Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Harcourt Sanderson (11 December 1876 – 17 April 1918) was an English rower who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics for Great Britain.[1] He was killed in action during the First World War.[2]
Sanderson was born at Uckfield, Sussex, the only son of Rev. Edward Sanderson of Uckfield. He was educated at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge.[3] Sanderson rowed for Cambridge in the Boat Race in 1899 and 1900 which were two victories for Cambridge.
He became a member of Leander Club and was a crew member of the Leander eight, which won the gold medal for Great Britain rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics.[4]
Sanderson joined the Royal Horse Artillery in May 1900,[5] and served as Second Lieutenant in the Second Boer War in South Africa. He was promoted to lieutenant on 8 March 1902.[6]
Sanderson served in the Royal Field Artillery during the First World War. He was mentioned in despatches and was awarded the Chevalier, Legion of Honour by France. He was a lieutenant colonel when he was killed in action near Ypres in April 1918, aged 41. He was buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery nearby[7] and there is a memorial brass in Ripon Cathedral.
