Ron Goldstein 1923 - 2021

Discussion in 'Veteran Accounts' started by bexley84, May 30, 2021.

  1. High Wood

    High Wood Well-Known Member

    Such sad news. Someone once said that when a wise man dies, it is like a library burning down; so much knowledge and experience lost to the world.

    Dear Ron, may God bless and keep you always.
     
    Grasmere, bexley84, Chris C and 9 others like this.
  2. Andreas

    Andreas Working on two books

    Ron is a great loss, and will be sadly missed.

    Sincere condolences to his family and friends.

    With kind regards

    Andreas
     
    gash hand, mgvc, CL1 and 5 others like this.
  3. mgvc

    mgvc Junior Member

    Hello, all.
    I am Michael (Mike) Goldstein, one of Ron's nephews - son of Jack, who was KIA on 16 March 1945 when his Lancaster bomber was shot down over Nuremberg.
    Ron introduced me to this Forum, so I have been a member for some time, albeit a silent one!

    I can't tell you enough how much Ron meant to me. When he came home from the war, and knowing the impact of Jack not coming back, he was like a father to my sister and me (then aged just 11 and six respectively). He took us out and treated us to tea at the Marble Arch Lyons Corner House....took us to Madame Tussauds....taught me to ride a bike (his - I didn't have one!)....and much more. But, as he has posted on this forum before, he undertook the initial research into what actually happened to my father that fatal night over Nuremberg - before the world was digital. That lead to my writing my father's biography, which should really be dedicated to Ron.
    Ron was a role model for me in so many ways, but fundamentally in the way he lived his life.

    The wonderful tributes already posted to this forum, give the family great comfort. I remember as a young man hearing someone say that his ambition was to leave a mark - something which was due to him that had good impact or influence on others. That has been my way of thinking since then. Clearly, unambiguously, Ron has certainly left his mark.
    Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.
    Lunch at Tegernsee lakeside(2).JPG
     
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  4. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    What a shock! So sad. I was speaking to his nephew Michael last week and asked him to pass on my best to Ron. I was coming to Europe this year had it not been for Covid and Ron was to be one of my visits. When I met him first at Russell Square in 2011, we spoke for so long and I had great memories of that day. I was going to go to him at his home however he was adamant that he would come to me. I will miss him. All my best to his daughters and nephew Michael.
     
    17thDYRCH, Chris C, mgvc and 8 others like this.
  5. DianeE

    DianeE Member

    Such sad news. He was a true gentleman and will be sorely missed. My condolences to his family.
    Diane
     
    mgvc, TTH, Dave55 and 5 others like this.
  6. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    To be honest, I have really long thought about whether I should write something here...or may at all...
    If I now bow my head in sincere gratitude, it is because I am aware of the service the deceased rendered to me and to my country...even if he certainly - and quite rightly - had other motives
    But: Honor to whom honor is due!
     
    bexley84, CL1, Wobbler and 18 others like this.
  7. Bodston

    Bodston Little Willy

    I’m very sorry to hear the sad news. Ron was a true gentleman, rare enough these days. He will be missed.
     
    bexley84, CL1, TTH and 3 others like this.
  8. mgvc

    mgvc Junior Member

    Thank you for this. I took Ron and his dear late wife to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery at Durnbach in Sud Bayern in 2017. We went to see the grave of my father, Jack Goldstein, Ron's brother, who was shot down and killed in action on 16 March 1945 over Nuremberg (apologies for English spellings). They were very hesitant about going because they had not wanted to set foot in Germany, still believing that most if not all German people were Jew-haters and potential Nazis, despite my trying to convince them otherwise. But such was there desire to see Jack's last resting place, they did come with me, and by the end of the trip they were really happy they had. They were surprised that all the German people they met were really nice to them! You must realise that for them this was a huge step of reconciliation. There are lessons here. You can read about the trip in 'Shalom, Jack' my father's biography, published in 2018.
     
  9. Pat Atkins

    Pat Atkins Well-Known Member

    I'm so sorry to hear this sad news about Ron; my condolences to his family. He really will be greatly missed.

    Pat
     
    bexley84, CL1, Dave55 and 2 others like this.
  10. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    mgvc,
    I can best summarise our response to this with my showing this to my not-terribly-interested-in-WW2 other half, and her having dabbed her eyes for a while afterwards.
    Even she, as a secondary participant, had picked up that Ron was one of the good guys, from his general Internet presence etc.
    None of us surprised in the slightest that he was an absolute diamond in real life too.
    Bit dusty in here, etc.

    I'll be honest; my first response to the news was 'well, that's it, we might as well pack up now the old chaps have departed', but his oft-repeated comment about never being truly gone until people stop talking about you has kept nudging my thoughts.
    It's not like he didn't do an exceptional job of securing his Internet legacy, but we'll keep doing our best to keep his & the thousands of other blokes' stories alive too.

    Thank you so much for your replies here, and I sincerely hope the family's sadness is ameliorated just a little by how much respect this little corner of the Internet had for your uncle.

    Cheers,
    ~Adam
     
    SDP, bexley84, DianeE and 23 others like this.
  11. mgvc

    mgvc Junior Member

    Thank you, Adam. If your 'other half' would like more, and have moments of tears with moments of amazement and admiration, let her read the full story in 'Shalom, Jack'....

    But I have to say that remarks like you have posted, clearly meant very sincerely, are such comfort at this time - no, more than that. They make me realise that my dear uncle Ron (Ronnie, as he was called when I was a child, and still to many in the family, much to his displeasure, I think) was a superstar, giving so much to others. His interests were vast - how many on this forum knew he was a coin-collector (and wrote at least one extensive article about the subject for newcomers); that he was a very good painter (I did not even know that until last night); that he collected rock specimens; that he was into photography in a big way, especially for family; that until recently he was still volunteering going to Italian classes (he also had some French and German); and, of course, contributed hugely to this forum....and still managed to find the time to devote so much time and love to his family.
    So, another huge thank you all from the bottom of my heart, for the wonderful tributes you have posted. Ron was committed to keeping memories alive, and recognised that they might fade as the generation that experienced them passed away. Which is why the children and grand-children of those heroic women and men are so important to keeping this forum thriving. In memory of a truly remarkable man, one who has played a role in, and given freely to, the lives of so very many of his fellow human beings, I pay tribute to you all.
     
    Wobbler, kopite, Rich Payne and 21 others like this.
  12. Capt Bill

    Capt Bill wanderin off at a tangent

    R.I.P Ron, thank you for all your chats and contributions on here. May your memory be a blessing
     
  13. Marmalade

    Marmalade New Member

    Hello everyone. This is Ron's daughter. Thank you so much for all your messages. It is a great comfort to know how much Ron was appreciated and his contributions valued. This forum was also very important to him. You may be interested to know that the date given for "last seen" was the last day he was able to use his computer before his final illness took hold.
     
  14. PaulE

    PaulE Senior Member

    Very sad news another good man gone , Rest in Peace Ron
     
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  15. Shiny 9th

    Shiny 9th Member

    Like many, I never met Ron but he was a superb human being and his values shone through all he wrote and did. His efforts to share his story and help remember his brother and his family's contribution to thwarting an evil regime were magnificent.I thought he had been quiet lately and I think he knew his time was nearly up, but his legacy is here in numerous contributions ...RIP.
     
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  16. Lindele

    Lindele formerly HA96



    Die Besten gehen zu früh.
    Hope to see you again, sometimes, somewhere. RIP Ron
    I enjoyed following you. Stefan.
     
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  17. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Well done Ron for all your dedication in placing the reality of history and life into a very interesting,readable and thoughtful format.

    Goldstein, Ronald


    Ron Goldstein was born August 16, 1923 , in London, England. His parents, looking to escape the anti-Semitism and lack of opportunity, had immigrated to England from Poland in the years before the Great War. They went on to raise a large family, and Ron was the 10th in a family of 11. Ron left school when he was 13, and went to work, first for his father and then as a messenger boy for several news agencies: he was 16 when the war began, and along with his parents and a number of his siblings Ron left London, fearing the bombing that was expected, and which would come to be known as the Blitz. The family went to the Brighton area, but soon returned to London, and it was not long after that the bombing really began. The family spent nights in their Anderson shelter, and Ron served as an air warden, waiting for his time to be called up. That time finally came, and Ron headed off to training, where his skills on the wireless were recognized. Within six months he joined an overseas draft and was in a convoy on his way to north Africa. He just missed the fighting there, but in Sicily and Italy it would prove to be a different story. In Italy in particular, Ron moved through Montecassino, where vicious combat took place; Ron was spared the worst of that though, given his signals training, which kept him and his team away from the front lines. He saw the aftermath though, helping the wounded away from the battlefield. Ron and the British army pressed into northern Italy, and then pursued the Germans into Austria, where the war ended for Ron. He went on to be in the army of occupation, supervising POW camps and then monitoring the peace in the Trieste area, meaning that he would spend four years in Italy, learning the language along the way. He returned home in 1947, soonafter meeting his future wife and settling into the rhythms of postwar life. Ron Goldstein was interviewed by Scott Masters via zoom at his home in London during the pandemic summer of 2020.




    Goldstein, Ronald – CRESTWOOD
     
  18. mgvc

    mgvc Junior Member

    Thank you for this. It means a lot to the family.
     
    JimHerriot likes this.
  19. mgvc

    mgvc Junior Member

    Die Besten leben immermals
     
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  20. mgvc

    mgvc Junior Member

    And, of course, members of this site will know where his war diaries can be accessed and how much he was compelled to share his experiences. Thank you for this, CL1. May the memories of Ron and his heroic comrades live for ever.
     

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