WESTTHORP, Ronald
| Service Number: | S45054 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 January 1942, Hindmarsh, SA |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Lines of Communication Units |
| Born: | Consett, Durham, England, 26 December 1923 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Daw Park, South Australia., 19 April 1992, aged 68 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia RSL, Wall 124, Niche A008 |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 5 Jan 1942: | Involvement Private, S45054 | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Jan 1942: | Enlisted Hindmarsh, SA | |
| 5 Jan 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, S45054, Lines of Communication Units | |
| 14 Jan 1943: | Discharged | |
| 14 Jan 1943: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, S45054, Lines of Communication Units |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Trevor Pyatt
Ronald Westthorp
Private (later Acting Corporal), Australian Military Forces
Service No. S45054
Ronald Westthorp was born on 26 December 1923 at Consett, Durham, England, the son of Thomas William Westthorp and Emily Maud (née Porter) Westthorp. The family later migrated to Australia, settling in South Australia, where Ronald grew up and entered adulthood during the Second World War.
Military Service (World War II)
Ronald enlisted in the Australian Military Forces (Citizen Military Forces) at Hindmarsh, South Australia, on 5 January 1942, aged just 18 years. His enlistment papers confirm he was a British subject by birth, of the Church of England, and employed as a clerk prior to enlistment.
Service Number: S45054
Initial Rank: Private
Later Rank: Acting Corporal (A/Cpl)
Units: Lines of Communication Units / Canteen Services
Service Type: Home (Australian) service only
Multiple official certifications confirm that Ronald did not serve overseas and did not serve north of latitude 14.5° South. His wartime service was entirely within Australia.
Discharge
Ronald’s military career was cut short due to medical reasons. He was formally discharged on 14 January 1943 under Army Regulation 277(xiii) as “medically unfit”. Later Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Central Army Records Office correspondence repeatedly confirms:
No misconduct or disciplinary issues
No absence without leave
No overseas or operational service
Discharge solely on medical grounds
His total period of service amounted to just over one year.
Later Life
Following his discharge, Ronald returned to civilian life in South Australia. On 22 March 1945, his marriage to Joan Evelyn Williams (née Gepp) was announced in The Advertiser, formalising a relationship that would span decades.
Ronald and Joan lived for many years at 15 Gawler Street, Seaview Downs, where Ronald was recorded as residing at the time of his death.
Death
Ronald Westthorp died on 19 April 1992, aged 68, at the Repatriation General Hospital, Daw Park, South Australia. His death was formally notified to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and Central Army Records Office, and his service file was closed and marked DECEASED in May 1992.
Summary
Ronald Westthorp’s life reflects that of many young men of his generation — called to serve during wartime, medically unable to continue, and thereafter returning quietly to civilian life. Although his military service was brief and confined to Australia, it was nonetheless formally recognised, carefully documented, and later relied upon for Defence Service Homes and veterans’ entitlements.
Biography by Trevor Pyatt 27/12/2025
Click images to start slideshow.