On the 21st November 1917 Private Arnold Ridings was drowned (presumably) in shell hole whilst on duty. His regiment and battalion The Lancashire Fusiliers 19th Battalion. The 3rd Salford Pals.

Arnold was born and lived 6 miles from the IWM North, on Walkden Road, Walkden.

Prior to the war he worked at Peel Hall Collieries as a coal miner.

In February 1915 (aged 35) he joined the Lancashire Fusilier’s.

He embarked to France on 19th November 1915 and after crossing concentrated at Ailly -le-Haut-Clocher on 26th November 1915.

On 17th June 1916 with an ailment of ‘disorded action of the heart’ he entered a field hospital.

It was to the battlefields of Passchendale or Third Battle of Ypres that he found himself in 1917.

And were he drowned in the ‘Mud’ of Passchendale.

He is is buried in Belgium, Voormezelle Enclosure Number 3. He has a simple inscription;

17831 Private
A Ridings
19th Lancashire Fusiliers
21st November 1917

My grandmother, Winifred Ridings named her first son Arnold (my father) and he in turn named his son Peter Arnold (me).

We have in our possession, letters from Arnold Ridings

I am still reasearching his military life and am sure from November 1915 to November 1917 he saw and encountered so much, notwithstanding his ‘Disorded Action of the Heart’ (today we would refer to this as PTSD).

What I do have in my possession is;

A copy of the photo found on his body of his daughter Winifred (my grandmother).

The most precious of possessions we have are the letters found on his body unposted - dated June, August and September 1917.

In July 2017 Arnold wrote to his sister Nelly “I was sorry to hear that your little Jack (his nephew) having been laid low with the measles but I must say I am proud to hear that he has go through them alright. It is nice to hear of you playing cricket with him but mind you if ever Abraham (his brother in law) writes to me I seal tell him you are practising for when he comes home Ladies v Gensts on the moor.” At the end of the letter he signs off “p.s tell me if you come across our Winnie (my grandmother)”

I am sure that this snippet of his story and elements of his letters need a lot more research and work, but wondered if this would be of interest.

Thank you, and speak soon.

Peter Higson

First Name:
Arnold
Surname:
Ridings
Regiments served with:
Unit Rank Service Number
Lancashire Fusiliers Lance Corporal 17831
Lancashire Fusiliers Private 17831
Archive Reference:
WO 372/16/233108
(Can be found at The National Archives in Kew, and contains First World War, War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index)
Lancashire Fusiliers during World War 1
Since 1815 the balance of power in Europe had been maintained by a series of treaties. In 1888 Wilhelm II was crowned ‘German Emperor and King of Prussia’ and... read more here >>
Collection:
Nominal index of all service personnel serving in a theatre of war 1914-1919

Campaign Medals:
British War Medal
With the information in Arnold Ridings's record, it is likely that they were entitled to the British War Medal for service in World War One. This British Empire campaign medal was issued for services between 5th August 1914 and 11th November 1918.

The medal was automatically awarded in the event of death on active service before the completion of this period.
Purchase This Medal

Victory Medal
With the information in Arnold Ridings's record, it is likely that they were entitled to the Victory medal, also called the Inter Allied Victory Medal. This medal was awarded to all who received the 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star and, with certain exceptions, to those who received the British War Medal. It was never awarded alone. These three medals were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred.

Eligibility for this award consisted of having been mobilised, fighting, having served in any of the theatres of operations, or at sea, between midnight 4th/5th August, 1914, and midnight, 11th/12th November, 1918. Women who served in any of the various military organisations in a theatre of operations were also eligible.

First Name:
A
Surname:
Ridings
Index Number of Admission:
T978
Rank:
Private
Service Number:
17831
Ailment:
S. Disordered action of the heart
Date of Admission for Original Ailment:
17/06/1916
Date Transferred to Sick Convoy:
18/06/1916
Number/Designation of Ward:
C1
Notes written in the Observations Column:
92nd Field Ambulance. To No.18 Ambulance Train.
Notes written by FWR when Transcribing:
S noted in Disease column = Sick.
Regiment:
Lancashire Fusiliers
Battalion:
19th (Service) Battalion (3rd Salford) (Pioneers) (Why is this important?)
Other unit info:
32nd Division
Archive Reference:
MH106/311 MH106/311 can be found at The National Archives in Kew, and contains First World War Representative Medical Records of Servicemen from No. 3 Casualty Clearing Station

First Name:
Arnold
Surname:
Ridings
Birth Town:
Little Hulton, Lancashire
Resided Town:
Worsley, Lancashire
Nationality:
British
Date of Death:
21/11/1917
Fate:
Died
Rank:
Private
Service Number:
17831
Duty Location:
France And Flanders
Service:
British Army
Regiment:
lancashire fusiliers
Battalion:
19th Battalion (Why is this important?.
Lancashire Fusiliers during World War 1
Since 1815 the balance of power in Europe had been maintained by a series of treaties. In 1888 Wilhelm II was crowned ‘German Emperor and King of Prussia’ and... read more here >>
Collections:
Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1919

The IWGC/CWGC Registers Collection

Campaign Medals:

British War Medal
With the information in Arnold Ridings's record, it is likely that they were entitled to the British War Medal for service in World War One. This British Empire campaign medal was issued for services between 5th August 1914 and 11th November 1918.

The medal was automatically awarded in the event of death on active service before the completion of this period.
Purchase This Medal

Memorial Death Plaque Of WWI
The next of kin for Arnold Ridings would have been sent this death plaque after the war to commemorate all of the war dead. Over 1 million were issued in total.

Victory Medal
With the information in Arnold Ridings's record, it is likely that they were entitled to the Victory medal, also called the Inter Allied Victory Medal. This medal was awarded to all who received the 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star and, with certain exceptions, to those who received the British War Medal. It was never awarded alone. These three medals were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred.

Eligibility for this award consisted of having been mobilised, fighting, having served in any of the theatres of operations, or at sea, between midnight 4th/5th August, 1914, and midnight, 11th/12th November, 1918. Women who served in any of the various military organisations in a theatre of operations were also

Regarding his ailment as recorded.
This may be of interest to you.

As you say most probably attributable to PTSD

'Disordered Action of the Heart' (DAH) was regularly diagnosed during the Boer Wars. It is also known as 'Soldier's Heart'. Soldiers would experience heart palpitations, shortness of breath and dizziness. Doctors believed the constricting chest straps of the soldiers' uniform caused the condition.

Geoff Pycroft Researcher LF Web Site

Peter
The following information is taken from the book by Michael Stedman....Salford Pals
15th, 16th, 19th and 20th Battalions Lancashire Fusiliers.....A History of the Salford Brigade.

The book is regarded as the definitive record.

Pvt 17831 Ridings A

Served in Platoon No X111 of D Company 19th (Service) Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers.

Officer Commanding Company Capt. A. E. Thomas
Second in Command Lieutenant. J. L. Freeman
Company Sergeant Major Reardon D
Company Quartermaster Sergeant Bradford J.J.
Platoon Commander Lieut. J. L. Freeman
Platoon Sergeant Mulraney, F.

Their were 60 others in the Platoon.

Regards
Geoff Pycroft Researcher and Archivist