Reginald Cameron Lewis was a son of Charles Edward Lewis, professor of classics at the South African College, Cape Town, and his wife Elizabeth Tryphena Lewis, and a younger brother of Alfred Dale Lewis*. After matriculating in 1905 he entered the South African College for further study in 1906 and in 1909 was awarded the degree Bachelor of Arts (BA) with honours in zoology by the University of the Cape of Good Hope. He continued his studies at the college the next year, receiving the degree Master of Arts (MA) in zoology from the university in 1910. In that year he also received a special prize, funded by Dr G.S. Corstorphine*, for his research in zoology. This work was described in a paper, "On the water pores of Bullia digitalis" [one of the plough shells], in the Zoologische Anzeiger (1910). The next year Lewis won the 1851 Exhibition Research Scholarship and went overseas to continue his studies at Christs College, Cambridge. One R.C. Lewis, most probably him, contributed a "Report on some experiments in connection with the life history of Strongylus (or Haemonchus) contortus, the wire worm of sheep and goat..." to the Second Report of the Director of Veterinary Research (1912, pp. 398-405). He also described two new species of tapeworms from the stomach and small intestine of a wallaby in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London (1914).
During World War I (1914-1918) Lewis was on active service with the Royal Berkshire Regiment in France, with the rank of captain. He was awarded the Military Cross, but died in action in 1916. His brother, Lieutenant C.W. Lewis of the Royal Navy, was killed in the battle of Jutland in the same year.
