Ronald Cleave Thorne was the son of Fredrick and Rose Thorne, and husband of Kathleen Thorne, of Landkey Newland, Devon.He was serving in the 12th Battalion, The Devonshire Regiment when it was redesignated to form part of 6th Airlanding Brigade within British Airborne Forces in 1943.

He subsequently took part in the Normandy landings, which marked the start of the campaigns in 1944-45 to liberate North West Europe from German occupation, and was killed in fighting to maintain the bridgehead.

Pte Thorne died on 23 June 1944, aged 29 years, and is now buried at Ranville War Cemetery, Calvados.