Born on 29 March 1910, the third child of David Shackman, a manufacturing jeweller and diamond merchant, Ralph was educated at the Grocers' Company School and St Bartholomew's Hospital. Before the second world war he was the resident surgical officer at the Royal Infirmary Sheffield where he was enc

Michael Handley Ashken was a consultant urologist at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. Michael's father, Laurence Handley Ashken ('Laurie'), was one of five children born in the East End of London and his mother, Eva Ashken née Cameron, came from Glasgow. With support from his family, Laurie studied

John Vinnicombe was a consultant urologist in Portsmouth. He was born in Hounslow on 17 January 1930, the younger of two boys. His father, Francis William Vinnicombe, was an export agent in textiles. His mother was Marjorie Florence Vinnicombe née Shuff. John was educated at Godalming County Grammar

Alan Hart was a consultant urologist at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Llantrisant. He was born in Northern Rhodesia. His parents had migrated to central Africa supported by the Colonial Office; his English father was an agricultural officer and his Scottish mother was a teacher. He was the middle ch

Baharul Elem, known as ‘Baha’, was a professor of urology in Zambia. He was born on 23 May 1938 in eastern India, the son of Rebecca and Reyas Elem. The family later moved to Rangpur in what is now Bangladesh. Baha received his initial medical qualification from Dhaka Medical College Hospital in Ban

Peter Cader Tuckfield was educated at the University of Melbourne and graduated MB BS in 1949. He then became RMO at Prince Henry's Hospital, and was promoted to registrar in 1951, and from 1951-1953 was associate assistant surgeon. He came to England to work for the FRCS which he obtained in 1956.

Ernie Ramsey was one of Canada's leading urologists. Born in Larne, Northern Ireland, on 24 September 1938, he studied medicine at Queen's University, Belfast, qualifying in 1963 and gaining prizes in pathology, anatomy and surgery. From 1964 to 1970 he continued his studies in surgery, gaining his

David Rees was a consultant urologist and head of surgery at Benenden Hospital, Kent. He was born in 1942, the son of the well-known psychiatrist Linford Rees. He was passionate about rugby and played for his school, for London Welsh Schools, and for Bart's, where he qualified in medicine in 1968. H

William 'Bill' Thomas took up skiing at the age of 40 and, enjoying the challenge, soon made himself a competent skier by sheer hard work. He died suddenly while on a skiing holiday in St Moritz on 26 February 1982. He was educated at Dulwich College and Pembroke College, Oxford, completing his c

Ian Potts was a consultant urologist in Sydney. He was born in Sydney on 30 September 1921, the son of Theodore Kenneth Potts and Violet Mary Potts née Canning. His father, uncle, brother, nephew and cousin were all doctors. He was educated at Newington College, where he was *dux*, and then went on

Leslie Ian Parton was born in Wellington on 26 October 1908, the only child of William Parton, an insurance company manager. He was educated at Mount Cook Boys' School and Wellington College where he was a senior national scholar in 1923 and a University national scholar in 1925. Two years later he

Michael Salvaris qualified in medicine in Melbourne in 1940 and became resident medical officer to the Royal Perth Hospital in 1941. During the second world war he served as a Captain with the AAMC, 194143. He held posts at various hospitals while studying for his FRCS in the early '50's. He was sur