Charles Peter Mills was born in Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire and studied medicine at Guy's Hospital for which he also played rugby. After graduating with honours at London University in 1948 he held house appointments at Guy's and, after a period of national service in the RAF obtained the FRCS in 1953. He then decided to specialise in otolaryngology and trained at Bristol and Guy's. In 1959 he was appointed ENT surgeon to Leeds General Infirmary and to St James's, the Public Dispensary, and Seacroft Hospitals. Quickly becoming established as a leading otolaryngologist, his main contributions were in the surgery of the larynx and upper oesophagus. He addressed the Royal Society of Medicine, the North of England Otolaryngological Society (on whose council he was serving at the time of his death) and other professional bodies. Among his publications was the entry on cricopharyngeal sphincterectomy in Rob and Smith's *Operative surgery*. An able organizer and administrator, he took a large part in the planning and rebuilding of the ENT departments at St James's and Seacroft Hospitals and in the reconstruction of the outpatients' department at the Infirmary. In 1972 he became a city magistrate and was very proud of this contribution to the community, a task he undertook with typical enthusiasm, fairness and ability. He had a very happy family life and, when he died on 2 March, 1977, was survived by his wife Nanette, son Ian, daughters Susie and Shauna and grandson Ian.