Ronald Martin TRUDINGER

TRUDINGER, (RONALD) MARTIN (b. Menston, England, 25 Sept 1883; d. Adelaide, SA, 1 Sept 1955). Missionary and Presbyterian minister.

Martin's parents were Moravians who migrated to England to escape religious persecution and finally settled in SA. Martin's mother prayed for children who would become missionaries and Martin was one of eight children out of a family of thirteen who went to the mission field. Martin was educated at Way College, and later at the Adelaide University (BA 1943). Before going to the mission field he had twelve years' experience in commerce. In 1913 he travelled to Africa with his brother, Dr Ronald Trudinger (q.v.) as Australian pioneer missionaries with the SUM in the Sudan. He was appointed as field secretary and served for seven years until ill health forced him to return to Australia. After recovering from his illness, he married Vera Foster in January 1921. After being ordained in the Presbyterian ministry he was accepted by the Australian Presbyterian Mission and he and his wife both served as missionaries in Korea for 19 years, where their two daughters were born. Returning to SA in 1941 he took up parish work in the Presbyterian Church at Penola, in the South-East of SA in 1942. He retired in 1950, returning to Adelaide to look after his invalided wife.

R Becker, Geschichte der Familie Schammer (Herrnhut, 1922); P J Spartalis, To the Nile and Beyond (ANZEA Publishers, 1981)

C D TRUDINGER