Brian Wilberforce Smith was born on 5 September 1910, went to Mill Hill School and then to Guy's Hospital where he qualified in 1933, proceeding to MB BS in 1935 and FRCS in 1939. His house appointments were at the Cancer Hospital in London and the Royal Infirmary Sheffield. Soon after the outbreak

Gerald De Lacey was born 2 December 1910 at Dowlais in South Wales and did his preclinical studies at the University of Wales, going to the London Hospital in 1930. He was surgical dresser to Sir Henry Souttar, Alan Perry, Russell Howard and George Neligan, and clinical clerk to Sir John Parkinson a

Richard Sampson (Dick) Handley was born in London on 2 May 1909, the eldest son of William Sampson Handley and Muriel Rigby, the daughter of the Reverend Clayton Rigby. Dick's father was on the surgical staff of the Middlesex Hospital, a member of both the Council and Court of Examiners of the Colle

Lionel Zelick Cosin, son of Benjamin Cosin, a tobacconist, and his wife Mary, née Magoon, was born in London on 8 November 1910. He was educated at Westminster City School and Guy's Hospital Medical School, qualifying in 1933. His brother, the radiologist Dr C F Cosin, was senior to him at Guy's. Hi

Eric Vernon was born on 29 November, 1909, in Marple, Cheshire, the son of Arthur Vernon, furnisher and antique dealer. He was educated at Stockport Secondary School (Hallam Scholar) and Manchester University where he graduated BSc in 1930 and MB, ChB in 1933, winning prizes for pathology and paedia