Wit Kmiot was a consultant in general and colorectal surgery at St Thomas' Hospital, London. He was born in London on 15 August 1959, to Polish parents. He was an undergraduate at King's College, London, and Westminster Medical School, qualifying in 1983. House officer appointments in Poole and King

Richard Dale was a surgeon in the Royal Navy. He was born in Worcester on 18 March 1945, the son of Reginald William Dale, a county planning officer, and Margaret Dale née Norman. He grew up in Somerset, where he was to return in retirement, along with his wife Hilary. He attended Taunton School and

Thomas George Parks was a consultant general surgeon in Belfast and a former president of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. He was born on 14 June 1935 in Lurgan, Northern Ireland. The youngest of seven children, his early life was spent on the family farm and attending the local rural schoo

Tony Cawkwell was born in Auckland and educated at Auckland Grammar school. At an early stage he showed great scholastic and athletic ability, and when seventeen he also became an Associate of the London College of Music. In 1933 he commenced the study of medicine at Otago University and joined f

Roy Lawrence Willis Fink was born in Ballarat on 27 April 1938. His father was a state school headmaster and the family moved between various country towns, including Learmonth, Yea and Benalla, before moving to Ferntree Gully and subsequently Bentleigh. His early years were influenced by World War

Daher Cutait was nominated the 'Father of Latin-American Colo-Proctology' by the Latin-American Colo-Proctology Association. He was born in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1913, and was educated at the University of São Paulo. After graduating in 1939, he won a scholarship provided by the Institute of Interna

Philip Schofield was a colorectal surgeon in Manchester. There is a belief, that has some foundation, that northern surgeons of Schofield's era were a special breed, who were hard working, tough, decisive, technically competent and highly experienced. If so, he was a prime example of such surgeons w

Kenneth Christopher Howard (Ken) Fearon was professor of surgical oncology at the University of Edinburgh. He was born in Glasgow on 3 August 1960. He attended St Aloysius' College in Glasgow and studied medicine at the University of Glasgow. He was an exceptional student and graduated with honours

Caroline Doig was a consultant paediatric surgeon in Manchester and the first woman elected to the council of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. She was not easy to miss in a crowded room: firstly, she was tall, but more importantly she had a formidable but likeable presence and was always

John Pendower was a consultant surgeon at Charing Cross Hospital, London and Mayday Hospital, Croydon. He was born on 6 August 1927, less than ten years after the end of the First World War; his father had been a teenage infantryman on the Somme. He grew up through turbulent and exciting times, and

Joe Tjandra was a colorectal surgeon at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Royal Women's Hospital, and associate professor of surgery at the University of Melbourne. He was born in Palembang, Indonesia, to Hasan and Tini Tjandra, who were of Chinese origin. His father ran a small trading business.

Bernard Hand was born on 21 November 1919. His father, Ernest Francis Hand, was an architect and his mother, Mary, née Searle, was the daughter of an engineer. He was descended from Sir William Hillary, founder of the lifeboat service; as a consequence he gave constant support to the RNLI throughout