Ronald Penney

Sir Ronald Penney
Born	16 May 1896
Died	3 December 1964 (age 67) Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1914–1949
Rank	Major-General
Unit	Royal Engineers Royal Corps of Signals
Commands held	3rd Infantry Brigade 1st Infantry Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Military Cross

Major-General Sir (William) Ronald (Campbell) Penney KBE CB DSO MC (16 May 1896 – 3 December 1964) was a senior officer of the British Army who fought in both World War I and World War II, where he commanded the 1st Infantry Division during the Battle of Anzio.

Penney joined the British Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Royal Engineers in 1914 at the start of World War I during which he fought in France and Belgium. After the war he transferred, in 1921, to the Royal Corps of Signals and then served in British India and China.

He served in World War II where he commanded the 3rd Infantry Brigade, and later as Signal Officer-in-Chief in the Middle East from 1941, becoming General Sir Harold Alexander's Chief Signal Officer, and as General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1st Infantry Division from late 1943 (taking part in the Anzio landings of the Italian Campaign) The division came under command of U.S. VI Corps, commanded by Major General John P. Lucas, whom Penney was skeptical about and he formed a very low opinion of. He was wounded by shellfire during the fighting at Anzio, and the division was temporarily commanded by Major-General Gerald Templer, GOC of the 56th (London) Infantry Division, which had recently arrived in the beachhead. From 1944, he was Director of Military Intelligence at Headquarters Supreme Allied Command South East Asia until the end of the war.