Reginald was born on 13 March 1917 in West Ham, Essex with the name Reuben Shumkowsky. His parents were Isaac, a tailor, and Sophie nee Caplin and he had a younger brother Harry and younger sister Betty. In 1939, the family were still using the surname Shumkowsky and lived at 148 High Road in Leytonstone, Essex where Reginald was working as a mail order manager. He married Muriel Friedlander in Hackney, London in 1941 and their son was born three months after his death.

Reginald changed his name on enlisting into the Royal Engineers. He was killed due to war operations and died at the Prince of Wales General hospital in Tottenham, London.