Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Warren Whitmore OBE TD MA Combined Cadet Force
Ronald Warren Whitmore
The Man Ronald Warren Whitmore was born on Tuesday 10th November 1908 at Church Farm Home, Church Hill Road, East Barnet Valley, Middlesex, a Boy’s Industrial School where his father, Sidney Lewis, worked as a Schoolmaster. His mother was Sophia nee Warren and Ronald had one sibling who sadly died very young, which is recoded in the 1911 census where Ronald is now aged three.
In 1921 Ronald, aged nearly 13 and his parents were resident at the Adel Training School in Leeds, a Reformatory School for Boys, with Sidney now a School Superintendent and Sophia a Matron. Shortly afterwards Ronald attended Leeds Grammar School, becoming Deputy Head Boy and Captain of the Cricket team, being an excellent medium fast bowler. He also joined the school Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and rose to be the rank of Cadet Company Sergeant Major. He later won a place at Queen’s College, Cambridge where he gained his Master of Arts degree, later qualifying as a Teacher, following in his father's footsteps.
His first job was at Pocklington School, Yorkshire where he taught for several years and on Wednesday 22nd December 1937 aged 29 married Hilda Marion Proudman at St Oswald’s Church, Bidston, Chester. They lived at Bradgate,15 Church Lane, Leeds and had no children
Ronald returned to Leeds Grammar School in January 1938 as a junior master, subsequently serving the school ‘with complete loyalty and dedication’. He also re-joined the School’s CCF contingent, being Commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant on 1st July 1938 in the Territorial Army General List, Officers Training Corps with serviced number 76008.
The 1939 Register shows Ronald and Hilda living at Riversyde, Burnsall, Skipton and he listed as a Schoolmaster and a 2nd Lieutenant in the Territorial Army.
In 1921 Ronald, aged nearly 13 and his parents were resident at the Adel Training School in Leeds, a Reformatory School for Boys, with Sidney now a School Superintendent and Sophia a Matron. Shortly afterwards Ronald attended Leeds Grammar School, becoming Deputy Head Boy and Captain of the Cricket team, being an excellent medium fast bowler. He also joined the school Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and rose to be the rank of Cadet Company Sergeant Major. He later won a place at Queen’s College, Cambridge where he gained his Master of Arts degree, later qualifying as a Teacher, following in his father's footsteps.
His first job was at Pocklington School, Yorkshire where he taught for several years and on Wednesday 22nd December 1937 aged 29 married Hilda Marion Proudman at St Oswald’s Church, Bidston, Chester. They lived at Bradgate,15 Church Lane, Leeds and had no children
Ronald returned to Leeds Grammar School in January 1938 as a junior master, subsequently serving the school ‘with complete loyalty and dedication’. He also re-joined the School’s CCF contingent, being Commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant on 1st July 1938 in the Territorial Army General List, Officers Training Corps with serviced number 76008.
The 1939 Register shows Ronald and Hilda living at Riversyde, Burnsall, Skipton and he listed as a Schoolmaster and a 2nd Lieutenant in the Territorial Army.
Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Military). Efficiency Decoration 'Territorial'. Cadet Forces Medal.
He was promoted to War Substantive Lieutenant on 1st July 1941, serving with the CCF during the war and spent many years teaching at one of the School’s Evacuation Centres at Hartlington Hall , near Burnsall, (these were established in Britain to provide safe havens for children, their families and teachers from areas deemed at risk of bombing), where he and Hilda were in charge of the Hall.
Following the War, he returned to Leeds Grammar School and took command of the CCF contingent in 1945 as a Captain, as well as becoming form master and House Master of the school’s Vth form and coaching the school cricket teams. He was promoted to Major on 1st April 1948 and on 28th October 1949 to Lieutenant Colonel. On 3rd November 1950 Ronald was awarded his Efficiency Decoration ‘Territorial’, qualifying under regulations for the award at that time “The following will reckon as SINGLE qualifying service:- 4 (c) Commissioned service on the General List by officers who have served with the Junior Division Officers’ Training Corps, The Junior Training Corps or Combined Cadet Force before 1st April 1950”. For those who joined after 20th June 1950 or had unrewarded service following the award of the TD, their service counted towards the Cadet Forces Medal.
In the Birthday Honours List of 1957 Ronald was appointed as an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Military Division) for services to the CCF, gazetted on 13th June 1957. In September the same year he was awarded his Cadet Forces Medal named to him with his post nominals OBE TD. He commanded the CCF for over 15 years, which was at times 300 strong and retired on 1st September 1961 aged 52.
In 1970 Ronald and Hilda were still living at Bradgate and by 1975 at 5 Grangewood Court, Otley Road, Leeds and he retired from Leeds Grammar School in 1972, having been Head of Geography, Barry Housemaster 1938-39, Lawson Housemaster 1944-64 in addition to his duties as Vth Tutor 1955-72.
Ronald passed away on 18th May 1981 aged 72 at Wharfdale Hospital, Otley of cardiorespiratory arrest, congestive heart failure, ischaemia heart disease and aortic stenosis. He was buried in St John the Baptist Church, Adel, Leeds next to his parents.
Hilda lived a further 23 years and died aged 97 in January 2005.
Following the War, he returned to Leeds Grammar School and took command of the CCF contingent in 1945 as a Captain, as well as becoming form master and House Master of the school’s Vth form and coaching the school cricket teams. He was promoted to Major on 1st April 1948 and on 28th October 1949 to Lieutenant Colonel. On 3rd November 1950 Ronald was awarded his Efficiency Decoration ‘Territorial’, qualifying under regulations for the award at that time “The following will reckon as SINGLE qualifying service:- 4 (c) Commissioned service on the General List by officers who have served with the Junior Division Officers’ Training Corps, The Junior Training Corps or Combined Cadet Force before 1st April 1950”. For those who joined after 20th June 1950 or had unrewarded service following the award of the TD, their service counted towards the Cadet Forces Medal.
In the Birthday Honours List of 1957 Ronald was appointed as an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Military Division) for services to the CCF, gazetted on 13th June 1957. In September the same year he was awarded his Cadet Forces Medal named to him with his post nominals OBE TD. He commanded the CCF for over 15 years, which was at times 300 strong and retired on 1st September 1961 aged 52.
In 1970 Ronald and Hilda were still living at Bradgate and by 1975 at 5 Grangewood Court, Otley Road, Leeds and he retired from Leeds Grammar School in 1972, having been Head of Geography, Barry Housemaster 1938-39, Lawson Housemaster 1944-64 in addition to his duties as Vth Tutor 1955-72.
Ronald passed away on 18th May 1981 aged 72 at Wharfdale Hospital, Otley of cardiorespiratory arrest, congestive heart failure, ischaemia heart disease and aortic stenosis. He was buried in St John the Baptist Church, Adel, Leeds next to his parents.
Hilda lived a further 23 years and died aged 97 in January 2005.
Selection of unnamed shooting medallions awarded to Ronald Whitmore
The Story The medals awarded to Ronald Waren Whitmore were acquired from E-Bay on 19th April 2025 and of interest because of the combination, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Efficiency Decoration and Cadet Forces Medal, the latter being named to him with his post nominals OBE and TD.
With the medals came a lot of research including birth, marriage, death certificates, will and a write up from his old school magazine, which together with Ancestry enabled a good biography to be pieced together.
With the group came a Defence and War Medal 1939-45, which it was claimed were his, but as a member of the CCF during the war and a teacher he would not have been entitled, however, without these medals it makes for an even more interesting and unusual trio.
Acquired separately were a number of unnamed shooting medals that seemingly belonged to Ronald.
With the medals came a lot of research including birth, marriage, death certificates, will and a write up from his old school magazine, which together with Ancestry enabled a good biography to be pieced together.
With the group came a Defence and War Medal 1939-45, which it was claimed were his, but as a member of the CCF during the war and a teacher he would not have been entitled, however, without these medals it makes for an even more interesting and unusual trio.
Acquired separately were a number of unnamed shooting medals that seemingly belonged to Ronald.
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Box of award for Ronald's Cadet Forces Medal.
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Ronald Warren WHITMORE
Ronald Whitmore's grave buried together with his parents at St John the Baptist Church, Adel, Leeds
Medal Details
- Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire: Unnamed as awarded.
- Efficiency Decoration: 1950
- Cadet Forces Medal: LT-COL R. W. WHITMORE . O.B.E. T.D.
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