Private Ronald W Sumners

Ronald William Sumners joined B Company, 3 PARA, in March, 1956 and was soon accepted as a good soldier by his platoon.

He played football and basket-ball, but he will be remembered particularly as a keen photographer.

For three months he had been a member of the Officer’s Mess Staff as he was hoping to go into the catering trade on leaving the Army.

When the battalion was ordered to Egypt he re-joined his old Company, and was killed on 5 November 1956 during its attack on the sewage farm as part of Operation Musketeer, having set a fine example to his platoon by his resolution and calmness.  He was 19 years old.

His body was returned to the UK and is now buried at Tidworth Military Cemetery.

Headstone photograph courtesy of Major James Brudenell.