Name
Robert William Riddett
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
19820
Hampshire Regiment
10th Battalion
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
Robert Riddett was born in the summer of 1889 at Henfield in Sussex. He was one of ten children (five sons and five daughters) born to George and Annie Riddett. In 1891 the family lived at the High Street, Henfield, where George worked as a Police Constable. At the time of the 1901 Census the family lived at Mid Lavant, to the north of Chichester and George still worked as a Constable. By 1911 George had retired from the Police and was employed as a Door-keeper at a Skating Rink and the family was recorded in the 1911 Census living at 90 Cleveland Road, Chichester.
In 1911 Robert was recorded working as a Gardener, and it is not known when or why he moved to Abbots Langley. The Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour first recorded Robert Riddett in October 1914, serving with “Kitchener’s Army”. By December 1914 he had been posted to the 3rd Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment. At some point, early in 1915 Robert transferred to the 10th Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment, and his Medal Roll Index indicated that he disembarked at Salonica on 3rd October 1915. The 10th Hampshire’s had sailed from England on 7th July 1915, and landed at Gallipoli on 6th August, before being transferred to the Balkan Theatre of War. The Parish Magazine recorded that Robert had joined the 10th Hampshire’s in the December 1915 edition, and he was recorded with this unit until the end of the War. In the final Roll of Honour published in the Parish Magazine of December 1918 it was recorded that Robert was a Prisoner of War, but it is not known when he was captured. His Medal Roll indicated that he was Discharged on 2nd January 1919.
Robert Riddett survived the War.
Additional Information
Formerly 3rd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
