6287277 Corporal Ronald Herbert ‘Ronnie’ Crossley was the son of Herbert and May (née Bristow) Crossley, of Canterbury, Kent. Born on 8^th November 1920, aged 7 months he was living at 2, St Stephens Rd, Canterbury, Kent.

He enlisted in The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) and went with the British Expeditionary Force to France. After Dunkirk he was posted to Africa and Malta. He volunteered for airborne forces and completed his para training on course number 50 at Kabrit, Egypt and was posted to 11th Parachute Battalion, and sent to Palestine.

Tragically Ronald was killed, aged 22, on 26th August 1943 in an accident when his parachute failed to open properly.

He is buried at Khayat Beach War Cemetery C.G.9.

However, 53 years later Ronnie was still remembered fondly by his older sister. On 29^th August 1996, The Kentish Gazette reported how Ronnie's sister, Doris had discovered about 18 months earlier that she could apply for her brother's war medals. With the help of her local Parachute Regimental Association, she applied to the Ministry of Defence and received his war medals. In the photo she can be seen proudly displaying them. Not only this, but about 2 years earlier she had travelled with her daughter-in-law to visit Ronnie's grave in Haifa, Israel.