Pte 31187 Ralph Tisdale

Ralph was born in late 1897 and was baptised on 17th March 1901 in St John the Baptist, Toxteth Park. He was the son of William Henry Tisdale and his wife Harriet (nee Sale). 

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 55 Copperfield Street, Toxteth park, Liverpool. His father, William, who was born at Whitchurch, Salop is a 34 year old railway foreman. His mother is 28 yeaars old and was born in Liverpool. Ralph, aged 3, has a sister Caroline M. aged 8 and a  brother Charles, aged 5. 

By the time of the 1911 Census the family have moved and were living at 2 Carlton Hill, Liverpool. Ralph is 3 years old and a scholar, living with his parents and his brother Charles. His father, William, is now a 44 year old night clerk and his mother, Harriet is 38 years old with no occupation listed. They advise that they have been married for 19 years and have had 6 children, two of whom have survived. Charles is a 15 year old railway clerk. 

 

Ralph enlisted in 1915 at Liverpool and served in the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 31187. 

 

He was transferred to the 4th Battalion of the K.L.R. most likely after being wounded and was serving in C Company with them when he was killed in action on 20th May 1917, aged 19.

 

He was initially reported wounded and missing in the local press on 21st July 1917.

 

His father, then living at 35 Vronhill Street, Princes Park, Liverpool made enquiries with the Red Cross but received a negative response on 27th August 1917 showing that they held no information on Ralph's whereabouts.  

Ralph's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

The ARRAS MEMORIAL commemorates almost 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the Arras sector between the spring of 1916 and 7 August 1918, the eve of the Advance to Victory, and have no known grave. The most conspicuous events of this period were the Arras offensive of April-May 1917, and the German attack in the spring of 1918. Canadian and Australian servicemen killed in these operations are commemorated by memorials at Vimy and Villers-Bretonneux. A separate memorial remembers those killed in the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. Both cemetery and memorial were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, with sculpture by Sir William Reid Dick. The memorial was unveiled by Lord Trenchard, Marshal of the Royal Air Force on the 31 July 1932 (originally it had been scheduled for 15 May, but due to the sudden death of French President Doumer, as a mark of respect, the ceremony was postponed until July).

Ralph earned his two medals; British War Medal and Victory Medal, indication that he did not served overseas until 1916.

His CWGC record shows that his parents were now living at 35 Vronhill Street, Princes Park, Liverpool. His parents pride in Ralph's service is evident when they include that he enlisted in 1915 and previously wounded. The CWGC record states he was killed with the 4th Battalion having previously served with the 21st Battalion, however, his medal card clearly shows service with the 17th Battalion.

Soldiers Effects to his father William and pension to his mother Harriet.

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