Laughton Leask was born on 15 October 1912, the eldest son of William Laughton Rennie, an architect, and Anne Elizabeth Mabel, née Beaton. He went to preparatory school in Hong Kong, thence to Edinburgh Academy and later to Highgate, before going to St Bartholomew's Hospital in 1930 where he won the

'Dan' Desmond was born in London on 18 August 1912, the second son of Dennis William Andrew Desmond, a pharmacist, and Violet Amy née More. He was educated at St Aloysius College, Highgate, and the London Hospital, where he qualified in 1934, and was house surgeon, receiving room officer, and clinic

Roy Parkinson was born in 1911 and received his medical education at the London Hospital, whence he qualified with the conjoint diploma in 1932 and with the London MB BS the following year. After qualification he held posts as assistant orthopaedic surgeon at the East Ham Memorial Hospital and as su

Charles Geoffrey Rob was born at Skipton Hall, Skipton, Thirsk, Yorkshire on 23 April 1909. His father was Henry Rob, a farmer, and his mother was Muriel Carter Mitchell, whose father was a general practitioner. He was a cousin of Charles Granville Rob, the vascular surgeon, who was Professor in Lon

Paul Winchester Houghton was a general surgeon in Worcester, and served with distinction in the Second World War. He was born in west London into a naval family on 30 September 1911 and was educated at Whitgift School. Until his last days he could remember the hunger caused by rationing during the F

Raeburn Rodd Talbot was a senior visiting surgeon at Greenlane Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand. He gained his FRCS in 1939.

John Coates was born in May 1911 and was educated at Keighley Grammar School and Leeds University. He had a distinguished academic career, graduating BSc with first-class honours in 1933 and qualifying three years later with honours. After various resident appointments at Leeds he became demonstr

Cedric Longland was born at Bolobo in the Belgian Congo on 30 September 1914. His father, Frank Longland, was a civil engineer in East Africa and later Provincial Commissioner for Tanganyika Territory. Daisy Longland, Cedric's mother, was one of the earliest women to qualify in medicine at Edinburgh

Alfred John Craig was born at Porta Maggiore, Vittoriosa, Malta, on 29 May 1909. He was the fourth child and fourth son of John Craig, Chief Clerk of HM Dockyard, Malta and Sophie née Gatt. He started his education at HM Dockyard School, Malta, one of the best at the time. In due course he was admit

Francis Cahill was a general surgeon at St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne. He was born in Melbourne on 1 July 1914 and was educated at St Brendan's Catholic Primary School in Flemington and at St Patrick's College in East Melbourne. At 15 he began to study medicine at Melbourne University, qualifying

Guy Harrison Baines was born on 16 September 1911 at the Vicarage, St Helens, Lancashire, where his father Albert Baines, a Cambridge graduate, was a clerk in Holy Orders and later archdeacon of Halifax. His mother Mabel (née Harrison) came from Liverpool. After early education at Mostyn House, Park

Joshua Samuel Horn was born in London of Jewish parents on 14 July 1914. He won a scholarship to University College Hospital, where he had a brilliant career and collected various undergraduate medals and prizes. 'Josh', as he was known, had charm, dedication, and courage. During the hungry 'thirtie