In the 1940’s his parents address is listed as Newport, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire. This is a contradiction of locations, but it may be Newport Brough, Yorkshire. Robert and Veronica had married in Chesterfield, so there was obviously a Derbyshire connection.

No details on Ronald’s life, or if he had any brothers or sisters. The only record is that in June 1939 Ronald was involved in a road accident whilst driving Mr Fretwell’s lorry. This report states that he lived on Madin Street, Tupton.

No obituary was posted in the Derbyshire Times and no other articles on Ronald. This is probably because his family was living in Yorkshire. So, no details on when Ronald enlisted, what his war service entailed, or what was the cause of his death.

Ronald died on the 8^th January 1946 in Italy. This was 8 months after the war ended in Europe. At this point Ronald is serving with the 187 Mechanical Equipment Platoon, Royal Engineers (187 MEP).

Mechanical Equipment platoons were unique units, set up to reconstruct infrastructure to aid the war effort. From September 1943 to January 1946 the 187 MEP were tasked with repairing sections of the railway network in Italy. This was originally to improve supply lines for war materials, but the work carried on for a short period after the war ended.

Ronald is buried in the Milan War Cemetery, Italy