David Stuart Gibson was a cardiothoracic surgeon in Hobart, Tasmania. Born in Hobart on 23 May 1925, he was the second child and only son of Stuart Galloway Gibson, a medical practitioner, and his wife, Leonora née Whitham who was a pianist and music teacher. His paternal grandfather, George Harry G

Ian Middleton was born in Troon, Ayrshire, on 20 October 1922. His father, John, was a medical practitioner and his mother was Emily, née Middleton. He went to school at Hymer's College, Hull, and then went on to the University of Aberdeen, having obtained first place in the medical bursary competit

Arthur Siddons was a consultant thoracic surgeon at St George's Hospital in London. He was born on 17 January 1911 in Harrow, Middlesex, and was sent to Harrow School. He went on to Jesus College, Cambridge, and then to St George's Hospital, where he qualified in 1935. In 1941, he was appointed as a

Ary Blesovsky, commonly known as ‘Bles’, devoted his life to cardiothoracic surgery and was instrumental in bringing this surgery to numerous hospitals around the world. He was born in Pasvalys, Lithuania, the son of Jochiel and Pesi Blesovsky, but the family moved, in 1933, to South Africa. His fat

Lindsay Grigg undertook his training in Melbourne, and then went to London where he undertook training in cardiothoracic surgery before returning to Australia. He also worked for a few years in Uganda where he did thoracic surgery and wrote about management of pyopericardium. He worked for a y

Kalyanakit Kitiyakara was born in Bangkok on 20 September 1929, the son of His Serene Highness Prince Nakhatra of Chandaburi who was later to become Thai Ambassador to the Court of St James. His great grandfather was King Rama V, Chulalongkorn, his younger sister is Queen Sirikit and his brother-in-

Alun Rees was a cardiothoracic surgeon based in Newtownards, Northern Ireland. He was born on 14 June 1940 and gained his FRCS in 1970. He died on 12 April 2016 aged 75.

William Williams was a consultant surgeon in Coventry. He was born in Newport, Gwent, on 11 May 1928. His father, William George, was an engine driver. His mother was Lillian Hyacinth Maud née Jones, a farmer's daughter. He was educated at Newport High School and Sydney Sussex College, Cambridge, go

Mark Xavier Shanahan was one of the distinguished surgeons who pioneered the field of Cardiothoracic Surgery at St Vincent's Hospital Sydney from the mid 1950's. He was selected to join Harry Windsor on the Hospital staff in 1963, and together with Harry, perceived the talents of Victor Chang as a R

Rudra Rasaretnam was a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at Colombo General Hospital, Sri Lanka. His grandfather was Samuel Chellar Paul, a senior surgeon at Colombo General Hospital and his uncle, Milroy Paul, was the foundation professor of surgery at Colombo Medical College. Rasaretnam studie

Stuart Craig Lennox was a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at the Brompton Hospital, London. He was born on 25 May 1932 in Aberdeen, the son of James Craig Lennox and Agnes Lennox née Hadden. He was educated at Robert Gordon College in Aberdeen and then, from the age of 14, when he moved to London,

Geoffrey (Geoff) Louis Allen was born on 11 April 1927 in Peshawar, Pakistan which, at that time was part of British India. He was the oldest child of Alexander James Grant Allen, a doctor, and his wife Eileen Trixie née Fitzgerald. He attended Lamartiniere School in Lucknow, India where he was in t