Roy Kinghorn was born in Richmond, New South Wales, the youngest of three children of Rev.
[2] Kinghorn enlisted with the AIF in June 1915 and served during World War I in Egypt and Lemnos with the Dental Corps and with the Field Artillery Brigade, mostly as a driver, but after receiving a severe knee injury in December 1917 was repatriated to Australia, and was discharged as permanently medically unfit in July 1918.
[2] He returned to the Australian Museum in 1918 and was appointed zoologist in charge of reptiles and amphibians; three years later birds were added to his portfolio.
[3] His interest in broadcasting began around the same time, with talks and stories on the Children's Hour on Farmer's Radio Service (later 2FC).
[4] Among his last media appearances was (as "Linnaeus" the naturalist) in a weekly spot during the last decade of ABC radio's Argonauts' Club.