During the lockdown period, we have had various volunteers doing research for us remotely, to start looking at the contribution made by local men and women during the Second World War, to expand the remit of this blog. If anybody is interested in getting involved, please do get in touch! One of those volunteers, who has done stirling work throughout, is Ann Eales, and this is one of the people she has researched.
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Ronald was born in Wolverhampton on 31 January 1915, the son of Frederick B. and Ethel C. Hipkiss. In 1939, they were living at 24 Belmont Road, Wolverhampton, along with Ronald’s brothers, Charles B. and Dennis A. Ronald was working as a steel shearer in the heavy tool trade. In 1940, Ronald married Violet Tomkinson in Wolverhampton. The couple had a son, Ronald B. B., born in Bilston in 1944.
Ronald served as a Private with the 5th Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (service number 4928963). He died on 17 July 1944, so it seems likely that he never met his son, whose birth was registered in the December quarter of 1944. He is buried in the St. Manvieu War Cemetery, in Cheux, in France.