Name
Ralph Edward Culverhouse Mead
3 June 1898
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
29/09/1917
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
NINE ELMS BRITISH CEMETERY
III. A. 2.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
ONLY SON OF FRANK AND GRACE MEAD OF CHELSEA FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, The King’s School, Canterbury, Roll of Honour
Pre War
Ralph Edward Culverhouse Mead was born in Tunbridge Wells on 3 June 1898, the only son of Frank and Grace Mead and brother to older sister Dorothy. He was baptised on 2 July 1898 at Tunbridge Wells. At the time of his sister's baptism on 2 December 1894 at St Luke, Chelsea, the family were living at 489 Fulham Road, Fulham, London. (His parents had been married at St Luke's. Chelsea on 16 March 1893.)
His mother died on 5 August 1900 at Oakfield Cottage, Dodd's Lane, Piccott's End, Hemel Hempstead, the home of Ralph's grandfather Edward Mead, but was said to be living at 489 Fulham Road on probate records. She died giving birth to baby Henry who did not survive. Ralph was only 2 years old,
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 489 Fulham Road, Fulham, London and his widowed father was a Flour Miller with the designation of Employer. Both Dorothy and Ralph were listed as having been born in Fulham. A governess, cook and housemaid were also listed as living at the same address.
Ralph first attended a local infants' school in Glendower Place, Kensington, then moved to North Down Hill, a private boarding school in Margate, and briefly to Tonbridge School. On the 1911 Census, 12 year old Ralph was living at the home of Emma Redwood as a visitor and at school, at 33 Warwick Road, Margate.
He was educated at King's School, Canterbury from January 1913 and left in July 1916. Whilst there, he won a junior scholarship in November 1913 and a senior scholarship in June 1915. He was also a keen sportsman, winning colours in both cricket and rugby. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps, becoming Quartermaster Sergeant. He won an open classical exhibition to Worcester College, Oxford to study medicine and was due to matriculate in Michaelmas Term 1916 but instead joined the Oxford University Officer Training Corps..
Ralph's address was given as 13 Gloucester Terrace, South Kensington at the time of his death.
Wartime Service
He left school in July 1916 to join a Cadet Battalion and in early 1917 he was working at the Guards Camp in Pirbright with the Heavy Branch of the Machine Gun Corps, aiming to gain command of a tank. Later that year he received his commission as 2nd Lieutenant in the 7th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) and left for Belgium on 1 September. His Battalion had recently been moved by train to St Jan Ter Biezen, near Poperinghe where new drafts of men were being trained. On the day he arrived, 29 September 1917, a German aircraft dropped six bombs in the camp at 7.20 pm in the evening, which resulted in the death of 27 men with 66 others wounded.
Ralph was one of the men killed, and had been with his Battalion for less than a day. He was only 19 years old and is buried at Nine Elms British Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Additional Information
His father received pay owing of £52 1s 6d. Probate was granted to his father in London on 4 January with effects of £549 14s 10d.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.hemelheroes.com., www worc.ox.ac.uk, www.hambo.org/kingscanterbury
