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Auction: 25111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 531

The group of five awarded to Lieutenant H. R. M. Ronaldson, Royal Artillery, late Honourable Artillery Company, who was gassed during the First World War and later served in the Berkshire Special Constabulary

British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. H. R. M. Ronaldson.); British Defence Medal 1939-45; Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (61 Gnr: H. R. M. Ronaldson. H.A.C.); Special Constabulary Long Service Medal, G.VI.R., 1 clasp, Long Service, 1944, court mounted for display, some polished with contact marks, edge wear and edge nicks, otherwise very fine and better (5)

Hugh Robertson Meyer Ronaldson was born in Sydenham, Kent on 15 June 1881, the youngest of thirteen children born to Thomas Ronaldson, a prominent shipowner and broker, and his wife Marion. The young Ronaldson was admitted to the Honourable Artillery Company on 25 May 1901 when he was nineteen years old and served in 'A' Battery. Census records reveal Ronaldson to be working as a clerk in the stock exchange in 1911 and living with two of his elder brothers, who were working as a tea merchant and a commission agent.

Ronaldson earned his Territorial Force Efficiency Medal in July 1913 as a Gunner with the H.A.C., becoming one of only 99 such awards to the H.A.C. from 1909 through to the end of 1914. The following year in January 1914, he was transferred to the Reserve Company. Almost immediately after the start of the First World War, on 3 August Ronaldson was transferred from the Reserve Company back to 'A' Battery with whom he spent the first few years of the conflict. This was a busy time for him, on 14 August he was married by special license - due to the war - to Miss Daisy Blanche Newton at St. Mark's Church in Surbiton, Surrey and they thereafter lived at Sunnycroft in Sunninghill, Ascot, Berkshire; this was to be couple's primary address for the rest of his life.

On 29 September 1916 Ronaldson was transferred to the Reserve Officers' School at St. John's Wood, and sometime later was discharged to commission with the 32nd Division of the Royal Field Artillery. Advanced Lieutenant in 1917, he was disembarked at France with his unit on 7 May 1917. Ronaldson was reportedly gassed once during his service overseas.

He was not listed as a member of the H.A.C. after the close of the war. Ronaldson applied for his WWI medals on 23 February 1921 and returned home to Sunnycroft where he lived with Daisy and their children. The couple had at least three daughters and two sons, one of whom, Frank Ian Ronaldson, worked for the Colonial Service in Nigeria. After the war he continued his career as a member of the stock exchange, and according to the 1939 Register Ronaldson also worked in the Berkshire Special Constabulary. He continued this Constabulary work during the Second World War, earning a Long Service 1944 clasp to his Special Constabulary medal.

Ronaldson lived until the ripe old age of 89 and died on 4 May 1971. He was interred at St. Michael and All Angels Churchyard in Sunninghill; sold together with copied research.

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Sold for
£380

Starting price
£60