Name
Eric Ronald Ratcliff-Gaylard
23 December 1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/07/1916
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
1st/5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LAVENTIE MILITARY CEMETERY, LA GORGUE
II. E. 19.
France
Headstone Inscription
I ASKED LIFE FOR HIM AND THOU GAVEST HIM LIFE FOR EVERMORE
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Hemel Hempstead Memorials, King's College, Taunton Memorial Plaque, Lloyds Bank War Memorial, Bristol
Pre War
Eric Ronald Ratcliff-Gaylard was born on 23 December 1894 at Blechynden House, Openshaw, Manchester, Lancs, the son of James and (Mary) Jeannie Ratcliff-Gaylard and baptised at Christ Church, Bradford, Lancs on 10 February 1895.
He was educated at Probus School in Cornwall, Kings College, Taunton and the Birkenhead Institute.
On the 1901 Census the family were living in Manchester by 1901 at 7 Grey Marsh Lane when his father was listed as a Surgeon. By 1911 the family were living in Birkenhead, Cheshire. His father was then listed as a General Practioner of medicine and Eric was at school.
He was working as a Clerk at Lloyds Bank, West End, Birkenhead, Cheshire, at the time of his enlistment.
His parents later lived at "The Lindens," Hemel Hempstead, Herts.
Wartime Service
He volunteered on 2 September 1914 at Liverpool and initially served as a private with the King's Liverpool Regiment (Lord Derby's "Pals" Battalion) but was discharged on 23 April 1915 as being "no longer physically fit for war service" because of a "disordered action of heart rate, cardiac instability". However, this did not stop him as he entered the Inns of Court Officer Training Corps in which he was promoted Corporal and Lance Sergeant in the same week, obtaining a commission as 2nd Lieutenant in the 5th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's light Infantry on 5 July 1915. He served with the expeditionary force in France and Flanders from 19/22 May 1916. (sources differ on the date).
He was killed in action at Laventie on 19 July 1916, age 21, while leading his platoon in an attack on the German trenches and is buried at Laventie Military Cemetery, La Gorgue, France.
Additional Information
His father, Mr J Ratcliff-Gaylard, M.D, The Laidens, [Lindens] Hemel Hempstead, Herts,, ordered his headstone inscription: "I ASKED LIFE FOR HIM AND THOU GAVEST HIM LIFE FOR EVERMORE". Brother to Cecil Charles Alexander Ratcliff-Gaylard who served with the Australian Infantry and died on 20 May 1915 and who is buried at Lone Pine Cemetery, Turkey. His father received £67 9s 4d pay owing.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
warmemorialsonline.org.uk, lives of the firstworldwar.iwm.org.uk
