Ronald Brittain

{{Short description|British actor (1899–1981)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} thumb|Regimental Sergeant Major, R. Brittain'''Ronald Brittain''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE|MSM}} (2 September 1899 – 9 January 1981) was a regimental sergeant major (RSM) in the British Army. Reported on widely in the newspapers of the day, he featured in several British military training films during the Second World War. He was said to have possibly the loudest voice in the British Army.<ref>[http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/features.cfm?id=205292002 ''My life of top hat and tales'' – Edinburgh Evening News – Friday 22, 2002]</ref>

On retiring from the army in the 1950s, Brittain's fame enabled him to enjoy a career in advertising, voice-over work and acting, playing characters that resembled an archetypal Sergeant Major.<ref>[http://www.hants.gov.uk/museum/aldershot/nat_service/ns03.html Aldershot military museum, National service in Aldershot]</ref>

==Early life== Brittain was born in Gordon Terrace, Aigburth Vale, Liverpool, the son of a gardener. After leaving school, he worked in a local butcher's shop until 1917, when he enlisted in the King's (Liverpool) Regiment during the First World War.

==Military service== Brittain transferred into the South Wales Borderers, where his imposing height of six feet three inches soon saw him promoted. Eventually Brittain transferred to the Coldstream Guards.

He was attached to the training staff at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, where he became well known for his parade ground bellow. Known to the cadets as "The Voice", he was credited as the originator of that phrase so beloved of sergeant majors: "You 'orrible little man!". It was said he could reduce gentleman cadets — many of them foreign princes and titled sons of the aristocracy — to trembling wrecks.

In his later years, he was assigned the position of Regimental Sergeant Major of the Guards Depot. He also served at Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, where it was estimated that around 40,000 officer cadets passed through his parade ground.

==Retirement== In 1954 Brittain retired from the army after 37 years' service (20 years as an RSM); he was well above the normal retirement age for service personnel. After a spell as a salesman for an outsized clothing outfitters, he acted in films and plays. He also lent his legendary voice to a number of radio and television advertisements. In 1959 his voice was featured on a record, "Regimental Rock" released on the Saga label. Still an imposing figure in old age, Brittain was a popular presence at public functions and a member of the Society of Toastmasters.

==Death== Brittain died at Chester in 1981, aged 81.

==Award and decorations== {| |Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) || 50px |- |Defence Medal 1939-1945 || 50px |- |War Medal 1939-1945 || 50px |- |King George V Silver Jubilee Medal 1935 || 50px |- |King George VI Coronation Medal 1937 || 50px |- |Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal 1953 || 50px |- |Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal with clasp||50px |- |Meritorious Service Medal|| 50px |} Complete as at 1953.<ref name=pathenews>[http://www.britishpathe.com/video/the-armys-voice-no-1] As depicted worn in 1953 British Pathe news clip.</ref>

==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" ! Film or Series !! Role !! Notes |- |''They Were Not Divided'' (1950) ||Regimental Sergeant Major || |- |''You Lucky People!'' (1955) ||Appearing as himself|| |- |''Carrington V.C.'' (1955)||Sergeant Major ||Uncredited |- |''Alfred Marks Time'' (1956)||Performer ||BBC TV Series |- |''The Criminal'' (1960)||Kitchen warder || |- |''The Missing Note'' (1961)||Commissionaire||Uncredited |- |''The Inspector''||MP Sergeant|| |- |''The Amorous Prawn'' (1962)||Sergeant Major|| |- |''55 Days at Peking'' (1963)||Sergeant Major||Uncredited |- |''The Spy with a Cold Nose'' (1966)||Commissionaire || |- |''Casino Royale'' (1967)||Sergeant Major|| Uncredited, (final film role) |}

==Discography== Pass in Review -A brilliant program of marches of the British Armed Forces that pass in review on the mall with actual sounds of Big Ben, the Cavalry and commands by Regimental Sgt. Major Ronald Brittain, M.B.E. (Somerset)

The Saga Satellites with RSM Brittain - Regimental Rock (Saga Records, 1959)

==Notes== ;Citations {{reflist|30em}} ;Bibliography {{cite book | last =Leasor | first =James. | title =The Serjeant-major; a biography of R.S.M. Ronald Brittain, M.B.E., Coldstream Guards| publisher =Harrap| year =1955 | location =London | url =https://www.jamesleasor.com/non-fiction/the-sergeant-major/| oclc=2154501 }}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|0110094}} *[http://www.britishpathe.com/video/the-armys-voice-no-1 The Army's Voice No 1], a news report from British Pathé in 1953 *[http://search.empics.co.uk/urn/1254289.html Picture of R.S.M. Brittain in action] *[http://www.shinycapstar.com/RSM%20Brittain%201938.jpg Poster of R.S.M. Brittain from shinycapstar.com - Coldstream guards website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brittain, Ronald}} Category:1899 births Category:1981 deaths Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire Category:People from Aigburth Category:Academics of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst Category:English male film actors Category:English male voice actors Category:Male actors from Liverpool Category:20th-century English male actors Category:Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom) Category:Military personnel from Liverpool Category:British Army personnel of World War I Category:Coldstream Guards soldiers Category:South Wales Borderers soldiers Category:King's Regiment (Liverpool) soldiers Category:British Army personnel of World War II