Name
Oliver Percy Ridout
1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/04/1915
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sergeant
14209
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BRIGHTON CITY (BEAR ROAD) CEMETERY
ZGV.38
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Codicote Village Memorial, Peace Memorial Hall, Codicote
Pre War
Oliver Percy Ridout was born in Walcot, Bath in 1892, the son of Edwin and Ellen Ridout, and one of twelve children, although two had died by 1911. He was baptised on 12 October 1894 at St Swithin, Walcot, Somerset at the same time as his brother Wilfred.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 18 Camden Cottages, where his father was working as a French Polisher. His parents remained at the same address in 1911 but Oliver had moved to Bournemouth and was working as a Footman in the household of Louisa Sitwell, the 80 year old widow of Sir Sitwell Beresby Sitwell, (Baronet), at The Red House, Derby Road.
Wartime Service
Oliver enlisted in Codicote and joined the 8th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment as a Sergeant.
He died of meningitis on 25 April 1915 at the 2nd Eastern General Hospital, Brighton, where the battalion was stationed, before he could be sent to France. He is buried in Brighton City (Bear Road) Cemetery,
Additional Information
He was "not eligible" for war medals and his name is crossed out on the war medal rolls. His mother received a war gratuity of £6 and pay owing of £7 17s 7d, Pension records exist but give no indication of the amount of pension received. His mother died in 1921. His brother Frank Edwin Ridout of 12 Pera Place, Walcot, Bath, Somerset was given as next of kin on CWGC records. His brother Victor Wilfred who served with the Army Service Corps died on 18 May 1917, aged 23, and is buried in Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Brenda Palmer, June Colegrove, Roll-of-Honour.com
