Name
Ralph Lewin Reynolds
30 May 1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/06/1917
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
703336
London Regiment
1st/23rd (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POZIERES MEMORIAL
Panels 52 to 54.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Baldock memorials
Pre War
Ralph Lewin Reynolds was born on 30 May 1896 in Baldock, Herts, the son of William and Alice Reynolds, and one of three children. He was baptised in Baldock on 20 September 1896.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Vicarage Cottage, Dorking, Surrey, where his father was working as a coachman domestic. By 1911 he was listed as a 14 year old sea apprentice undergoing sea training with the Marine Society at Dartford, Kent on the training ship "Warspite", on the River Thames near Greenhithe. Meanwhile, his parents were living at 39 Pickering Place, Westbourne Grove, Paddington, London.
At some point he left England, emigrated to Australia and worked as a builder.
His father died in 1915 (see Additional Information) and his mother later lived at 8 Topsham Road, Tooting, London.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war he joined the Australian Military Forces, enlisting on 12 August 1914 in Sydney, Australia, giving his mother as next of kin, (then living at 6 Newton Street, Retford, Nottinghamshire). He served for a period of 161 days as Private 764 with the 1st Infantry Battalion, Naval and Military Forces- Special Tropical Corps. He was discharged on 18 January 1915 and left Sydney on the P & O ship Ballarat, arriving in London on 18 April 1915.
He then enlisted in Putney and initially joined the 3rd City of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), later transferring to the London Regiment, 23rd Battalion. At some point he was promoted to Lance Corporal. Ralph was killed in action on 7 June 1917, but has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £8 10s. No pay owing was received as his pay account was overdrawn to the amount of £5 3s 3d.
His father William served with the Royal Army Service Corps and died at No. 10 General Hospital, Rouen, on 7 January 1915, aged 49, from acute bronchitis. He is buried in Cimetiere Saint Sever, Rouen, France.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson, vwma.org.au/explore/people/248515, www.naa.gov.au/national archives
