at Guy's Hospital qualifying in 1924. After early appointments at St Andrew's Hospital, Bow, and the Roy