Ronald Frederick King "David" Belchem CB CBE DSO (21 January 1911 – 19 July 1981) was a senior British Army officer who saw service in the Second World War.

Between these appointments, he served as chief of staff to Field Marshal Lord Montgomery in his role as chairman of the Committee for Western Union Defence Organisation.

Each cadet could choose an optional subject to study, and he chose mechanical science, as he set his sights on joining the Royal Tank Regiment (RTR).

He considered that tanks would become more important in the future, and the likely consequent expansion of the RTR would offer good prospects for advancement in a post-war army in which promotion was slow.

The RTR was a popular choice, and it required officers to be one of the top ten graduates, and to have an allowance from their family of £150 (equivalent to £12,000 in 2023) per annum.

He came first in the passing out examination, for which he was awarded the Anson Memorial Sword, and he received the King's Medal for the cadet best qualified in military subjects.

[8] After a short period of leave, Belchem boarded the troopship RMS Cameronia in Southampton to join the 6th Royal Tank Regiment, which was based in Cairo in Egypt.

On 9 May 1936, his squadron, consisting of fourteen Vickers Mark III light tanks, was sent to Mandatory Palestine due to the outbreak of the Arab revolt.

[11][12] The main work of the 6th Royal Tank Regiment at this time was instructing cavalry units that were converting to armour, with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

Belchem took the written section of the promotion examination by correspondence through the Metropolitan Services College in St Albans, earning a distinction.

[13] Belchem proceeded to the UK on leave, but the impending outbreak of the Second World War, which occurred on 3 September 1939, caused his orders to be changed, and he immediately returned to Palestine.

He received orders to join the 1st Royal Tank Regiment, but before they could take effect he was assigned instead to the headquarters of the newly formed Eighth Army.

[22] For his service in the Western Desert campaign between November 1941 and March 1942, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, the Eighth Army commander, Lieutenant-General Neil Ritchie, noting on the citation that Belchem's work was "outstanding",[23][24] and he was mentioned in despatches a third time for the subsequent operations in the Western Desert.

[25] In December Belchem experienced stomach pains, which the medical officer diagnosed as appendicitis, and he was flown to the 15th (Scottish) General Hospital in Cairo.

This involved dropping down a rank to major, but was in line with a policy laid down by the Eighth Army's commander, General Sir Bernard Montgomery, that a staff officer would not be promoted without first serving for a time with an operational unit.

Belchem led the 1st Royal Tank Regiment in the Tunisian campaign, and was recommended for an immediate award of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).

The regiment was instrumental in cutting off a column of enemy MET [transport] in the area SI MOHAMED EN NOUIERS Z.2293 and inflicting considerable casualties on them in personnel and vehicles.

Some 30 lorries and half tracked vehicles and one Mk III tank, besides guns and much equipment were found on the battlefield next day.

The country on 9 April was very difficult owing to continuous olive groves in the line of the advance; and had it not been for the drive and tactical ability of L[ieutenan]t. Col[onel].

Altogether the "bag" of this Regiment between the Wadi AKARIT and SFAX was 5 or 6 tanks, 16 guns, 11 half tracks, 45 wheeled vehicles, 749 PWs and many enemy dead.

The greatest credit for this profitable operation must go to the commanding officer, whose skilful handling of his Regiment in difficult circumstances was largely responsible for its success.

[33][34] Montgomery handed over command of the Eighth Army to Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver Leese on 31 December 1943, taking a select group of seven officers, including de Guingand, to the UK with him.

Belchem remained at Eighth Army HQ to assist Leese with the transition, but not for long; on 8 January 1944 he received orders to join the others.

Montgomery gave him 24-hours leave before assuming the interim role of BGS (Special Plans) at 21st Army Group HQ.

[39] After the war ended, he was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath,[40] and mentioned in despatches twice more for his role in the Western Allied invasion of Germany.

[46][47] Montgomery returned to the UK in June 1946, but before leaving he arranged for Belchem to attend the Imperial Defence College from January to December 1947.

In January 1948 Belchem assumed command of the 6th (Highland) Infantry Brigade, which was stationed at Mülheim in Germany as part of the BAOR.