Reuben was born on 30 May 1914 in St Marylebone, London to Polish parents Harris, a tailor’s presser, and Diana nee Kershenzweig. An older brother Israel died in 1937 aged thirty from Pulmonary Tuberculosis at the family home in Hanson Street. Reuben had two younger sisters Sadie and Rosie.

In July 1936, Reuben married Sadie Dashevsky and their son Michael was born in October 1942. In 1939, Reuben was working in the printing business as a compositor presser.

Reuben was onboard the SS Benalbanach when he was killed. The ship was a 7,152-ton passenger/cargo ship launched in June 1940. On the 7 January 1943 she was sunk north west of Algiers when the convoy KMS-6 she was part of was attacked by a single enemy aircraft. She was carrying 389 men of Motor Transport unit and a crew of 74 from the Clyde to Bona, North Africa. This was her second trip to the Allied landing area conveying troops and equipment. The ship was hit by two torpedoes launched from the aircraft. The ship caught fire, blew up and sank almost immediately taking the lives of 57 crew members and 353 service personnel. Her commander, Captain D. MacGregor, died in the water just as he was about to be rescued.

Tragically, Reuben’s wife Sadie died on eighteenth February 1943, just six weeks after his death. She died in University College hospital from Acute Influenzal Pneumonia. She was only twenty-five and they left behind Michael who was only six months old.