Reginald Alfred King was born in Leicester on 22 June 1901. He was educated at Alderman Newton's (Greencoat) Grammar School, Leicester, St Mary's Hospital Medical School and London University. He qualified MRCS, LRCP in 1927 and MB BS London in 1929. He had a successful career at St Mary's Hospital in the thirties when, apart from his surgical activities, he was a keep supporter of many student interests not least those of the rugger fifteen and in 1939 was appointed surgeon to Croydon General Hospital. During the war he served in the RAMC, demobilizing with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and the OBE. He was appointed surgeon to the King Edward Memorial Hospital in Ealing in 1946 and to the Princess Louise Hospital, Kensington, in 1947. He then went to Saskatoon in Canada where he set up a flourishing practice. His wide experience made his advice of great value to those who were setting up a new model health service in Saskatchewan and he held the post of surgeon to the Fort Qu'Appelle Hospital from 1967 to 1971. He returned to England upon his retirement to enjoy his hobbies of shooting, fishing, skiing, drawing and painting. He died on 23 July 1975 leaving his wife, Mary O'Leary DPH, MRCS, LRCP whom he had married in 1932 after they had been contemporary residents at St Mary's and a son Richard, who is a barrister.