Colonel Ralph Ernest Barnwell CBE

  General Notes:

Lt.-Col. R. E. BARNWELL, C.B.E. (10255), retires
on ret. pay, 2nd Aug. 1945, and is granted the hon.
rank of Col.


Imperial War Museum

Catalogue number - Documents.3524

R. War. R.
R. E. Barnwell.

Ts memoir (8pp), undated, recording his enlistment and training in the 2nd Battalion Honourable Artillery Company in the United Kingdom (September - December 1914), and his subsequent service as a subaltern in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, under training in the UK with their 12th Battalion (December 1914 - October 1915) and on active service in France with their 11th Battalion (November 1915 - February 1916), 2nd Battalion (September 1916 - June 1917) and 1st Battalion (August - November 1918), though much of his time overseas was spent as an instructor at Army schools, and as an instructor with No 3 Officer Cadet Battalion in the UK (July 1917 - July 1918). The memoir includes a reference to the early military career of Field Marshal Viscount Slim.


Commandant of the 'Duke of York's Royal Military School'.

Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald Nye's Letter (extract)

16. When the proposals became know they met with a great deal of opposition naturally from the existing staff at the School, but also rather surprisingly from a large number of Old Boys (and the Old Boys' Association of the School is a strong one), who argued generally that what had been good enough for them was good enough for the new generation.

17. I realized quite clearly that, whilst it was a comparatively straight-forward matter to authorise these various changes, the success or failure of the experiment would depend primarily on the manner in which the proposal were carried out and in particular on the choice of the Commandant. I was responsible for the choice of Colonel Barnwell (and the character and personality of Mrs. Barnwell was a substantial factor in our choice. Endless difficulties occurred in carrying out the programme laid down and the Barnwells dealt with those with infinite understanding and tact. I think it is fair to say that, whilst there are still a few critics of the new system, on the whole it is now generally accepted by everyone interested in the School and it is equally true to say that we are just beginning to see satisfactory results emerging and that the proposals for the future give one every cause for satisfaction. But I hope we won't rest on our oars. I am sure there is still hope for considerable and continuous improvements.

8th July 1954

Full Letter - http://www.achart.ca/articles/york/culture-change.htm

  Noted events in his life were:

• Census, 31 Mar 1901, Rugby, Warwickshire. Listed as: Age 6.

• Census, 2 Apr 1911, 84 Dunchurch Road, Rugby, Warwickshire. Listed as: Age 16; Occupation - School.

Ralph married Lillian K. O. Bradburne Jun Qtr 1927 in Kensington, London. (Lillian K. O. Bradburne was born in 1902 in Brentford, London.)

  Marriage Notes:

Register of marriage - Kensington, vol 1a, page 277.