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Hi
Greetings from Cramlington, Northumberland, England - where I am researching some members of the RIDDELL family, and having the devil's own getting very far. Firstly, Edward Pius Arthur RIDDELL was Brigadier General / G.O.C. 149th Brigade 50th Division during WW1 in France, although there is an excellent account of his military life in "Bloody Red Tabs" by Frank DAVIES and Graham MADDOCKS (Pen & Sword Books, 1995: ISBN: 0850524636) Pages 184-85, being: "Edward Pius Arthur Riddell was born in May 1875. He was commissioned into the Northumberland Fusiliers from the Militia in February, 1900, and transferred to the Rifle Brigade in June, 1908. He served in the South African War from 1901 to 1902. At the outbreak of the Great War he was at Sandhurst in command of a Company of Gentlemen Cadets, and on 10 Jun 1916, he took over as Commanding Officer of the 1/1st Cambridgeshire Regiment (T.F.), a tenure that lasted until 30 Sep 1917. Whilst commanding this battalion that he was awarded the D.S.O.' for conspicuous gallantry in action on 14 Oct 1916 at Schwaben Redoubt, Thiepval, Somme, France: 'He showed the greatest skill and foresight in assembling his Btn. and subsequently launching them to the attack without a casualty, in broad daylight, on ground observed by the enemy. His personal bravery, energy and example exercised great influence over all ranks.’ On 31 Jul 1917 at St Julien, Belgium, he was awarded a Bar' to his DSO: 'for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a battalion in reserve during an attack. He threw in a counter- attack at a counter-stroke by the enemy and held on to an eminence of the highest tactical importance throughout the afternoon. His dispositions not only allowed the brigade to fall back in order before superior numbers, but materially reduced the enemy's strength as he held off three counterattacks and inflicted crushing casualties on the enemy. He eventually assumed command and reorganised two other units of the brigade, and passed four times through a heavy hostile barrage to his brigade head. quarters to report on the situation. He handled a most difficult situation with consummate skill, and his utter disregard of danger not only encouraged the men to further effort but was a magnificent example of courage and determination.’ In October, 1917, he was appointed to command 149th Brigade. He was the second RIDDELL to command the brigade; the first, John Foster RIDDELL (q.v.) was killed in action on 26 April 1915. The brigade diary' for May, 1918, records: ‘Pontavert Sector. 27/5/18. 7.30 am, Enemy reached Brigade H.Q. Brigade H.Q. moved to Chaudardes. General Riddell wounded just outside Beaurepaire Wood.' Brigadier-General MARTIN (q.v.) of the 151st Brigade was with RIDDELL when a German shell burst overhead killing Martin and wounding Riddell. The brigade diary contains a letter written to General RIDDELL in October, 1918, by his Brigade-Major in the 149th Brigade, Captain H. W. JACKSON, in which the Captain describes the events after the General had left for treatment and enquires about his health as: 'I knew you had lost an awful lot of blood when we parted on the bridge near Concevreux.' Brigadier-General RIDDELL wrote 4 his own account of the 27th May events events later in October 1918: 'My Brigade headquarters were at Centre d'Evreux about 300 yards N.E. of the 151st Brigade headquarters. I decided to leave my own headquarters and join General MARTIN with a view to holding the trenches about our own headquarters as a last ditch. --- "It was all hands to the pumps." MARTIN and I with LEATHART of the gunners ran towards the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers. We had only gone a few yards when a shell burst on our left. 1 felt a terrific blow in my face and saw MARTIN roll over. I went to him. He was quite dead. I walked on half dazed, with a great hole in my face into which I could put my hand, but I did not feel much pain. 1 could not have my wound bound up as the bandage would have prevented me from giving orders.' This was the third time that RIDDELL was wounded during the war. He was awarded a second Bar-' to his D.S.O. : 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during several days of severe fighting in rearguard actions, when he repeatedly organised counter-attacks, and personally led two of them. After the whole of his staff had become casualties and two of his C.O.'s had been hit, his magnificent example, and total disregard of danger had the greatest effect in steadying his command.'
After the war he was made a CMG in 1919, commanded the Northumberland Infantry Brigade, Northern Command in 1920, and retired from the Army in 1925. Brigadier-General Sir Edward RIDDELL was created a KCMG in 1945 and died in August 1957."
... it gives no clues much to his genealogy, of which I am interested in. The only further info I have is that he lived at Acomb House, near Hexham, and considerable internet searching via google has been of little help. His father may have been Henry H RIDDELL, (1848-) b. Alnwick, Northumberland, but I cannot prove this.
Another interesting parody is that another RIDDELL, (John Foster) was also Commander of 149 Brigade [formerly 1/1st Northumberland Infantry Brigade renumbered in May 1915].
Research from various sources, including the Commonwealth War Graves Commission shows that Brigadier General James Foster RIDDELL was 52 when he was killed in action on 26 Apr 1915. He was born 10 Jul 1862 in or near Otterburn, Northumberland, in which Town he was christened the following month on the 29th. His father was John RIDDELL, of the family of RIDDELL, formerly of RIDDELL in Roxburghshire. He had married Margaret Chrystabel, (daughter of the late Sir Henry HALL-SCOTT of Hyde, Churt, Farnham, Surrey) in 1968. In 1881 he is recorded on the Census as an Infantry Private, aged 20, at “Grand Shaft Barracks, Western Heights, Dover,” Hougham, Kent. He is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke. His ancestry is more easily traceable [well recorded] - but obviously one wonders if there is a relationship between the two Brig RIDDELLS? This is what I am trying to discern, and if any of you helpful RIDDELL researchers know the answer, I'd love to hear from you. :o)
Aal thi'best,
Fiona MITFORD
p.s. There is also the distinct possibility that one or both of these chaps links into my own one-name study of MITFORD, as there was a marriage between Alice RIDDELL & Robert MITFORD in the mid-1500's [will of Barbara TOMLINSON mentions both Alice and her sister Barbara RIDDELL]; and another between Frances MITFORD (1784-) and George William HUTTON of Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland, whose son, George HUTTON, (1807-) [later HUTTON-RIDDELL] of Carlton-on-Trent, married two RIDDELL'S, first Mary (15 Jun 1809-1871) and later a Mrs Hannah Elizabeth RIDDELL. George [Jnr's] daughter, Christian[a] Elliott(1838-1871) married on 26 Jan 1860 at St Mary's, Carlton [the vicar was a cousin, Rev Robert Mitford TAYLOR of Hunmanby, Yks], as his first wife, John William MITFORD, (1835-1912) of the GPO, London.
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