Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Ronald William Craig Gunn was born 1897 at Pelaw, County Durham, the second of 4 sons and a daughter born to Walter Craig Snr native of Aldershot, Hampshire born 1872 and his wife Grace Ann Miles born 1877 at South Shields, County Durham whom he married in the district of South Shields in 1893. In the census of April 1901 his father was the manager of a grocer’s store, the family were living at 14, Roseberry Street, Sunderland unfortunately he died later that same year aged 29 years, leaving Grace with 4 children under the age of 6, the youngest only two months old and pregnant with their fifth child Frederick Craig Gunn who was born in 1902. She remarried in 1907 at Loughborough to Walter Elliott native of West Leake, Nottinghamshire born 1883 and 7 years her junior. They had 3 children together, Arthur Elliott born 1909, William Miles Elliott born 1st Qtr 1910 and Kathleen Elliott born 4th Qtr 1910. Ronald was educated at Durham School.
Ronald enlisted and at the time of his attestation was assigned as Private to the 3rd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts. and Derby Regiment) as part of the Tyne Garrison at Sunderland. He later resigned from the ranks to take up a commission and served as 2nd Lieutenant 12th Battalion S.F. (N&DR) departing to France once he turned 19 years of age to join the regiment in the field. The 12th Battalion in 1916 suffered in the German gas attack at Wulverghem and then moved to The Somme seeing action in The Battle of Delville Wood and The Battle of Guillemont.
2nd Lieutenant Ronald William Craig Gunn Sherwood Foresters was killed in action January 6th 1917 in his twentieth year and was interred at Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, Pas de Calais, France, grave I. L. I.
As he was single he nominated his sister to receive all monies due to him. She commissioned, at the cost of 3 shillings 2 pence, an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, “ Rest In Peace”. Awards; British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Roland’s elder brother William Craig Gunn also served as Engine Room Artificer M/2616 aboard HMS Queen Mary and died when she was sunk by the Derffinger of the German fleet, May 31st 1916, aged 21 years. His sacrifice is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Awards; British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Ronald William Craig Gunn is remembered at Heworth on H92.03 and at Durham on D47.20, D47.043 and D47.057
