Editing Ronald Colman (section)

==First World War==
While working as a clerk with Watts, Watts & Co., Ltd. (managers of the Britain Steamship Company) in the [[City of London]],<ref>PRO WO 364/742, Private Ronald Colman - Attestation Form E.501, reproduced in Fowler, Spencer and Tamblin 1997, p. 7, fig. 1.</ref> Colman joined the [[London Scottish Regiment]]<ref name=LScott>{{cite web |url=https://www.londonscottishregt.org/index.php?id=126 |title=Famous London Scottish |publisher=The London Scottish Regimental Trust |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160211010239/https://www.londonscottishregt.org/index.php?id=126 |archive-date=11 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Medal card of Colman, Ronald C, Soldier Number: 2148, Rank: Private, Corps: 14th London Regiment |url=http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D1897819 |website=The National Archives |access-date=20 January 2016 |ref=WO 372/4/217810}}</ref> in 1909 for four years. At the outbreak of the [[World War I|First World War]], he quit his job the next day and rejoined his regiment.<ref>{{cite news |first=Harry T. |last=Brundidge |title=War made Ronald Colman an Actor |newspaper=Dundee Evening Telegraph |date=5 December 1930 |page=5 }}</ref> He was Private No. 2148 with the 1/14th (County of London) Battalion of the London Regiment (London Scottish). 

On 15 September 1914, the battalion embarked at Southampton in the SS ''Winifred'' and arrived the next day at Le Havre.<ref>Nigel Cave, ''Battleground Europe: A Guide to Battlefields in France and Flanders'', Barnsley: Wharncliffe Publishing Ltd, 1990 p, 56.</ref> Six weeks later, the London Scottish were driven to [[First Battle of Ypres|Ypres]] to reinforce the front. At Ypres on 30 October, Colman was said to have "had the decidedly unpleasant experience of being buried alive by the explosion of a shell", but was dug out unharmed.<ref>Elinor Hughes, ''Famous Stars of Filmdom: Men'', Boston: L. C. Page & Company, 1931, p. 135-136.</ref> Later that day, the battalion was moved to Wytschaete, where it engaged in the [[First Battle of Ypres|Battle of Messines]] on the next day. Colman was seriously wounded in the ankle, which gave him a limp that he sought to hide throughout his acting career: "Disability. Fracture of Ankle (Rt.) In action near Ypres 31-10-14. Man states that when advancing a shell burst near him, and he was thrown heavily injuring his right foot either by the fall or his foot being struck. There is considerable thickening of Rt. ankle. There is also some tenderness and after walking any distance there is pain and lameness."<ref>PRO WO 364/742, Private Ronald Colman - Royal Hospital Chelsea, Pension form, reproduced in Fowler, Spencer and Tamblin 1997, p. 9, fig. 3.</ref> He was treated at the field ambulance and was transferred to England the next day.<ref>PRO WO 365/742, Private Ronald Colman, Casualty Form B.193, reproduced in Fowler, Spencer and Tamblin 1997, p.9, fig. 4.</ref> Colman was admitted to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, where he stayed from 6 to 11 November. Having sufficiently recovered, he was transferred to the 3/14 Battalion of the London Scottish and was sent to [[Perth, Scotland|Perth]], where he did light clerical duty and lived at Strathview (No. 75–77), Muirton Place.<ref>PRO WO 364/742, Private Ronald Colman - Royal Hospital Chelsea, Pension form, reproduced in Fowler, Spencer and Tamblin 1997, p. 9, fig. 3.</ref> About half a year later, on 6 May 1915, he was declared "No longer fit physically for war service" and discharged.<ref>PRO WO 364/742, Private Ronald Colman - Medical History Form B.178, reproduced in Fowler, Spencer and Tamblin 1997, p. 8, fig. 2.</ref> 

His military character was given as "Very good. Honest, sober and trustworthy."<ref>PRO WO 364/742, Private Ronald Colman - Proceedings on Discharge Form B.268A, reproduced in Fowler, Spencer and Tamblin 1997, p. 11, fig. 6.</ref> Colman was awarded a pension as well as the [[Victory Medal (United Kingdom)|Victory Medal]], the [[British War Medal]], the [[1914 Star]] with clasps and roses<ref>PRO WO 329/1928, medal roll entry for Ronald Colman, reproduced in Fowler, Spencer and Tamblin 1997 p. 47, fig. 12, and p. 48.</ref> and the Silver War Badge.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bates |first1=Stephen |title=Silver war badge recipients revealed online |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/nov/10/men-wore-silver-war-badge |access-date=18 August 2023 |newspaper=The Guardian |date=10 November 2011 |quote= Another recipient was Ronald Coleman, the future British Hollywood actor who was severely wounded in the ankle during the first weeks of the war, leaving him with a limp that he tried to disguise during his film career.}}</ref> In 1928 he was made an honorary life member of the London Scottish.<ref>''Daily Record'', 8 June 1928, p. 12.</ref> 

Fellow [[Hollywood (film industry)|Hollywood]] actors [[Claude Rains]], [[Herbert Marshall]], [[Cedric Hardwicke]], and [[Basil Rathbone]] all saw service with the London Scottish in the war.