Casualty Information
Captain
CUTHBERT MAURICE
ROPNER
Service Number
Age
Date of death
122774
40
Friday, May 11, 1945
Company:
Researching
Son of Emil Hugo Oscar Robert Ropner and of Jane Venetia Ropner (nee Walker); husband of Dorothea Seymour Ropner, of Alnwick.
War Service details:
Original Regiment joined- (Based on their Service No).
Researching
1st Bttn KOSB location on day of death (According to War Diary)
Researching
Cuthbert Maurice Ropner was born on the 11th April 1905 in Durham.
He married Dorothy Bell on the 26th September, 1929. They had 3 children together. *He died a week after his daughter Caroline was born. He was the younger brother of Sir Emil Hugo Oscar Robert Ropner, 3rd Bt. and Richard Ropner. Cuthbert was educated at Harrow School in London and usually went by his middle name, Maurice.
He was made 2nd Lt on 20th June 1940.
According to the War Diary, there was no action, on the day of his death so he may well have died of wounds sustained in an earlier battle. *UK War Forces site states, 'died as result of accident' - whilst serving with KOSB - 10th Holding Battalion.
The Newcastle Journal 15/05/1945 reports:-
Funeral of Captain C. Maurice Ropner
The funeral took place at Alnwick yesterday of Captain C. Maurice Ropner (40), an officer of the K.O.S.B., and Master of the West Percy foxhounds, who lost his life on Friday in a practice charge explosion when was exercising his men. His home was at Alnbank, Alnwick. A service at Alnwick Parish Church was conducted the Rev. W. E. Lloyd.
His medals were sold online in September 2023. "Pair: Captain C. M. Ropner, King’s Own Scottish Borderers, who died on 11 May 1945
Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with named Army Council enclosure, in OHMS card transmission box, addressed to ‘Mrs. D. S. Ropner, Heckley House, Alnwick, Northumberland’, extremely fine"
https://www.noonans.co.uk/archive/past-catalogues/676/catalogue/466060/?
In Memorium
Memorial
ALNWICK CEMETERY
Sec. 31B. Cons. Grave 61.
Photo Credits:
Headstone - Find a Grave - DIMITRIOS CORCODILOS