2nd Lieutenant Ronald John MacLean SIMMONDS
Coldstream Guards

Date of birth: 4th August 1908
Date of death: 29th May 1933

Killed on active service aged 24
Buried at St Michael and All Angels Church, Sunninghill, Berkshire
Ronald John MacLean Simmonds was born at St Mark's Vicarage, Reigate on the 4th of August 1908 the son of the Reverend Arthur Simmonds, Rural Dean of Reigate, and Rosalie (nee MacClean) Simmonds of Carbery Lodge, Ascot in Berkshire. He was christened by his father at St Mark's Church, Reigate on the 30th of August 1908.

He was educated at Wykeham House School, Worthing from 1917 to 1920, at Thrings, Brunswick, Haywards Heath from 1920 to July 1922 and at Lancing College from September 1922 to July 1927 where he was in Gibbs House. He was appointed as a House Captain in 1926 and as Head of House in 1927. He was a member of the Cricket XI in 1927 and was a Cadet Officer in the Officer Training Corps. He gained his school certificate in 1927. He was admitted to St John's College Cambridge on the 16th of November 1928 and took up residence there on the 12th of January 1929. He obtained a third class Historical Tripos Part I in 1930 and a BA on 19th of December 1931. While at Cambridge his tutor was E.A. Benians. He was a member of the Merchant Taylor's Company and was granted the Freedom of the City of London on the 9th of April 1930.

He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on the General List of the Territorial Army from the 5th of July 1931 and went on to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst where he won the Sword of Honour. On leaving the College he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Coldstream Guards on the 30th of January 1932.

He was seriously injured in an accident and died at Dunedin Nursing Home in Reading. He was due to have had the honour of carrying the Regimental Colours at the annual Trooping of the Colours ceremony in 1933.

A fellow officer wrote:-

"He was one of the smartest officers I have ever known; he was as popular as he was efficient."

His funeral was held at St Michael and All Angels Church, Sunninghill in Berkshire at 3.15pm on the 2nd of June 1933.

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