Fred Graves was a general surgeon in Staffordshire with an interest in urology. He was born in Hereford in 1919, later studied medicine at University College Hospital and specialised in surgery at King’s College Hospital. He was subsequently appointed consultant general surgeon at Staffordshire Gene

Gerard William Taylor was born in Natal, South Africa, on 23 September 1920, the son of William Ivan Taylor, an engineer. His early education was at Bemrose School, Derby, and he then entered St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, qualifying in 1943. After junior hospital appointments he served

Robert Shannon was born on 10 May 1928 in Brisbane, Australia, the son of Reuben Samuel Shannon, a company manager, and Muriel Adeline, née Bone. He was educated at Brisbane Grammar School and Queensland University where he graduated MB BS in 1950, proceeded to the MS in 1955 and gained the Fellowsh