Capt Arthur de Bells Adam (MC)
1885 - 1916

CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916

Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916

Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916

Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918

Pte 52437 William Ridgway

Age: 23
From: Salford
Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
K.I.A Saturday 25th August 1917
Commemorated at: Derry House Cem No.2
Panel Ref: II.E.15

William Ridgway was born in Salford, Lancashire, in 1894, the youngest child of John Albert Ridgway and his wife, Emma, (née Wilkinson), who were married on the 19th December 1874 at Manchester Cathedral. John was a 22 year old gasman of 22 Regent Road, his father, Benjamin, was a manager, whilst Emma was aged 21 of Regent Road, her father, Alexander, was a bleacher.

William was baptised on 14th March 1894 in Stowell Memorial Church, Salford. His father, was born in Manchester, and his mother in Salford. They had nine children, three of whom died young. The surviving children were John, born in 1877, Benjamin 1881, Alice 1884, Emily 1886, Frederick 1890, and William, 1894. William lived all his life in Skinner Street, Salford.

On the 1901 Census the family, with six children, is living at 9 Skinner Street. His father, John, is aged 47, a dock labourer, his mother, Emma, is aged 48. They have six children declared in the household; John aged 23, and is a dock labourer, Benjamin aged 19, and is a jigger driver (heavy vehicle driver), Alice is aged 17, and is a mantle maker’s apprentice, Emily is aged 14, and is a doffer in a cotton mill, Frederick, is aged 10, and William, is aged 7, are both at school.

His father, John, died in 1903, aged 49.

In 1911 William is living at home, his widowed mother Emma, 57, is head of household. William, 17, is a book packer for a book dealer. His married sister Alice, with husband and three children, also live in the home.

As his military record has not survived, the full details of his service are not known. William enlisted, as Private 17208, 1st Battalion, King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), the same battalion as his brother Frederick, whose regimental number was 17217, suggesting they enlisted together. At some point William was transferred to the 18th Battalion, King’s Liverpool Regiment, with the regimental number 52437. His Medal Index Card, in the name of Ridgeway, indicates he arrived in France on the 29th November 1915, consistent with the 18th Battalion.

William suffered the loss of two brothers in 1916. His brother Frederick, Private 17217, 1st Battalion K.O.R.L., was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1st July 1916. He left a widow. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. Whilst his brother Benjamin, 27437 15th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, was killed the same month, on 30th July 1916. He left a widow and three children. He is remembered on the Loos Memorial and the Manchester Ship Canal Memorial.

In the summer of 1917 the 18th Battalion K.L.R. was in trenches in the Ypres Salient during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele).

The Battalion War Diary records: August 22^nd, In trenches. The battalion took over the front line system left sector, relieving the 46^th Australian Infantry Battn, No. 2 Coy on the left, No.4 on the right, No.1 in support, and No.3 in reserve. Casualties recorded on August 25^th: 4 Killed, 7 Wounded, 1 Died of Wounds.

William was one of those killed in action on 25th August 1917, aged 23.

His death was reported as Ridgeway in the Weekly Casualty List on the 09th October 1917;

KING'S (LIVERPOOL REGIMENT). - Brough 16289 (Warrington); Burrows 24765 W. (Ellesmere Port); Lindsay T. C. (Liverpool); Ridgeway 52437 W. (Salford).

He now rests at Derry House Cemetery No.2, Flanders.

Wytschaete (now Wijtschate) was taken by the Germans early in November 1914. It was recovered by Commonwealth forces during the Battle of Messines on 7 June 1917, but fell into German hands once more on 16 April 1918. The village was recovered for the last time on 28 September.

Derry House Cemetery (there is now only one) was named after a farm, which had been nicknamed "Derry House" by soldiers of the Royal Irish Rifles. It was begun among the ruins of the farm in June 1917 by a field ambulance unit of the 11th Division (32nd Brigade). It was used as a front line cemetery until December 1917, and again in October 1918 by the 2nd London Scottish.

The cemetery contains 166 First World War burials and the remains of a concrete command post built by engineers of the 37th Division in July 1917.

The cemetery was designed by W.H. Cowlishaw.

The 18th Btn Diary gives the names of those killed alongside William as Private 16289 George Brough, Private 24765 William Burrows, Corporal 16466 Thomas Clayton Lindsay and also Sergeant 16486 Harry Spencer who was wounded and died later that same day.

His mother appears to have died around the same time (September Quarter, 1917), aged 63. His sister Mrs. Emily Doyle, 3 Granville Street, off Phoebe Street, Salford, was refused a pension. William’s effects went to his sisters Emily Doyle and Alice H. Nash, his brother John, and sister-in-law Florence (Benjamin’s wife) for their three children.

His sister Alice named her son, who was born in 1918, William.

CWGC communicated with William’s only remaining brother, John Ridgway, of Crown Street, Salford concerning the erection of his gravestone.

His mother died, aged 63, soon after her third son was buried on the, 20th September 1917, in Manchester.

His sister Mrs. Emily Doyle, 3 Granville Street, off Phoebe Street, Salford, was refused a pension.

He earned his three medals.

William’s effects, Army Pay of £2 15s was shared by his sisters Emily Doyle and Alice H. Nash, his brother John, and sister-in-law Florence (Benjamin’s wife) for their three children. The War Gratuity of £12 went to Emily.

William is commemorated on the Memorial at St Clement's Church, Salford.

We currently have no further information on William Ridgway, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.

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