Part 162

=RIDDELL, JAMES FOSTER=, Brigadier-Gen., Commanding Northumberland Infantry Brigade, late 5th Northumberland Fusiliers, only _s._ of the late John Riddell [5th in descent from the Rev. Archibald Riddell, 3rd _s._ of Sir Walter Riddell, 2nd Bart. of Riddell, co. Roxburgh], by his first wife, Jane, dau. of William Peppercorn; _b._ 17 Oct. 1861; educ. Wellington and Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 1 July, 1881, Capt. 18 Nov. 1889, Major 10 Jan. 1900, Lieut.-Col. 15 Aug. 1904, Col. 15 Aug. 1907, substantive Col. 10 Feb. 1909, Brigadier commanding Northumberland Infantry Brigade, 3 July, 1911, and Brigadier-Gen. 5 Aug. 1914; served in the Hazara Campaign of 1888 (mentioned in despatches, medal with clasp); in the South African War, 1899–1900 and 1902, including the operations in Cape Colony, south of the Orange River, 1899–1900, and in the Orange Free State Jan. to May, 1902 (Queen’s medal with three clasps), and with the Expeditionary Force in France, 21–26 April, 1915. During the South African War he raised the 3rd Battn. Northumberland Fusiliers (which he afterwards commanded), and on the battn. being disbanded after the war, was given the command of the 2nd Battn. with whom he finished his term of command in the regt. having served with it for about 30 years. His next command was in 1911 when he was made Brigade Commander of the Northumberland Infantry Brigade. On the outbreak of war in 1914 he was one of the first colonels to be gazetted Brigadier-General. Throughout the winter of 1914–15, Gen. Riddell guarded the important part of the north-east coast behind which lay the vast military resources of Newcastle-on-Tyne, and he further prepared his Brigade for service abroad. On the night of 20–21 April he crossed with his Brigade to France, and on 26 April--not a week later--was killed in the Second Battle of Ypres. It had been intended, as are, of course, all large units at first to quarter the Northumberland Brigade at a base in France. Billets were actually taken, but on the 22nd the Germans delivered their first gas attack and the Brigade was rushed up in all haste to help to fill the great gap torn in our line. By Sunday, after a forced night march without food or rest, except the men’s emergency rations, the Brigade was in touch with the enemy. All that day and the night before, Gen. Riddell was moving about among his men where the fire was hottest, inspiring the men with his extraordinary cheerfulness and absolute coolness. Men and officers alike speak of his example of absolute fearlessness. Next day, April 26, orders were received at Brigade Headquarters that the Brigade was to attack and retake at all costs the village of St. Julien--a frontal attack over open ground swept by fire of all kinds. At about three o’clock, Gen. Riddell decided he must go forward into the firing line. His Brigade Major did all that he could to stop him, as in that officer’s words, “There was a very murderous fire going on over the ground he had to cross. But he was much too brave a man to be deterred by anything I said.” He reached his men, and wearing the marks of his rank exposed to every sniper, he stepped out before them, a stick in his hand. An eyewitness wrote: “It was only a question of time.” The bullet entered the cap close to the fatally conspicuous gilt flap, and Gen. Riddell fell, killed apparently instantaneously. Field-Marshal Sir John French afterwards addressed the Brigade (depleted within a week from leaving England of more than half its officers and men), and speaking of Gen. Riddell, said: “He fell at the head of his Brigade while leading you to attack the village of St. Julien. I deeply deplore the loss of one of the most gallant officers that ever lived and one of the best leaders.” He _m._ at St. Mary Abbotts, Kensington, 17 April, 1912, Margaret Christabel (Lesbury House, Lesbury, R.S.O., Northumberland), dau. of the late Sir Henry Hall Scott, well known in Northumberland and of Eilanreach, co. Inverness. An old brother officer, who had known Gen. Riddell all his life wrote in the “Regimental Gazette”: “Throughout his life he was a master soldier, no finer company officer ever lived or one who understood his men better ... no truer hearted or more loyal comrade ever breathed. Always a fine horseman and a very bold one, he was well known in the Cattistock country and in all the hunting fields of the Northumberland he knew and loved so well.”

=RIDDLE, ERNEST ALFRED=, Leading Stoker (R.F.R., Ch. B. 9548), 296897, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=RIDDLE, FRANCIS EDMUND LANGTON=, 2nd Lieut., 2nd Battn. Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire L.I., 2nd surviving _s._ of the Rev. Arthur Esmond Riddle, Rector of Tadmarton, Banbury, by his wife, Edith May, dau. of Major-Gen. James Don Kennedy, I.A. (ret.); _b._ Tadmarton Rectory, Banbury, co. Oxon, 10 June, 1893; educ. Bloxham; gazetted 2nd Lieut. Special Reserve of Officers Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire L.I., 1 Oct. 1913; received a commission in the 2nd Battn. 1 Sept. 1914; was assistant recruiting officer at Cowley Barracks, Oxford, for two months, doing useful work during that period; went to France, 25 Nov.; was continuously in and out of the trenches (save for a brief leave, 20–28 March) during the winter of 1914–15, and was killed in action at Richebourg l’Avoué during the Battle of Festubert, 16 May, 1915; _unm._ Buried near breastworks N. of the Rue du Bois. His former commanding officer wrote: “He gave his life--fighting gallantly--for his King and Country, and helping to add to the reputation of the regt. with all his might. They, for their part, have lost a brave, cheery gentleman, and one who, from my experience when he was under my command, found no duty too much for him, and whose one idea was to help”; and a brother subaltern: “He will be missed by his company and men more than I can say, who always relied on him and looked up to him in any emergency. The regt. will miss him as an extremely brave officer, and still more as a friend that was always willing to help.” While at school he was successful athlete, winning the Sports Championship both in 1910 and 1911.

=RIDER, JOB ARTHUR=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 7963), 292920, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=RIDGEWAY, LEONARD PERCY=, Corpl., No. 14404, 1st Battn. The Bedfordshire Regt., 4th _s._ of William Ridgeway, of 83, Queen’s Road, Watford, Grocer, by his wife, Millicent, dau. of J. Davis, of Watford; _b._ Watford, co. Hertford, 9 Aug. 1893; educ. Victoria Council Schools there; was a Butcher by trade; enlisted in the Bedfordshires after the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914; trained at Dovercourt; went to France in March, 1915, and was killed in action at Hill 60, during the Second Battle of Ypres, 18 April, 1915; _unm._ Buried at Ypres. His brother, Rifleman R. S. Ridgeway, was killed in action 27 Feb. 1915 (see following notice).

=RIDGEWAY, RALPH STANLEY=, Rifleman, No. 2879, 9th Battn. (Queen Victoria’s Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), yst. _s._ of William Ridgeway, of 83, Queen’s Road, Watford, Grocer; by his wife, Millicent, dau. of J. Davis, of Watford; _b._ Watford, co. Hertford, 26 Feb. 1895; educ. Watford Grammar School; was a Clerk in the Accountant’s Office, Euston Station; joined Queen Victoria’s Rifles on the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914; trained at Crowborough, Sussex; went to France end of Oct. 1914, and was killed in action near Wulverghem, 27 Feb. 1915; _unm._ Buried in Wulverghem Churchyard. His brother, Corpl. L. P. Ridgeway, was killed in action at Hill 60, 18 April, 1915 (see preceding notice).

=RIDGLEY, THOMAS ANGUS=, Driver, No. 4/232A, No. 1 Coy., Royal Field Engineers, New Zealand Expeditionary Force, only _s._ of the late Thomas Ridgley, of Townsville, Queensland, M.B.C.M. (Edinburgh, 1881), by his wife, Phœbe (13, Warrender Park Crescent, Edinburgh), dau. of Angus Gregorson, of Oban, Argyleshire, Banker; _b._ Townsville aforesaid, 23 March, 1884; educ. George Watson’s College, Edinburgh; went to the Argentine in Aug. 1906, and at the time war was declared in Aug. 1914, was managing an estancia in Entre Rios; returned to England at the end of Oct., and joined the New Zealanders; went with them to Egypt; proceeded to the Dardanelles, 25 April, 1915, and died 26 May following, of wounds received in action there; _unm._ Buried there. His Capt. wrote: “I feel I cannot pass over the death of Driver Ridgley without telling you how much we all appreciated him as a member of our company, and how keenly we feel the loss his death has caused us. He was one of our best. Though a driver he came ashore to do sapper’s work. Horses being of no use here, drivers were temporarily not required, and he wanted to be of use.”

=RIDGWAY, ISAAC ALTHORP=, M.Sc., A.M.I.C.E., Lieut., 6th Battn. Australian Imperial Force, yst. _s._ of Thomas Joseph Ridgway, of Wildersmoor, Lymm, Cheshire, J.P., Registrar of Warrington County Court, by his wife, Emily, dau. of Robert Dawbarn; _b._ Lymm, 24 Aug. 1886; educ. Mostyn House School, Parkgate, Brighton College, and Victoria University; was articled as a pupil to Mr. Anthony G. Lyster, Engineer-in-Chief of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board in 1907, and in 1913 was appointed Government Engineer for Queensland in the Federal Lighthouse Service. When the European War broke out in Aug. 1914 he was in the extreme north of Queensland, and with great difficulty obtained permission to volunteer for Imperial service with the Commonwealth Imperial Force. He was given a commission in the 6th Battn. in Dec.; left for Egypt, Jan.; went to the Dardanelles, April, 1915, and died at sea 12 May following, from wounds received in action during the advance on Krithia on the 8th; _unm._ Letters from the Gen., and many officers, speak of his great courage and wonderful bravery, and of his power with the men, and state how greatly his death was deplored by one and all. He became M.Sc. in 1910, and A.M.I.C.E. in 1911, and was a member of several Engineering and Geological Societies both at home and abroad.

=RIGBY, ERNEST=, Corpl., No. 28519. R.E. Motor Cyclists, 3rd Signal Coy., attd. 15th Hussars, yr. _s._ of John Rigby, of Greenheys, Aigburth, Liverpool, Cotton Broker, by his late wife, Janie, dau. of the late I. Powell, of Liverpool; _b._ 17 Nov. 1888; educ. Liverpool College High School; was established in business in London as a Merchant; but volunteered his services as a motor scout and express rider, 5 Aug., the day following the declaration of war; went to France early in Sept.; proceeded to the firing line, 15 Oct., attd. to the A Squadron, 15th Hussars, and was killed in action at Veldoek, near Ypres, 12 Nov. following, being shot through the heart; _unm._ Buried there in the garden of a ruined chateau. He wrote only three days before that his commanding officer had offered him a commission. The Sergt.-Major of A Squadron, 15th Hussars, who first announced his death wrote offering the sympathy of the officers, non-commissioned officers, and men, and added: “He had won the esteem of us all by his pluck, unassuming manner, and the happy knack he had of overcoming every hardship with a smile, and he died as he had lived through the campaign, bravely, for whenever or whatever danger threatened he was always a volunteer, and had done splendid work as a cyclist on many an occasion.”

=RIGG, JOHN=, Private, No. 12821, 2nd Battn. Coldstream Guards, eldest _s._ of George Rigg, of Milford Lodge, Cloghans Hill, Tuam, and Race Park, Headford, co. Galway, Clog Block Manufacturer, by his wife, Martha Ann, dau. of Richard Blackburn; _b._ Outgate, Hawkeshead, co. Lancaster, 25 July, 1887; educ. Hawkeshead School and privately; was a Clog Block maker; enlisted 18 Sept. 1914; went to the Front, 7 April, 1915; was mortally wounded at Cambrin, 11 July, 1915, by a shell while on sentry duty, and died in No. 3 British Military Hospital, Le Treport, France, 9 Aug. following; _unm._ He was buried in the British Military Cemetery, Le Treport. Capt. Byng Hopwood wrote to a friend: “I went on to the second battn. yesterday and inquired about Private John Rigg. He was in the trenches with his company at Cambrin and was on sentry, when a German shell exploded in the trench, killing two of his comrades and seriously wounding him. I know those trenches well, and in some places you are only 15 yards from the Germans. Rigg was popular with his comrades and always did his duty willingly and well. I wish there were more like him.”

=RIGGALL, EDWARD GORDON=, Flight Lieut. Royal Naval Air Service, 2nd _s._ of Frederick William Riggall, J.P., Mayor of Grimsby (1895–6), Partner in the firm of Dickinson, Riggall & Davy, Louth, Grimsby & Brigg, Auctioneers; _b._ Grimsby, 21 Aug. 1895; educ. Humberstone Foundation School, Old Clee (1904–12); and on leaving there was apprenticed to an Aeronautical Engineer and Aeroplane Manufacturer. He obtained his pilot’s certificate from the Royal Aero Club, and after the outbreak of war was gazetted Sub-Lieut, R.N.A.S., 18 Aug. 1914, and promoted Lieut. (for good work), 1 Jan. 1915. He flew over the English Channel from Dover to Calais on an aero biplane, 11 Feb. following; was commended for a daring reconnaissance over the Belgian littoral, made during a great storm in Jan., and for a flight over Zeebrugge on 12 Feb., when bombs were dropped which damaged the German Submarine works and power house, and took part in the great raid by the combined French and British Air Fleet of 48 aeroplanes on Ostend and district, 16 Feb. From this he did not return, and after exhaustive enquiries the Admiralty reported that he had been shot down and killed while returning from this exploit. He was captain of his school, and had passed the senior Cambridge Local Examination with honours and with matriculation exemption.

=RILEY, CHARLES LEONARD=, A.B., 223545, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=RILOT, JOSEPH CHARLES=, Private, No. 1619, 3rd Battn. 1st Infantry Brigade, Australian Imperial Force, _s._ of Frank Hammond Rilot, of 29 Haldon Road, Exeter, by his wife, Ellen, dau. of Charles Lee; _b._ Harrow, co. Middlesex, 17 Aug. 1891; educ. Tottenham High School, and after seven years’ experience of farming in different parts of Devonshire, went to Australia in 1912 with a view to settling there. He had acquired some knowledge of Australian farming at Laxa, Waaia and elsewhere in Victoria when war broke out. He enlisted at Sydney, 15 Dec. 1914; left Australia for Egypt Feb. 1915, took part in the landing at the Dardanelles in April, 1915, and after four months continuously in the trenches there was killed in action at Lone Pine, between the 6–12 Aug. 1915; _unm._

=RINTOUL, DAVID WYLIE=, M.B., Ch. B., Lieut., R.A.M.C., attd. 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards, elder _s._ of David Rintoul, of 26, College Road, Clifton, Bristol, M.A. (St. Andrews and Cantab.), House Master of Clifton College, by his wife, Catharine Barclay, dau. of W. W. Yool, J.P.; _b._ Clifton, 23 May, 1889; educ. Clifton College, and St. Andrews University, where he graduated as M.B. and Ch.B., in June, 1912; was House Physician at Bristol General Hospital from Nov. 1912, to Nov. 1913, after holding a temporary appointment at the Royal Infirmary, Dundee; and subsequently Medical Officer, Claybury Asylum; received a Lieutenancy in the South Midland Field Ambulance (T.F.), 1 June, 1913; and was gazetted to the R.A.M.C., 30 Jan. 1914; joined the 5th Field Ambulance, 2nd Division, on mobilisation, 4 Aug. 1914; was transferred as Medical Officer to the 2nd Battn. Coldstream Guards, and later to the 3rd Battn.; went to France, 18 Aug. 1914, and was killed in action near St. Julien, during the first Battle of Ypres, 21 Oct. following; _unm._ The commanding officer of the Battn. wrote; “He was brave and fearless, and most gallant. He had no idea what fear was--his one idea being to assist the wounded.”

=RIORDAN, JOHN=, A. B. (R.F.R., Ch. A. 1465), 134738, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=RIPLEY, CHARLES ROGER=, 2nd Lieut., 2nd Battn. York and Lancaster Regt., 3rd _s._ of the late Sir Frederick Ripley, 1st Bart., of Acacia, by his wife, Katherine (63, Earl’s Avenue, Folkestone), dau. of David Little, of Mount Royal, co. York, and grandson of the late Sir Henry William Ripley, 1st Bart., of Rawdon, M.P.; _b._ Scarborough, 13 Nov. 1888; educ. Scarborough School, and Cheltenham College; obtained a commission as Lieut. 3rd (Special Reserve) Battn. of the York and Lancaster Regt., 13 June, 1913; posted to the 2nd Battn., 5 Aug. 1914; went to France, 8 Sept. 1914, and was killed in action in the trenches near Lille, 22 Oct. following, in a night attack; _unm._ He was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 20 Nov. 1914 [London Gazette, 17 Feb. 1915], for gallant and distinguished service in the field.

=RIPPER, ALLAN GILBERT=, L.-Corpl., No. 2159, 1/5th Battn. King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regt. (T.F.), eldest _s._ of Charles Ripper, A.R.C.A. (Loud.), Head Master Municipal School of Art, Lancaster, by his wife, Eveline Matilda, dau. of the late Herbert (and Maria Jane) Gilbert, and nephew of Professor William Ripper, D.Eng., D.Sc., M.Inst.C.E., and Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science; _b._ Quernmore, Lancaster, 26 April, 1895; educ. Royal Grammar School there (Scholar) and Sheffield University (Storey Exhibitioner), where he had been for 12 months when war broke out. He at once left the University and joined the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regt. (T.F.) in Sept. 1914; went to France, Feb. 1915, was promoted L.-Corpl in April, and was killed in action near Verlorenhoek, 8 May, 1915, while attempting to remove a wounded comrade to a place of safety. Buried on the battlefield. Major Bates, 2nd in command of the regt., at a Public Recruiting meeting at Lancaster, said “There was no man braver than any other, all were equally brave, but he would like to mention one gallant little chap from the Lancaster Grammar School, L.-Corpl. Ripper, a cheery fellow, always smiling and the pluckiest lad he had ever met. He went up to his mate to try to succour him, but in so doing he also ‘went West.’ He had not left his country poorer but richer.” In 1911, he won the “Grey” Gold Medal for chemistry, and in July of the following year obtained his matriculation certificate, passing the Oxford and Cambridge Higher Certificate Examination in 1913.

=RIPPER, THOMAS WILLIAM=, Stoker, 1st Class, S.S. 169635, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

=RIPPON, WILLIAM ROBERT=, Gunner, R.M.A., 12206, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=RISHTON, GEORGE=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 4400), S.S. 103387, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=RISK, ROBERT=, Private, No. 8/278, 14th South Otago Coy., Otago Infantry Battn., New Zealand Expeditionary Force, _s._ of David Risk, of Kelso, Farmer; _b._ Kelso, Otago, New Zealand, 25 Sept. 1893; educ. Public School there, and Tapanui High School; joined the 14th Otago Territorials in 1912; volunteered for Imperial service on the outbreak of the European War in Aug. 1914; left for Egypt, 16 Oct. following; took part in the landing at the Dardanelles, 25 April, 1915, and was killed in action there, 2 May following; _unm._ Buried there. Two of his brothers are now (1916) on active service. He was interested in all sport, and was a member of the Kelso Football and Athletic Clubs.

=RIXON, FREDERICK ERNEST=, A.B., J. 14975, H.M.S. Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914.

=RIXTON, GEORGE=, Petty Officer, 187637, Chatham, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=ROBATHAN, DOUGLAS PARKER=, Capt., 1/5th Battn. The Welsh Regt. (T.F.), 5th _s._ of the late George Beckett Robathan, of The Gove, Risca, Monmouth, M.R.C.S., Eng., by his wife, Frances Elizabeth (Ovid House, Radyr), dau. of the late John Paull, of Brockley, Somerset; _b._ Risca, 28 Jan. 1888; educ. Llandaff Cathedral School and Cranbrook School, Kent; was a Mining Engineer at “Insoles” Colliery; joined the Monmouth Volunteers as a 2nd Lieut, in Jan. 1908; transferred to the 5th Welsh Territorials, April, 1908; passed the School of Instruction and obtained his certificate as a Musketry Instructor, 1909; became Lieut. 7 April, 1909, and Capt. 1 July, 1914; volunteered for foreign service after the outbreak of war; left England with the 53rd Welsh Division, 18 July, 1915, for the Dardanelles; took part in the landing at Suvla Bay, 9 Aug., and was killed in action there the following day. His Col. wrote of him as “devoted to his duty and always to be relied on,” and a brother officer said that when wounded “lying on the ground he still cheered his men on--‘Stick it, Welsh,’ he shouted, and kept on shouting until another bullet came along and got him in the lung. He died the best death any man could die, and as game as possible. His lot did wonderfully well and fought like ‘good ’uns,’ and it was a hot shop they were in.” A private also wrote: “He led his men into one of the fiercest fights that has ever been fought on Gallipoli Peninsula. He was loved by his men and admired by all. He fought as gallantly as any as long as he was able to lead, and I am expressing the thoughts of all the Battn. when I say it has lost one of its best soldiers.”

=ROBBINS, WILLIAM=, Private, R.M.L.I. (R.F.R.), Ch. 9916, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; _m._

=ROBERTS, BERTRAM=, Private, No. 2802, 1/15th Battn. (Prince of Wales’s Own Civil Service Rifles), The London Regt. (T.F.), eldest _s._ of the late Robert Roberts, Stationmaster at Coedpoeth, near Wrexham, G.W.R., by his wife, Mary Jane (43, Talbot Road, Wrexham), dau. of the late Edward Jones, of Glanravon, Wrexham, Farmer; _b._ Southsea, near Wrexham, co. Denbigh, 25 June, 1890; educ. Victoria Council School and Grove Park Secondary School there; entered the Civil Service in 1907; joined the Civil Service Rifles following the outbreak of war, 1 Sept. 1914; went to France, 17 March, 1915; and was killed in action at Festubert, 30 May following; _unm._ Buried near Festubert. His platoon sergt. wrote: “We feel we have lost in him a comrade who could ill be spared; his absolute indifference to danger did much to inspire confidence in those around him. He was killed by a shell that fell right in the trench and death was instantaneous.”

=ROBERTS, CECIL HARRY=, Acting Stoker, Petty Officer, K. 3377, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=ROBERTS, CLIFFORD EDWARD=, E.R.A., 3rd Class, 271333, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.