Harvey William Ruff

[maudson]

I wonder if anyone can help me with a soldier in the 15th Cyclist Battalion Army Cyclist Corps. His Regimental Number was 21934. His Medal Card and Award and Medal Roll still exist but nothing else as far as I can ascertain. Is it possible ot give some idea of when he enlisted or entered a war zone. I have seen the GWF post of 31st October 2010 about the War Diary but have found no other.information. I have looked at adjacent men on the Award Roll but with no success. I believe that he was in the 69th Cyclist Company prior to this. Any help much appreciated.

 

David

Edited 24 November , 2019 by maudson
My errors

[sadbrewer]

Any details available of where and when he was born or lived?

 

Edit Harvey William Ruff born Thrapston Northants 1885.

Married Grace Burton in 1914.

Edited 24 November , 2019 by sadbrewer

[maudson]

Hi sadbrewer.

Yes I know a reasonable amount about him outside his army service. He was one of three brothers who were in WW1 (Hessel, Harvey and Reginald) and was the son of Arthur Ruff and Sarah Prudence George. He was born in Ringstead, Northamptonshire on 6th September 1885. There were 10 children and the men who served were the three youngest sons. He married Grace Burton from Raunds, and they moved there. He was a "skiver" (cuts off the excess leather) in the leather trade.

It is the usual problem of trying to establish when he was in action so I can reasonably write up his story for my Ringstead People website (I am trying to write up all the Ringstead men who were in WW1). Any ideas very welcome.

David

Edited 24 November , 2019 by maudson
My errors

[Stebie9173]

The nearest service record I can find is 21900 Ernest Frederick William Bosley. He transferred from The East Surreys to the A.C.C. in September 1917.

 

Ancestry link to records page

 

 

Steve.

Edited 24 November , 2019 by Stebie9173

[maudson]

Thanks Steve

I have been ploughing through websites trying to find the numbers close but then finding no indication of when they joined the Cyclists. Many thanks again for your expertise.

David

[charlie962]

rather sparse service records on FMP tell us

 

21930/680846 Moore from Kettering was in the 68th Welsh Div Cyclist Coy in 1917  ending up 389 HS LabCoy Nov 1918

21932/680848 Pettit from Kettering was in the 67th then 68th Welsh Div Cyclist Coy in 1917 ending up Labour Corps Nov 1918

21934/ ??        Ruff from Thrapston    ????

 

21940              Watson from  Kent was in 67th DCC in 1917 before early discharge

 

both Pettit and Moore started in 26th TRB early 1917, I think.  as did Watson

Pettitt's number sometimes appears as 680048;

 

there are some in the 2194x range that seem to be 69 DCC

Edited 24 November , 2019 by charlie962

[maudson]

Many thanks Charlie and Steve. Do you think that this means that he transferred to the 15th, in the field, from the home-based 69th around September/October 1917 or was this when he joined the 69th? I have downloaded the War Diary so could then look for a group of transfers, although I know this is a long shot.

Thanks again.

David 

[charlie962]

3 hours ago, maudson said:

transferred to the 15th

David

I'm not quite sure where you found the info on him being in 15th Cyclist Bn ?

charlie

 

PS, could you show the full page of the medal roll please just so I can see what else it says ?

[maudson]

Charlie

You have me worried now!. The 69th I got from a family member who sent me a photograph of him with other members of the unit. The 15th I took from the Medal Roll and Card. because of his unusual name - and the knowledge of him being in the Cyclists made me believe that it was reasonable to think it was the same man. I did look for alternative men with same name.

I have uploaded an image from Ancestry. It is my first attempt so please let me know if any problems.

David

[charlie962]

7 hours ago, maudson said:

You have me worried now!.

Sorry. Don't worry you are entirely correct. I don't have access to the roll and that vital bit of info  XV Corps Cyclist Battalion is only on that roll!

 

Next problem is determining when he might have gone there. Look at all those different units for the numbers nearby!

 

XV were already in France in 1916. I've looked at a number of other service records for men of XV CCB but nothing definite. I am left with the idea that he may have  gone across either in Oct 1917 or in April 1918, but that's just my thought with nothing firm.  Perhaps the War Diary shows large reinforcement drafts coming in in one of those periods ?

 

Charlie

[maudson]

Hi Charlie

Thanks again. I will be going through the war diary over next few days and let you know what I find - if anything.

David

[maudson]

Hi Charlie again.

I have worked my way through the Diary for the period from September 1917 to April 1918 but generally seems small drafts with 17 in November being largest. No idea of source units given but presumably all from Cyclists, so cannot be sure when he joined the 15th. I think I will have to work with what I have got. 

Many thanks

David

[maudson]

I have now posted the piece on the Ruffs on the Ringstead People website. After I had finished writing I was sent a copy of his Demobilisation Certificate by a descendant which stated that he was in the 67th not the 69th so, as it makes little difference to the overall story, I have altered this. Of course he could have been in both at some time but without further evidence I think that it would just confuse things further. Again many thanks to Charlie and Steve and sadbrewer.

David

[charlie962]

Thanks for update;

charlie

 

PS fascinating to see that 'Bad Teeth no Bar' statement in bold on the recruiting poster.

Edited 7 December , 2019 by charlie962

[maudson]

Hi Charlie

I sometimes think that it was the small ailments like tooth ache which, when added to the mud, rain, cold and constant fear, would have completed the misery for many soldiers.

David