Leslie Norman Reece was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 1 February, 1880. He was the fourth son of William Reece, a pioneer and importer. He attended Nelson College in New Zealand and then came to England to study medicine at St Thomas's. There he became house surgeon and resident assistant surgeon. He qualified MB BS in 1916. During the first world war he served with the Belgian Field Hospital and the 2nd London General Hospital and then went to India where he was surgeon to Bashabase Hospital and to Poona Hospital. After the war he developed a surgical and general practice in Romford, Essex and was associated with the Victoria Hospital. In 1922 he married Mabel Walker and they had a son, Michael, who became FRCS and a surgeon to Plymouth Hospital, and a daughter, Nancy, who qualified as a physiotherapist. His interests were sailing, golf and motoring. He wrote an important paper on estimation of foetal maturity by x-ray measurement and diameter of pelvis to estimate suitable time of delivery. He died on 7 March 1975, aged 95 years.