John J. Bergan was an innovative and pioneering vascular surgeon who helped develop a separate surgical specialty for diseases of the arteries and veins. Born in Tampico, Mexico on 4 April 1927, he was the son of Ernest and Arva Yealy Bergan. His parents managed property in the area and always spoke

Ron Grimley was born in Birmingham on 21 February 1946 and was educated at grammar school in Small Health and Birmingham University. After junior posts, mainly at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, he was a lecturer on the surgical unit under Sir Geoffrey Slaney. He was appointed vascular and general sur

John Chamberlain was a consultant in general and vascular surgery to the Newcastle upon Tyne hospitals for 26 years. He was born in Leicester on 27 January 1938 to Jack and May Chamberlain. He was an only child. As a young boy John was fascinated by steam engines and was very proud of his grandfathe

Edward John Williams was a consultant vascular and general surgeon at St Mary's Hospital, London, and Wexham Park Hospital, Slough. He was born in Towyn, a small village in Clwyd, north Wales, on 3 February 1928, the son of D C Williams. He was educated locally and did his undergraduate studies at t

Graham Julian Santer was a consultant general and vascular surgeon at Walton and Fazakerley hospitals. He was born on 16 December 1930 in Liverpool, of orthodox Eastern European Jewish heritage, and was educated at the Liverpool Collegiate School, which set him on a sound foundation for a highly aca

John Dormandy was born on 3 May 1937 in Budapest. He was the son of Paul Szeben, a pea grower who was accustomed to exporting his crop to the UK, and his wife Clara, who was an author and dramatist. He had a sister, Daisy, and his elder brother, Thomas, was to become a consultant chemical pathologis

Christopher Savage was a consultant vascular surgeon at Leamington and Warwick Hospital. He was born in Kingston on Thames on 31 August 1915. His father, Arthur Livingstone Savage, was an architect, and his mother was the artist Agnes Kate Richardson. He was educated at Gate House School, Kingston,

Koon-Sung (‘KS’) Cheng was a vascular surgical registrar at the Royal Free Hospital, London. He was born in Hong Kong, but came to England with his family in 1977. When he arrived he spoke very little English, but made rapid progress at Uckfield Comprehensive School. He went on to study medicine at

Joseph Edward Oliver was born on 12 September 1920, and was educated at Coatham School, Caius College, Cambridge, and St Bartholomew's Hospital. He qualified with the Conjoint Diploma and the Cambridge MB in 1943, and became house surgeon at Park Prewett Hospital, Basingstoke before joining the RAMC

Bertram Leslie Ardill was born on 5 November 1937 in Ballywalter, County Down. His father was a bank official. He was educated at the Methodist College, Belfast, and the Queen's University, where he had a distinguished academic career, obtaining the BSc with honours in physiology in 1959 and proceed

Colin Skelton was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 31 March 1935 and educated at Christchurch West High School and Otago Medical School. After house appointments at Christchurch Hospital and Grey Hospital, Greymouth, he became surgical registrar at Christchurch Hospital and then came to England

Dick Greenwood was born on 3 May 1928, the son of John Herbert Kay Greenwood, and Hilda née Wild. He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he rowed for his college, and did his clinical training at St Thomas's. After junior appointments in London, Exeter and Gl