Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Book, 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." [Illustration: =James Foster Riddell.=] =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. [Illustration: =Francis Edmund L. Riddle.=] =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 Lond |