In 1883, Ronald Murray McPhillamy was born into a pioneering family around Albury, his father being John Sydney McPhillamy, a grazier, and mother Annie Mary Josephine Serong. In 1914 Ronald married Doris Claudia Gilroy in Victoria and was likely to be living in the country as when he enlisted aged 34 years on 16 July, 1917 his occupation was listed as a grazier. At that stage he and his wife also had an address at "Rosebank" Clarendon Street.

Ronald spent his first year of his service working as a hospital orderly with the No. 5 Australian General Hospital at Broadmeadows and Macleod. On 6 August 1918 he embarked for London on the SS Gaika to join AMC General Reinforcements in the UK. On board he was hospitalised twice for tonsillitis and influenza. In London he first joined the AMC Training Depot for two weeks, then the No. 2 Convalescent Depot before returning to the AMC Training Depot at Weymouth. In August 1919 he returned to Australia on the "Leicestershire". His service records note that he was a Remedial Gymnastic Instructor at this time and was promoted to VO SGT. There are no further details about his activities at this time.

On return to Australia, the Sands & Mc Dougal Directory for Sydney & NSW indicates that Ronald was a grazier at Cookardnia, NSW from 1921 until 1926. He came to live in Stevenson Street, Kew, Victoria by 1924, had retired and was elected as a Councillor to the City of Kew in 1935 where he remained until 1948. In 1971, he passed away in Kew and is buried at the Kew Cemetery.