Wilfrid Ralph (1886 - 1917)

Born 1886 in Burnley, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Elsie (Lea) Hartshorne — married 22 Apr 1914 (to 25 Sep 1917) in Burnley, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Born Wilfrid was born in 1886 ^[1].

In 1901 ^[2] Wilfrid (14) "book keeper CC" was living with his parents Joseph Ralph (37) "cotton mill" and Mary J Ralph (38) in 13 Arkwright Street Burnley together with siblings Maggie (13), Thomas (11), Robert (8) and Elizabeth (2).

Marriage Wilfrid married Elsie Lea on 22 April 1914 in Burnley, St Peter, Lancashire ^{[3] [4]}.
Their daughter Jeanne May Ralph was born in August 1915 ^[5].

Died Acting Corporeal Wilfrid Ralph, Army Service Corps attd. 330th Siege Battery. Royal Garrison Artillery ^[6], was killed in action on the Western Front on 25 September 1917 ^[7] and buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium ^[6].

Research Notes

Although there are several online military records none listed his exact date of birth or his exact place of death. One ^[8] listed "France" although he was buried in Belgium. Another ^[9] stated "France and Flanders".
He was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal ^[10], presumably posthumously.

Sources

1. ↑ Birth Registration: "England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915"
   Original data: England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes. London, England: General Register Office; Volume: 8e; Page: 283
   Ancestry Record 8912 #29764222 (accessed 31 October 2023)
   Wilfrid Ralph birth registered Jul-Aug-Sep 1886 in Burnley, Lancashire, England.
2. ↑ 1901 Census: "1901 England Census"
   Class: RG13; Piece: 3874; Folio: 37; Page: 24; ED, institution, or vessel: 38; Household schedule number: 119
   Ancestry Record 7814 #24581517 (accessed 31 October 2023)
   Wilfred Ralph (14) son in household of Joseph Ralph (37) in Burnley registration district in Lancashire, England. Born in Burnley, Lancashire, England.
3. ↑ Marriage: "Lancashire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1936"
   Original data: Lancashire Anglican Parish Registers. Preston, England: Lancashire Archives
   Ancestry Record 2576 #9271186 (accessed 31 October 2023)
   Wilfrid Ralph (27) marriage to Elsie Lea on 22 Apr 1914 in Burnley, St Peter, Lancashire, England.
4. ↑ Marriage Registration: "England & Wales Marriage Index"
   FreeBMD Entry Information (accessed 31 October 2023)
   Ralph, Wilfrid.
   GRO Reference: 1914 Apr-May-Jun in Burnley Volume 8e Page 422.
5. ↑ Birth Registration: "England & Wales Birth Index"
   FreeBMD Entry Information (accessed 31 October 2023)
   Ralph, Jeanne M (Mother's maiden name: Lea).
   GRO Reference: 1915 Jul-Aug-Sep in Burnley Volume 8e Page 272.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10776797/wilfrid-ralph: accessed 31 October 2023), memorial page for Corporal Wilfrid Ralph (unknown–25 Sep 1917), Find a Grave Memorial ID 10776797, citing Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, Arrondissement Ieper, West Flanders, Belgium; Maintained by: Find a Grave.
7. ↑ Military: "UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919"
   Original data: British and Irish Military Databases. The Naval and Military Press Ltd
   Ancestry Record 1543 #181516 (accessed 31 October 2023)
   Name: Wilfred Ralph; Birth Place: Burnley; Residence: Burnley; Death Date: 25 Sep 1917; Death Place: France and Flanders; Enlistment Place: Burnley; Rank: A Corporal; Regimental Number: M2/177042; Type of Casualty: Killed in action; Theatre of War: Western European Theatre.
8. ↑ Military: "UK, Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929"
   National Army Museum; Chelsea, London, England; Soldiers' Effects Records, 1901-60; NAM Accession Number: 1991-02-333; Record Number Ranges: 553001-554500; Reference: 320
   Ancestry Record 60506 #689417 (accessed 31 October 2023)
   Name: Wilfred Ralph; Gender: Male; Death Date: 25 Sep 1917; Death Place: France; Rank: Acting Corporal; Regiment: Army Service Corps; Regimental Number: M2/177042.
9. ↑ Military: "UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919"
   Original data: British and Irish Military Databases. The Naval and Military Press Ltd
   Ancestry Record 1543 #181516 (accessed 31 October 2023)
   Name: Wilfred Ralph; Birth Place: Burnley; Residence: Burnley; Death Date: 25 Sep 1917; Death Place: France and Flanders; Enlistment Place: Burnley; Rank: A Corporal; Regimental Number: M2/177042; Type of Casualty: Killed in action; Theatre of War: Western European Theatre.
10. ↑ Military: "UK, World War I Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920"
    The National Archives of the UK; Kew, Surrey, England; War Office and Air Ministry: Service Medal and Award Rolls, First World War. WO329; Ref: 2004
    Ancestry Record 5119 #5091564 (accessed 31 October 2023)
    Name: Wilfred Ralph; Military Year: 1914-1920; Rank: Acting Corporal; Company: WO 329; Regiment or Corps: Royal Army Service Corps; Regiment Number: M2/177042; Medal Awarded: British War Medal and Victory Medal.