Charles Bernays Melville was born in Melbourne, Australia, on 29 April 1903. He was educated at Scotch College, Melbourne, where he was captain of school and athletics, and at the University of Melbourne where he was awarded a blue in athletics and in football. He obtained first class honours and an exhibition in medicine, graduating MB BS in 1927. He was resident medical officer at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. He came to London, was resident surgical officer at All Saints' Hospital and worked under Terence Millin. He obtained the MRCS and LRCP in 1930, the FRCS in 1931, and became FRACS in 1934. On his return to Australia, he was appointed emergency surgeon to the Alfred Hospital and urologist to the Austin Hospital, Melbourne. He married Jean Cookes in 1928 and they had one daughter. He died on 6 July 1978, aged 75 years.