872480 Gunner Jack Ridsdale, 17th Field Regiment, RA: 21/12/1945

Hello
Looking for anything on Gunner Jack Ridsdale 872480. Died on the 21st Dec 1945 in Italy. We were led to believe he was unfortunately hit by a tram whilst out celebrating however some documents we've recently seen suggest he was killed in action.
I have just discovered a letter from a friend posted to his wife after his death and wanted to try and find out who he was. I'm pretty sure he was Driver 909189 and surname possible Nash. I've attached a photo of his name and address in case I am wrong.
I know from the letter they were together for 4 years throughout Africa and Italy. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am new to searching and at a bit of a loss.
Kind regards

 

Hi,

As hostilities had ended in Italy in early May 1945 it’s unlikely he was “killed in action”.

Hopefully a member will attach a copy of his entry in the official casualty list to confirm the situation accurately.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2816996/jack-ridsdale/

You may be aware that 17th Field Regiment served in 78th Battleaxe Division and saw active service in Tunisia 1942/43, Sicily & Italy 1943/45.

There is a lot on the forum if you use the search facility.

Steve

 

Thank you.
I did think it strange he was down as killed in action considering the date.

I will go searching. I'm not sure I'll find anything but you never know.

 

Hi,

If you want to know what he did in general terms try and get hold of this book - if you don’t want to buy it you could get it at your local library -

Battleaxe Division

If you want his army service file follow the instructions in this link. Could take up to 9 or 12 months.

Get a copy of military records of service

My uncle served in one of the other 2 Field Regiments (138th) in 78th Division. 132nd was the third field regiment.


Steve

 

Welcome aboard,

There are a number of threads on his regiment and if you search online with "17th Field Regiment" site:ww2talk.com they will appear. Note there was Canadian unit of the same name.

Then "battleaxe" site:ww2talk.com gets results for the division.

(Error - see next post) A second member of his unit died three days later. See: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2816846/frank-glover/

There is a possible clue in Post 6. my bold and bracketed info:

From: British Army Transit Camps 1945 - Italy and LIAP

There are a number of threads on Python here, e.g. Leave - Python and Lilop In brief it was for people who had been away from the UK for three + years.

I would suggest this information may indicate he was not with his regiment at the time of death, rather in a transit camp. Plus, he could have been in hospital in Milan when he died.

There are a few pointers to the fact that the 78th Division ended the war in northeast Italy, in Trieste at one point and at some stage moved into Austria. From: 78th Infantry Division (United Kingdom) - Wikipedia

Reading on the regiment left the division in July 1945! The Royal Artillery reference site: 17 Field Regiment RA - The Royal Artillery 1939-45 shows them in Austria, in August 1945. It also notes it was with the 38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade. Their website confirms working with the 17th in Austria as the war ended. See: Into Austria – Settling Frontiers

Just looked at the address on the letter. CMF stands for Central Mediterranean Forces; a catch all term for admin and command purposes. On a quick scoot around I could not identify the author.

The Milan trams were working in 1945; from Google imagery.

 

Hi,

I’m sure OP will appreciate your advice and tips but Glover was 17 Medium Regiment rather than 17 Field Regiment.

Steve

 

Becci,

Do you need a photo of his grave?

In 2016 DaveB visited the Milan Cemetery and took a photo. See Post 18: Photos taken in CWGC cemeteries in Italy - Bari & Milan (plus some in Lisbon, Portugal) DaveB has not logged on for a few months, so I will send him a message you've landed. I assume he will have kept the photos!

 

Hi Becci - welcome to the forum!

Does anyone have a copy of his death certificate? The one for a great uncle of ours stated cause of death as “Killed in action” (which he was).

 

Might be worth checking the usual genealogy sites for a Casualty and/or Tracer card for him.

 

Gunner Jack Ridsdale (unknown-1945) - Find a...

 

Thank you. I have applied for his service records and will have a look through everyone's suggestions.
I have some photos of him and his friends that I will try and post.

 

I don't have any names for the other men. I'd like to think the one who wrote to my great granny is in here. But who knows.
Jack is on his own and on the left in the group shot.

 

Jack Ridsdale is shown in the casualty lists as having died as the result of an accident. Casualty list is number 1969 for events reported 24/25 January 1946.

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discover...f119dae538&_phsrc=mmo1&_phstart=successSource

There is no surviving RA tracer card for Jack Ridsdale, but the card for the near number 872482 has an attestation date of 2.11.1937.

Travers

 

909198 J A NASH has a surviving tracer card, although it looks like it is a continuation card or replacement for a lost card as it does not cover 1945.


https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discover...09aba9ccb&_phsrc=zuM14&_phstart=successSource

He is not showing on the casualty lists.

Travers

 

Another member of this group has already posted a link to his findagrave entry that has a couple of photos taken by other contributors

I manage this grave entry and I will update it for Becci (who I presume is Rebecca that posted on the findagrave entry in 2020)

 

Yes that was probably me. I found photos of his grave a few years back. And my gran was able to visit his grave with he mother (Jack's wife) before she passed in the 80s

 

Cheers, my photo anyway

 

Hi,

Thanks for sharing the images.

Number 1 and 4 are the same photo - taken during the interwar years and in a horse drawn RA unit as the men are wearing spurs. Image 2 look to be taken in the U.K. and Image 3 in a “warmer climate” with his beret worn at a “jaunty” angle on the back of his head.

Steve

 

hE IS LISTED ON FMP casualty list as died as result of accident, his card attached says Chest injuries,