BORN HULL 1894. ELDEST SON OF WILLIAM HENRY RALPH (1869-1934) & CAROLINE FERGUSSON STEPHENSON (1874-1953), OF 38 RAIKES STREET, HULL & 6 WENTWORTH STREET, HULL. A DOCK LABOURER (1911 CENSUS).
HIS WIFE, RUTH BAXTER RALPH AND TWO CHILDREN, RUTH ADA AND GEORGE HENRY, LIVED AT 5 WILFREDS TERRACE, BEAUMONT STREET, EAST HULL.
HE SERVED AS A GUNNER, IN THE ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY AND WAS KILLED IN ACTION, ON 18/10/1917, AGED 24. HE IS COMMEMORATED ON THE TYNE COT MEMORIAL, BELGIUM. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT T HIS WIDOW RUTH, WHO MOVED TO 115 ST JOHNS GROVE, SOUTHCOATES AVENUE, HULL (WAR PENSION ADDRESS).
HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL ON 6TH NOVEMBER 1917, WITH HIS PHOTOGRAPH.
HIS ELDER BROTHER, PRIVATE, JOHN RALPH, 26909, 8TH EYR, WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON 29/04/1917, AGED 21
Thank You to Caroline Townsend who sent the following information on 23/01/2015.
My great uncles John Richard and James Ralph also both died in the Great War. They were the sons of William and Caroline Ralph of 6 Wentworth Street, Hull. James Ralph was born in 1894 and was the eldest son. By 1911 he was in the workforce and likely working with his father on the docks. Then just over 100 years ago, Britain declared war on Germany and in 1916, James was called up to join the army at just 23 years of age. James William Ralph was part of ‘C’ Battery, 64th Brigade Royal Field Artillery and was killed in action on October 18, 1917. He is memorialised at the Tyne Cot Memorial in West Flanders, Belgium. The dates make it likely that he died during the Third Battle of Ypres in the Battle of Passchendaele. John Richard Ralph was born 1896 and was the second eldest son. He married Florence Matthews on 1st May 1915 and their son William was born 19 days later. John signed up at the age of 20 years and 6 months on the 12th December 1915. John Richard Ralph was part of the 8th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment and was killed in action on 29th April, 1917. He is buried at the Faubourg-d’Amiens Cemetery in Arras, France. The dates make it likely that he died in the Battle of Arleux.
