HART-SYNNOT, RONALD VICTOR ORES,
Lieutenant, was born 24 July 1876, son of Major General Fitzroy Hart-Synnot,
CB, CMG. He was educated at King William's College, Sandhurst, and at
the South-Eastern Agricultural College, Wye, and took the degree BSc at
London University. He joined his regiment, the East Surreys, in 1899. He
served in South Africa, 1899 to 1902, taking part in the Battle of Colenso,
and, as ADC to Major General Fitroy Hart, in the actions of Spion Kop,
Potgieter's Drift, Pieter's Hill, and the Relief of Ladysmith, for which he
twice received mention in Despatches. He also saw fighting in the Orange
River and Cape Colonies, 1901-2, and had the Queen's Medal with five clasps,
and the King's Medal with two clasps, and was created a Companion of the
Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 27 September 1901]: "Ronald
Victor Okes Hart, Lieutenant,
East Surrey Regiment. In recognition of services during the operations
in South Africa". He was invested by the King 18 December 1902. He
resigned his commission in 1904, and in 1909 was appointed Private Secretary
to Sir Horace Plunkett, and Dean in the Faculty of Agriculture and
Horticulture at University College, Reading. In 1915 he became Temporary
Captain and ADC to HE General Sir Reginald Hart in Guernsey, and in February
of the year following appointed lo the Headquarters Staff, Southern Command,
Salisbury. In 1918 he was promoted Temporary Major, also becoming Deputy
Assistant Director of Labour. Major Hart-Synnot married, in 1912, Violet,
eldest daughter of the Reverend Lord Theobald Butler and Annabella Beydon,
daughter of Reverend Cosmo B Gordon, DD, and they had one son.
