Ronnie Ford

English cricketer and Royal Air Force officer

Ronnie Ford

Personal information

Full name|

Walter Ronald Ford

Born| 19 October 1913
Teddington, Middlesex, England
Died| 7 October 1998(1998-10-07) (aged 84)
Midhurst, Sussex, England
Batting| Right-handed
Role| Wicket-keeper
Career statistics
| Competition | First-class

|

Matches | 4
Runs scored | 69
Batting average | 9.85
100s/50s | –/–
Top score | 36
Catches/stumpings | 7/–

Source: Cricinfo, 19 February 2019

Walter Ronald Ford CBE (19 October 1913 - 7 October 1998) was an English first-class cricketer and Royal Air Force officer. Ford served with the Royal Air Force in a career that spanned from 1937-1965, playing first-class cricket for the Combined Services cricket team in the later 1940s.

## Military career and later life

[edit]

Ford was born in Teddington. He joined the Royal Air Force before 1937, initially serving in the Equipment Branch, before being commissioned as a pilot officer in January 1937.[1] His probation ended in January 1938, upon which he was promoted to flying officer.[2] He served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, with promotion to the temporary rank of flight lieutenant coming in September 1940.[3] He became a temporary squadron leader in September 1941,[4] and was mentioned in dispatches in January 1943.[5] He was later made a temporary wing commander, a rank he relinquished in November 1947.[6]

Following the war, Ford played first-class cricket for the Combined Services cricket team, making four appearances as a wicket-keeper between 1946-1949.[7] He scored 69 runs across his four first-class appearances, with a high score of 36 and an average of 9.85.[8] Ford was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1960 New Year Honours.[9] He retired from active service at his request in October 1965, retaining the rank of group captain.[10] He later worked for the Marylebone Cricket Club as its assistant secretary of administration from 1973-1977.[11] He died at Midhurst in October 1998.[11]

## References

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1. ^ "No. 34359". The London Gazette. 12 January 1937.
2. ^ "No. 34507". The London Gazette. 3 May 1938.
3. ^ "No. 34949". The London Gazette. 20 September 1940.
4. ^ "No. 35270". The London Gazette. 9 September 1941.
5. ^ "No. 33841". The London Gazette. 29 December 1942.
6. ^ "No. 38131". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 November 1947.
7. ^ "First-Class Matches played by Ronnie Ford". CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
8. ^ "First-class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Ronnie Ford". CricketArchive. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
9. ^ "No. 41909". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1960.
10. ^ "No. 43805". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 October 1965.
11. ^ a b "Wisden - Obituries in 1998". ESPNcricnfo. Retrieved 19 February 2019.

## External links

[edit]

* Ronnie Ford at ESPNcricinfo