View source for Ron Withell

{{short description|New Zealand amateur boxer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name             = Ron Withell
| image            = 
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| caption          = 
| headercolor      = 
| textcolor        = 
<!-- Personal information -->
| full_name        = Ronald William Withell
| birth_date       = {{Birth date|1916|03|09|df=yes}}
| birth_place      = [[Mosgiel]], New Zealand
| death_date       = {{Death date and age|1998|05|14|1916|03|09|df=yes}}
| death_place      = 
| resting_place    = 
| resting_place_coordinates = 
| monuments        = 
| occupation       = Prison officer
| height           = 
| weight           = 
| spouse           = {{Marriage|[[Ethel Withell|Ethel Joyce Neame]]|1944|1956|end=d.}}<br>{{marriage|Authie May Anderson|1971}}
<!-- Sport -->
| country          = New Zealand
| sport            = [[Amateur boxing]]
| weight_class     = 
| weight_class_type = 
| rank             = 
| club             = 
| team             = 
| coach            = 
| retired          = 
| coaching         = 
<!-- Achievements and titles -->
| nationals        = Heavyweight champion (1937)<br>Light heavyweight champion (1939)
| commonwealth     = 
}}
'''Ronald William Withell''' (9 March 1916 – 14 May 1998) was a New Zealand [[amateur boxer]], who represented his country at the [[New Zealand at the 1938 British Empire Games|1938 British Empire Games]], and won two national amateur titles.

==Early life==
Born on 9 March 1916, Withell was the eldest son of William Withell and Sarah Jane Withell (née Wilkinson), who farmed at Winchmore, near [[Ashburton, New Zealand|Ashburton]].<ref name="Cenotaph">{{cite web |url=http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C130748 |title=Ronald William Withell |date= |website=Online Cenotaph |publisher=Auckland War Memorial Museum |accessdate=24 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/search?path=%2FqueryEntry.m%3Ftype%3Dbirths |title=Birth search: registration number 1916/16081 |date= |website=Births, deaths and marriages online |publisher=Department of Internal Affairs |accessdate=24 February 2018}}</ref>

Withell took up amateur boxing in 1937, and won the New Zealand heavyweight title that year in only his eighth competitive bout, having beaten [[Morrie McHugh]] in the semi-final.<ref name="Press 1942">{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19420302.2.72 | title=Ashburton boxer's success | date=2 March 1942 | work=The Press | accessdate=24 February 2018 | page=7}}</ref><ref name="Boxing NZ">{{cite web |url=http://www.boxingnz.org.nz/asset/downloadasset?id=3915c91c-eda5-4a33-9c95-9d99fd1c8759 |title=New Zealand amateur boxing champions |date= |website= |publisher=Boxing New Zealand |accessdate=24 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19370911.2.159 | title=N.Z. boxing titles: tourney on Coast | date=11 September 1937 | work=Auckland Star | accessdate=24 February 2018 | page=23}}</ref> He was then selected to represent New Zealand in the heavyweight division at the [[Boxing at the 1938 British Empire Games|1938 British Empire Games]], but his lack of experience told, and he was defeated in his opening bout when he was knocked out in the first round by South African Claude Sterley, who went on to win the silver medal.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thecgf.com/sports/results.asp?countryid=&resultid=&eventid=1681&sportid=1681&teamid=&catid=139&resultsid=1&gameid=3031&participants=0&categoryid=139&athleteid=&sortid=1 |title=Results for the 1938 British Empire Games – Boxing – Over 91kg – Men |year=2014 |website= |publisher=Commonwealth Games Federation |accessdate=24 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19380212.2.204.1 | title=Referee's remarks: poor talent at Games | date=12 February 1938 | work=Evening Post | accessdate=24 February 2018 | page=22}}</ref>

== Career ==
Withell won the national amateur light-heavyweight title in 1939, before enlisting to serve in the New Zealand forces during [[World War II]].<ref name="Cenotaph"/><ref name="Boxing NZ"/> Withell had a record of 24 amateur bouts in New Zealand, for 21 wins, on draw and two losses.<ref name="Press 1942"/> He served with the [[2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force]] (2NZEF) in Egypt, where he won the Army light-heavyweight boxing Middle East forces title, and was a member of the 2NZEF brass band at [[Maadi]] Camp, playing the euphonium.<ref name="Cenotaph"/>

Withell returned to New Zealand in early 1944, and, after the war, took up a rehabilitation farm at [[Leeston]], where he was active with the local brass band, as a boxing trainer and in the [[Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association|Returned Services' Association]] (RSA).<ref name="Cenotaph"/> After selling the farm in 1955, Withell rejoined the army, based at [[Burnham, New Zealand|Burnham Camp]], where he was a storeman and clerk.<ref name="Cenotaph"/> In 1956, he was promoted from [[Private (rank)|private]] to [[lance corporal]], and he retired from the army in 1960.<ref name="Cenotaph"/> He then lived near Weedons, training horses for [[harness racing]], and working as a prison officer for 14 years at [[Paparua Prison]].<ref name="Cenotaph"/> He served on the executive of the Paparua RSA, including as its president between 1981 and 1982, and was later the branch patron.<ref name="Cenotaph"/>

== Family life ==
He was twice married: firstly to [[Ethel Withell|Ethel Joyce Neame]] in 1944—with whom he had two children—until her death from accidental drowning in 1956; and later, from 1971, to Authie May Anderson.<ref name="Cenotaph" />

== Death ==
Withell died on 14 May 1998,<ref name="Cenotaph" /> and was buried at Ellesmere Cemetery.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rates.selwyn.govt.nz/cemeteries/plot_records/22892 |title=Plot record details |date= |website= |publisher=Selwyn District Council |accessdate=24 February 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{1938 New Zealand British Empire Games team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Withell, Ron}}
[[Category:1916 births]]
[[Category:1998 deaths]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Dunedin]]
[[Category:Boxers at the 1938 British Empire Games]]
[[Category:New Zealand male boxers]]
[[Category:New Zealand military personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:New Zealand Army soldiers]]
[[Category:New Zealand public servants]]
[[Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for New Zealand]]
[[Category:Heavyweight boxers]]
[[Category:People from Mosgiel]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Otago]]
[[Category:20th-century New Zealand sportsmen]]