Robert Lester Almond was born on 4 April 1902 in Myrtleford, Victoria, Australia, the son of William Thomas, a schoolmaster, and Fanny Were. He was educated at Scotch College, Melbourne, and Ormond College, Melbourne University, graduating MB BS with honours in 1925. After residency in the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, he came to the Royal Free Hospital in London, and passed MRCS and FRCS in 1929. He went to South Africa, becoming senior surgeon in the General Hospital, Johannesburg. He was also lecturer and examiner at the University of the Witwatersrand. During the second world war he served in the South African Medical Corps as major. He married Miss Lowe in 1939 and they had one daughter, Wendy. His interests included golf, tennis and racing. While a student, he was Australasian hurdles champion in 1923, Victorian hurdles and long jump champion 1922-4, with a university blue in athletics and football. He died in 1992 aged 90 years.