Born in Dungog, New South Wales on the 1st of January 1917 to Cecil and Mabel (nee Bowen) Ronald was the 3rd of their 4 children.
Ron was working as a store manager at Wards River when he enlisted with the No. 2 Receiving Depot, RAAF i1n Sydney on the 5th of December 1941. As an Aircraftsman 2, he went to No 1 Initial Training School RAAF Somers Mornington Peninsular, Victoria joining the 950 students who studied basic aircrew subjects and used the link trainer for familiarisation training. He was catagorised as Aircrew on the 26th of February 1942 and reclassified as Leading Aircraftsman (Aircrew) on the 28th of March. On the 30th of April Ron was posted to 10 Elementary Flight Training School at Temora.
No 2 Embarkation Depot (ED), Bradfield Park was where aircrew were kitted and given final medicals before going to operational theatres. Ron arrived at 2 ED on the 25th of June. On the 17th of July, he departed No 1 Embarkation Depot, Ascot Vale in Victoria. Arriving in Canada on the 29th of July, Ron was attached to the Royal Canadian Air Force. After arrival in Canada, he moved to RCAF Station Edmonton to be taken on strength with No 3 Manning Depot where he arrived on the 19th of August to wait for dispersal for further training. On the 13th of September, Ron arrived at No 3 Service Flight Training School at Calgary, where intermediate level pilots were trained to gain their wings. On the 30th of December he was promoted to T/Sergeant (Pilot) before being transferred to No 1 Y Depot at Halifax on the 11th of January 1943. This was from where Ron was to embark for England. His attachment with RCAF ceased on the 24th of January and commenced with the RAF on arrival in England on the 25th of January.
Ron’s first step to get to his operational squadron was when he was taken on with No 11 Personnel Dispatch & Receiving Depot (PDRC) at Bournemouth on the 5th of February. The 11 PDRC were billeted at either the Grand or Metropole Hotels to wait for their posting to the next training unit. When he commenced training again it would be intense. Initially Ron was attached to RAF Station Whitley Bay between 16th of March and 14th of April, where airmen underwent machine gun training with No 2 RAF Regiment School. He then went to 15 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit at Satellite Grove on the 3rd of May to familiarise himself with the UK’s flying conditions. He then departed on the 31st for RAF Watchfield, where between the 1st and 8th of June he learned beam approaches for landing in treacherous conditions. Having returned to Satellite Grove on the 8th, Ron was posted to RAF Lichfield on the 29th of June, to be taken on strength with 27 Operational Training Unit, who trained prospective night bomber crews on the Vickers Wellingtons. On the 30th of June, he was promoted to Temporary Flight Sergeant. Ron was then posted to 1662 Conversion Unit on the 26th of September.
No. 460 Squadron RAAF was formed at RAF Molesworth, Huntingdonshire on 15 November 1941,[3] as a bomber squadron equipped with Wellington Mk.IV aircraft. Originally part of No. 8 Group RAF, Bomber Command, the squadron moved to RAF Breighton, Yorkshire and joined No. 1 Group RAF. In August 1942 the squadron began to convert to Halifax Mk.IIs, however in October the squadron was re-equipped with Lancaster Mks. I and III. In May 1943, No. 460 Squadron relocated to RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire, from where it participated in the strategic bombing of Germany.
Ron was posted to 460 Sqn on the 19th of December 1943 and again commenced operational training until the 31st of December when he passed his final check ride. During the period from late 1943 and early 1944, the squadron were flying sorties in the Battle of Berlin. On the 13th of February, Ron was promoted to Pilot Officer. Sadly, after 2 years undergoing training and just 2 months with his operational squadron, on the 25th of February 1944, he was reported ‘Missing in Air Ops- target Augsburg’. He was later reported ‘Died- Flying Battle, Germany, 25 February 1944.’ He was aged 27 years.
In the 1948 changed address to 4 Northgate Street Gloucester and in the 1970’s father living at 53 Barrington Street Gloucester.
