John Giddings Milner was born in London on 7 December 1900, the second son of Thomas John Milner, a company director, and his wife, Caroline (née Carpenter), and was educated at Marlborough College and Trinity College, Cambridge, before entering St Bartholomew's Hospital. He continued his training at Moorfields Hospital and in 1936 he was appointed to the Royal Westminster Ophthalmic Branch of Moorfields. In 1940 he joined the Royal Air Force and served until 1945 reaching the rank of Wing Commander. He was then appointed to Charing Cross Hospital and also to the hospitals at Dollis Hill and Hertford County. He was Surgeon Oculist to the late Queen Mary from 1948 to 1953 and received the Coronation Medal in that year. Merlin, as he was always known to his family and friends was a keen sportsman and played hockey, golf and tennis which was gradually replaced by fishing and racing. He became an expert ornithologist in his retirement. In 1928 he married Monica Mandall (known as Um) and they had one son, David, and two daughters, Jane and Sarah. He died on 1 May 1985 aged 84 years, survived by his wife, children and ten grandchildren.