Ronald Nicholas Lamond Hopkins CBE (1897 - 1990)

Born 24 May 1897 in Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Husband of Nora Frances (Reissmann) Hopkins — married 1926 in Mitcham, South Australia, Australia

Died 24 Nov 1990 at age 93 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

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Biography

Ronald Hopkins CBE is an Anzac who served in World War One.

Major General Ronald Nicholas Lamond Hopkins CBE was a senior officer in the Australian Army. He was born on 24th May 1897 at Stawell, Victoria, Australia. He was a son of William Fleming Hopkins and Rose Mary Burton Lamond.^[1]

He began his military career in 1915 when he entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon, as a staff cadet and graduated as a Lieutenant in the Permanent Forces in late 1917. Following this, he was deployed overseas and subsequently served in the Sinai and Palestine campaign during The Great War. In early 1918 he was posted to the 6th Light Horse Regiment and served with them in Palestine during the First World War. He was also seconded to the headquarters of the 2nd and 3rd Light Horse Brigades, and the Anzac Mounted Division, to serve in a staff role.

During the inter war years, Hopkins undertook a variety of regimental and staff positions in Australia, India and the United Kingdom. On 15th December 1926 he married Nora Frances Reissmann in St Michael’s Church of England, Mitcham, Adelaide.^[2] In early 1937, he was sent to the United Kingdom on a fact finding mission to learn about developments in tanks and armoured warfare. He returned to Australia in April 1939 and was instrumental in organising the Australian Armoured Corps during the Second World War.

During the Second World War, he was promoted several times, briefly commanding the 7th Division Cavalry Regiment and was deployed to the Middle East before returning to Australia to undertake further staff positions. In this role he played a key role in organising the Australian Armoured Corps. He was promoted to Brigadier and attached to the staff of New Guinea Force and then served as a liaison officer to the American forces participating in the New Guinea campaign throughout 1943 and 1944. In late 1943 Hopkins was invested as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for "distinguished service in the South West Pacific". The United States government also bestowed a Legion of Merit upon him.

Following the war, Hopkins commanded the 34th Brigade as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan. He completed his military career as a Major General, as Commandant of the Royal Military College, Duntroon. In retirement, Hopkins wrote the history of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps, published as Australian Armour (1978). Far more than a parochial regimental history, the book engaged seriously with the development and use of armour by the Australian army from the Second World War to Vietnam, and was informed by his close personal knowledge of its genesis.

He passed away on 24th November 1990 at the age of 93; leaving behind his wife of almost 64 years, Nora, and one son.^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Victoria Birth Index #14661/1897
2. ↑ South Australia Marriage Index #309/938 1926
3. ↑ South Australia Advertiser Death Notices; 26 Nov 1990, p 15

• Grey, Jeffrey. Hopkins, Ronald Nicholas Lamond (1897–1990). Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hopkins-ronald-nicholas-lamond-12655/text22805, published first in hardcopy 2007, accessed online 25 May 2018.
• Wikipedia: Ronald Hopkins: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Hopkins#Later_life; accessed 25 May 2018.

• Death Citation

Genealogy SA - Newspaper Deaths (Secondary evidence) Text: Given Name(s): Ronald Nicholas Lamond Surname: HOPKINS Death Date: 1990, November 24 Age: 93 y Publication Date: 1990, November 27 Publication: Advertiser

• Marriage (m. REISSMANN, Nora Frances) Citation

SA BDM (Secondary evidence) Page: Ade 309/938 Text: Groom Given Name(s): Ronald Nicholas Lamond Groom Last Name: HOPKINS Bride Given Name(s): Nora Frances Bride Last Name: REISSMANN Marriage Date: 1926, December 15 Marriage Place: St Michaels Church Mitcham Groom Age: 29 Groom Approx. Birth Year: 1897 Groom Marital Status: S Groom Father: William Fleming HOPKINS Bride Age: 24 Bride Approx. Birth Year: 1902 Bride Marital Status: S Bride Father Name: Charles Henry REISSMANN District: Adelaide Symbol: XS Book/Page: 309/938 Cross Reference: Nora Frances RICEMAN

• Birth Citation

Victoria BDM (Secondary evidence) Page: 14661 Text: First name(s) Ronald Nicholas Lamond Last name Hopkins Sex Male Birth year 1897 Birth place Stawell Father's name William Fleming Mother's name Rose Mary Burton Lamond Registration number 14661 State Victoria