Pte 22227 Ralph Ramsden

• Age: 23
• From: Hartford, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

Ralph Ramsden was born in 1893 in Hartford, Cheshire the son of Ralph Ramsden and his wife Frances/Fanny (née Hitchen) who were married on the 22nd March 1883 at St John's Church, Hartford. The were both aged 20 from Hartford. He was the youngest of five children; sister Mary Ann and brothers John, Malcolm and Charles. 

On the 1871 Census his mother Frances Hitchen is a 7 year old scholar, the daughter of Charles and Mary Hitchen, residing in the town of Over, Cheshire. Her surname varies, Hitchens or Hitchins.  

Ralph enlisted in Liverpool on 11^th November 1914 as Private 22227 joining the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. He gave his age as 21 years and 8 months, and his occupation as gardener. He was described as being five feet seven inches and a half inches tall, weighing 142 lbs, 38” chest, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England. He had a scar in the centre of his chest and he gave his next of kin as his father, Ralph, of Coalyard Cottage.

He married  24 year old Frances Anne Dunn on 13th December 1914 in Whitegate, Cheshire, when he was 21. (At this time his battalion would have been quartered in Tournament Hall in Knotty Ash, Liverpool.) There appears to be no children born to the marriage.

Ralph embarked for France with his battalion on the 07th November 1915.

He was listed as Missing on 30th July 1916 during the fighting at the village of Guillemont, and subsequently declared killed in action,aged 23. 

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 Other Ranks

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July.

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.

Ralph's body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as his name is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial. 

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

A memorial service was held for Hartford’s fallen, according to a report in the Chester Chronicle on 17^th November 1917:

“There was a crowded congregation at the Hartford Parish Church on Sunday afternoon, when a service was held to the memory of 24 local heroes who have fallen in the war. In all, 33 men from the parish have given their lives in the great cause, while over 350 men are serving with the colours. Eighty-four relatives of the fallen soldiers were present in response to the Vicar’s written invitations, and seats were reserved for them. … The general public were there to pay honour and respect to the brave men who had given their lives for us, and to show their gratitude…  The Vicar read out the following names for whom the memorial service was being held, and after the hymn, “For All Our Friends”, and the Blessing, the “Last Post” was splendidly played on a bugle: [including the name of Ralph Ramsden, King’s Liverpool].  At the conclusion, Mr. J. Southern, the organist, played Beethoven’s Funeral March.”

His widow Frances placed a notice in the Nantwich Guardian on 26th July 1918:

“In affectionate memory of my dear husband, Private Ralph Ramsden, killed in action, July 30^th 1916. ‘Though death divides, fond memory clings.’ – His loving wife.

Frances received his army pay of £2 12s 8d, war gratuity of £7 10s and a pension of 10/- a week.  She remarried in 1920 to James H. Williams at St John, Sandiways, and signed for his medals on 24th June 1920 from Dalefords Lane, Sandiways, Cheshire.. On the 1939 Register they are at The Row, Sandiway with three children. She died in 1971. 

His brother Charles served in the Royal Garrison Artillery, suffered a gunshot wound to the hand, and lost his left index finger. He died in 1928, aged 37.

His father died, aged 67, in 1927, leaving £175 4s 3d to his widow Fanny. 

His brother Malcolm served with the Manchester Regiment, and was accidentally killed on 21^st February 1916, age 29. Malcom lies in Bronfay Farm Cemetery, Bray-sur-Somme.

Ralph and Malcolm are commemorated on the memorial in Hartford, Cheshire. Ralph is also commemorated on the memorial at Whitegate Cheshire, Meadowbank. Methodists - WW1 memorial, Meadowbank Cheshire

His brother John died in 1942.

His mother died later in 1942, aged 79, having lost all four of her sons. 

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