2nd Rifle Brigade, date of enlistment clues

[wanderingqa]

I know there are some experts on this board re. Rifle Brigade and hopefully you will point me in the right direction. My Great Uncle, William Ridgewell was killed in the Ypres Salient in 1917. "Soldiers Died" have the date as 18/9/1917 whereas CWGC records have it as 16/08/1917. I'm inclined to go with the latter as it fits in with the Battle of Langemark. Is there any way to verify this, and also when he might have enlisted? His service no. was 5/439 and he enlisted on the Isle of Sheppey (even though he lived in Essex!). His MIC is very bare with just the number of the roll - M102 b/5. p.781. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial. I'd be grateful for some pointers.

Many thanks

Elaine

[sotonmate]

Elaine

Tyne Cot has a lot of names ! If you want a further pointer (but by no means a certain pointer) to his date of death check on other entries for 2 RB on the CWGC Register for that Memorial. I would think that it would clarify whether it was one date or the other,unless by fate there were two groups of casualties on 16 Aug and 18 Sep 1917 !

Sotonmate

PS No service records for him in Ancestry UK.Checked for Pension record too,none there either.

[wanderingqa]

Thanks, that's a good idea. I've checked Ancestry, too. I consider anyone who can find some relevant records there extremely lucky & fortuitous!

regards

Elaine