Charles Boxer was born in 1904. He was commissioned into the Lincolnshire regiment in 1923, serving until 1947 when he retired as a Major. He then became Camões Professor of Portuguese at London University (1947-51, 1953-67), Professor of the History of the Far East at the School of Oriental and African studies (1951-53) and Professor of the Expansion of Europe Overseas at Yale (1967-72). Numerous publications have established his pre-eminence in his chosen field of studies, a position to which several honorary doctorates from leading universities around the world attest. In active retirement, he remains Emeritus Professor at both London and Yale Universities.