John Clarke Fee was born in Toronto, Canada, on 23rd May, 1915, the son of Thomas James Fee and Margery Workman Fee (nee Clarke).
Colin Dunstone Francis was born in July 1921, in Stoke d'Abernon, Surrey. He was the only child of Frank Warner Francis, who served in the Royal Field Artillery during the Great War, and his wife, Emmie Francis. Colin joined the RAF on a short service commission in April 1939.