Ronald Bunting facts for kids
Major Ronald Terence Bunting (1924–1984) was a British Army officer. He was also a political figure in Northern Ireland who supported unionism, meaning he wanted Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom.
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Major Bunting's Army Days
Ronald Bunting began his army career in May 1946. He joined the Army Cadet Force in Armagh and Down. In 1950, he moved to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as a lieutenant. He was promoted to captain in 1952.
Bunting retired from the army in 1960 with the honorary rank of major. After leaving the military, he worked as a mathematics lecturer. He taught at the Belfast College of Technology.
Getting Involved in Politics
Bunting first became involved in politics by helping Gerry Fitt with his election campaign. Fitt was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Republican Labour Party. However, Bunting later stopped working with Fitt.
He then became a close supporter of Ian Paisley, another important political figure. Bunting played a big role in Paisley's campaigns. These campaigns were against the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association. This group was working for equal rights for all people in Northern Ireland.
In 1969, Bunting tried to become an MP himself. He ran for the Protestant Unionist Party in the Northern Ireland general election. He stood in the Belfast Victoria area but was not elected.
Leading the Loyal Citizens of Ulster
Ronald Bunting created his own group called the Loyal Citizens of Ulster (LCU). This group was active between 1968 and 1969. It was a Ulster loyalist group, meaning its members strongly supported Northern Ireland remaining part of the UK. The LCU was very similar to another group called the Ulster Protestant Volunteers in East Belfast.
As the leader of the LCU, Bunting led protests against many civil rights marches. One of the most well-known protests was in 1969. This was against a civil rights march organized by People's Democracy. The march went from Belfast to Derry. There was a serious clash at a place called Burntollet.
In 1969, Bunting and Ian Paisley were sentenced to three months in prison. This was for their part in the disturbances that happened.
Family and Later Life
Ronald Bunting had a son named Ronnie. His son later became a member of the Official Irish Republican Army and the Irish National Liberation Army. Sadly, Ronnie Bunting was shot and killed in 1980 by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA).
After his son's death, Major Bunting stopped being involved in politics. He later said in an official investigation that he believed his son was killed because he believed in social justice.
