Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Sub-Lieutenant Edwyn Manners Ridge, RNVR, Benbow Bn


Niko

Recommended Posts

Hi,

I was yesterday at the Cantincrode Cemetery at Mortsel (Antwerp) with a party of the Royal Naval Reseres (HMS Wildfire).

We paid our respects at the grave of Sub-Lieutenant Edwyn Manners Ridge of the Benbow Battalion, killed in Mortsel on October 8, 1914. A Poppy Wreath was placed on his grave. Naturally, people started asking questions about him, and the only thing I know is this:

He was shot by a sniper and buried near the trenches at Fort4, Mortsel. For one reason or antoher, his grave was overlooked and eventually a big shed was placed over it by the Germans. He is commemorated at the Nieuwpoort Memorial.

Only when this shed was taken down by the Belgian army in the 1980's, they discovered the remains. A Belgian historian was called in and could identify the body by the items around him (binoculars, compass, leather bits) as a British WWI Naval Officer.

He was then buried by the Belgian Amry at the civilan cemetery at Mortsel, under a Belgian headstone. This was only discovered by the CWGC in the late 1990's and the stone was subsequently changed to a CWGC one.

However, the information found on the CWGC database conflicts with what I was told by the eye-witness who identified Ridge.

Can somebody help me with additional information about this officer?

Thank you very much in advance.

PS: Call me stupid, I forgot my camera when I guided this party around the RND-battelfield.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Find my Past

Son of Dr & Mrs J.J.Ridge,of Enfield ,Middlesex. Husband of Gladys Boyyne Wills ( Formerly Ridge) (nee Baker married 1913) of New River House Enfield, Middlesex, Later of Grovelands, Mill Way, Mill Hill, London. 1914 Star and clasp issued to widow 26 January 1921. Originally buried in EDEGEMSESTAAT Cemetery and moved to CANTINCRODE Cemetery in October 1940. Commissioned Sub Lieutenant LondonDivision RNVR 6 November 1911.

Edwyn was born in 1878 and was a Surgeon by profession.

Bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, but as you see, that's the conflicting information also mentioned on the CWGC site.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

His service record is available here: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7279335

As he was a surgeon I may have some other information, although having died in 1914 he may not be mentioned in the first issue of the JRNMS, which wasn't published until 1915. Hold the line...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

PS. Sorry, no mention in the Journal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He was shot by a sniper and buried near the trenches at Fort4, Mortsel. For one reason or antoher, his grave was overlooked and eventually a big shed was placed over it by the Germans. He is commemorated at the Nieuwpoort Memorial.

Only when this shed was taken down by the Belgian army in the 1980's, they discovered the remains. A Belgian historian was called in and could identify the body by the items around him (binoculars, compass, leather bits) as a British WWI Naval Officer.

He was then buried by the Belgian Army at the civilian cemetery at Mortsel, under a Belgian headstone. This was only discovered by the CWGC in the late 1990's and the stone was subsequently changed to a CWGC one.

However, the information found on the CWGC database conflicts with what I was told by the eye-witness who identified Ridge

You need to somehow verify your unnamed eye-witness' information.

Mr Tony Froom writing in Len Sellers' magazine 'RND' No.3, December 1997, states:

'At the outbreak of World War II, anticipating a 'need', a plot for Belgian servicemen was established in the Cantinerode Civil Cemetery of Antwerp, into which an 'unknown' body was transferred from the Edgemsestraat Cemetery (Antwerp), on the assumption that this body was of a Belgian. But in the mid 1980s when this grave was brought to the attention of the CWGC, a long investigation ensued which led to the body being identified as that of Sub-Lieutenant Manners-Ridge.”

Tony Froom's footnotes indicate that there was correspondence on this matter with the late Major A J Kingsmill (rtd) of Antwerp.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mr Tony Froom writing in Len Sellers' magazine 'RND' No.3, December 1997, states:

'At the outbreak of World War II, anticipating a 'need', a plot for Belgian servicemen was established in the Cantinerode Civil Cemetery of Antwerp, into which an 'unknown' body was transferred from the Edgemsestraat Cemetery (Antwerp), on the assumption that this body was of a Belgian. But in the mid 1980s when this grave was brought to the attention of the CWGC, a long investigation ensued which led to the body being identified as that of Sub-Lieutenant Manners-Ridge.”

Tony Froom's footnotes indicate that there was correspondence on this matter with the late Major A J Kingsmill (rtd) of Antwerp.

And there you have it already: Cantincrode Cemetery dates only from the 1970's-1980's....

What I guess happened is the next:

The body of Ridge was found in its original field grave in the same period that the bodies of the Belgians were transferred from Edegemsestraat to Cantincrode. He was buried by the Belgian Army in the same plot, but under a Belgian stone (which can be veriefied from the documents found on the CWGC site) and then the search and investigation to identify him started. That makes the story of my eyewitness also plausible.

The CWGC-stone was only placed on his grave in 2003.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is it possible to check at Edegemsestraat how many graves were transferred from there to Cantincrode

and to then ascertain if the (at that time) unknown was among them?

If all the transferred graves are accounted for, and this one is not among those taken from Edegemsestraat,

then there is a chance the alternative explanation may be correct

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, this is Belgium.......There will be nothing about Edegemsestraat left, to my regret. The cemetery is now a park and every grave has dissapeared, it has taken several years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, this is Belgium.......There will be nothing about Edegemsestraat left, to my regret.

Nothing left? No records? No archive filed somewhere?

Start at the Town Hall perhaps

Link to comment
Share on other sites

His service record is available here: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7279335

As he was a surgeon I may have some other information, although having died in 1914 he may not be mentioned in the first issue of the JRNMS, which wasn't published until 1915. Hold the line...

Service record very sparse,I have it,a card with 2 sides,which you may have if you PM me your e-mail address.

Belgium and cemeteries ! I visted a work colleague in Ghent some years ago. He gave me a tour of the maritime facilities there (our interest) and he took me to the new port facility being built,on a cemetery !

There appeared to be no sensitivity about it,and some graves weren't very ancient either.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Niko,

It was a pleasure to be guided by you around the battlefield sites of the RND last week and rest assured that we will send you copies of the numerous photos we took during the day. I see from the BBC Wall of Remembrance (http://www.bbc.co.uk/remembrance/wall/record/7449) that details were posted by an Edwin Ridge on 4th November 2008; one of S/Lt Ridge's descendants I think we can assume! I will try to contact him, or his family, to pass on details of our visit and let him/them know that S/Lt Ridge, though the only British burial at Cantincrode Civil Cemetery, is not forgotten and that his grave is still tended.

All,

If anyone else has further knowledge of S/Lt Ridge and his descendants I would appreciate any information you may have. I am also looking for further details of Lt Cdr Oswald Hesketh Hanson RNVR, especially any descendants, who was executed by German firing squad on 11th October 1914 and is buried in Dendermonde Communal Cemetery. Many thanks.

Regards,

Lt Cdr Stephen Smith RNR

HMS Wildfire

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Niko,

It was a pleasure to be guided by you around the battlefield sites of the RND last week and rest assured that we will send you copies of the numerous photos we took during the day. I see from the BBC Wall of Remembrance (http://www.bbc.co.uk/remembrance/wall/record/7449) that details were posted by an Edwin Ridge on 4th November 2008; one of S/Lt Ridge's descendants I think we can assume! I will try to contact him, or his family, to pass on details of our visit and let him/them know that S/Lt Ridge, though the only British burial at Cantincrode Civil Cemetery, is not forgotten and that his grave is still tended.

All,

If anyone else has further knowledge of S/Lt Ridge and his descendants I would appreciate any information you may have. I am also looking for further details of Lt Cdr Oswald Hesketh Hanson RNVR, especially any descendants, who was executed by German firing squad on 11th October 1914 and is buried in Dendermonde Communal Cemetery. Many thanks.

Regards,

Lt Cdr Stephen Smith RNR

HMS Wildfire

Stephen,

You will find several references to Lt-Cdr Hanson in various articles published by Len Sellers in his magazine RND; see pages 260, 627, 887 to 903, and 1780

The CD version of these magazines may be available from either the Crystal Palace shop or from Len himself via e-bay.

Good luck

Michael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stephen,

You will find several references to Lt-Cdr Hanson in various articles published by Len Sellers in his magazine RND; see pages 260, 627, 887 to 903, and 1780

The CD version of these magazines may be available from either the Crystal Palace shop or from Len himself via e-bay.

Good luck

Michael

Thanks Michael, much appreciated.

Regards,

Stephen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 years later...

I have only just come across the Great War Forum so it is many years since the above posts were made. My Grandfather Sub. Lt.Edwyn Manners Ridge was one of the 6 sons of J.J.Ridge an Enfield doctor. Interesting to note that the boys were named Walter, Alan, Leonard, Theodore, Edwyn and Robert - WALTER !

Edwyn was 36 and a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and my father John Edwyn Manners was born 24.12.1914 so never saw his father. His service record is brief and just states 'Killed in action' so interesting to note he was killed by a sniper and I think only in Antwerp for 6 days. I have visited his grave and also the Nieuwport Memorial which bears his name.

Any background on his service or career would be really good as I don't have much. I remember my Grandmother telling me how she waved him off at Harwich docks never to see him again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Edwyn RIDGE was one of the pre-war RNVR officers, taking an RNVR commission as an Executive Officer (seaman) Sub Lieutenant (not as a medical offficer) in London Division on 6 November 1911.

1 hour ago, John Richard Manners Ridge said:

I remember my Grandmother telling me how she waved him off at Harwich docks never to see him again.

I think Grandmother's memory may be in error here. Benbow Battalion RND marched out of Walmer Camp and embarked for the Antwerp operation at Dover, not Harwich, on the evening of 4 Ocrober 1914, sailing for Dunkirk at 0345 the following morning. The Benbow MO (Surgeon  David Williamson RNVR) noted:

 

The ship is a CP [Canadian Pacific] 3rd Class emigrant ship, and her accommodation of the crudest.  Got about one and half hour’s sleep on the floor before sailing but was very cold so got up as soon as we started. ...  Arrived off Dunkirk and dropped anchor 8 a.m. to wait for tide.  Got alongside at noon and Benbow Battalion disembarked first.  Had tinned beef and ship’s biscuits served out on the wharf.  Hear we are to leave by train at 3 p.m. for Antwerp."


Edwyn was the only Benbow (officer or rating) killed in action at Antwerp.

Edited by horatio2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it might be my memory as Granny died in 1968. Thank you for putting me right on the port of embarkation but I am sure she was there with a number of other wives to see them off. I always thought they arrived in Antwerp on 2nd. Oct. but now it seems it was the 5th. and he died on the 8th. !!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A Hawke Bn rating (AB Lockwood - later Commander RNVR), marching with the Benbow's, recalled:

"... the various bands playing. ... the head of the column swung out towards the Dover road, everyone in the crowd cheering and waving handkeerchiefs. Old women weeping - the yearning sad look of the wives - and we marched at attention though them. I have never felt such a thrill before - to be actually one of these men - to be actually going to France; it made one thank Heaven to be alive at that moment."

 

The Benbow's train eventually arrived at Antwerp at 0600 on 6 October.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Amazing detail. Lockwoods recollections really brings the scene to life. I can only imagine my Grandmother's grief and sadness when only a few days later she hears of Edwyn's death, being at the time 6mts. pregnant with my father. Thank you very much for your posts which I am passing to my Granddaughter who is researching our family history.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

His pre-war medical studies record is here https://livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk/client/en_GB/lives/search/results?qu=%22RCS: E003096%22&rt=false|||IDENTIFIER|||Resource+Identifier

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Many thanks for the link and your interest. I visited the archives of the London Hospital a few years ago and read Edwyn's Student history and entries for his time at the Hospital and the various positions he held. I would have liked to ask him why he joined the RNVR as I cannot find any reference to Naval connections in the family. I have a few photos of him in uniform with his fellow sailors and a very poignant photo of my Grandmother with my father in her arms at around 3 -4 mts. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Althouigh Edwyn was commissioned in 1911 as an Executive Officer RNVR, despite his medical qualifications, two other medical gentlemen were commissioned as Staff Surgeons in London Division RNVR on the day after Edwyn, 7 November 1911:-

  • Frank Wybourn SMITH and
  • Arthur Robertson BRAILEY MB FRCS MC.

BRAILEY  was an ophthalmic surgeon, FRCS in 1904. He must have known Edwyn. More on this officer on this link  =  

 

https://livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk/client/en_GB/lives/search/results?qu=brailey&h=1  He was drowned in 1930 when sailing with Commander HD KING RNVR, the WW1 OC of Drake Bn RND.

 

I am unable to determine why Edwyn was not commissioned as a Surgeon RNVR - personal choice, presumably.

Edited by horatio2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...