Pte
Galfrid Julian Riddle
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 22/08/1892 |
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Place of birth: Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America |
General information
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Last known residence: Grimsby, Ontario, Canada |
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Profession: Insurance Agent |
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Religion: Church of England |
Army information
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Country: Canada |
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Force: Canadian Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 850347 |
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Enlistment date: 28/03/1916 |
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Enlistment place: St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada |
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Units: — Canadian Infantry, 3rd Bn. (Toronto Regiment) (Last known unit) — 176th Battalion, 2nd Dragoons |
Information about death
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Date of death: 06/11/1917 |
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Place of death: Goudberg, Passchendaele, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 25 |
Cemetery
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Poelcapelle British Cemetery Plot: XI Row: D Grave: 5 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Galfrid was born on 22 August 1892 in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. He was the eldest son of the Reverend Albert J. Riddle and Mary, his wife, of Watford, Hertfordshire. He lived in the United States until 1911. When Galfrid enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force at St. Catharines, Ontario in March 1916 he lived in Grimsby, Ontario and stated to be an insurance agent. Galfrid arrived in France late September 1917 and was assigned to the Canadian Infantry, 3rd Battalion (Toronto Regiment), part of the 1st Brigade, of the 1st Canadian Division.
In October 1917, the 3rd Battalion moved to Flanders, where they were to take part in the Battle of Passchendaele. On a chilly morning on 6 November, the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions launched their attack on the Passchendaele heights. The barrage was extremely intense. To give the German machine guns as few shooting opportunities as possible, the infantry followed the barrage closely. The 1st Division on the left attacked with the 1st Brigade, which in turned deployed the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions. Before the Germans had fully recovered from the shelling, their positions were surrounded. Everyone knew his task. Assisted by light machine guns and mortars, the infantry got the job done. The 3rd Battalion (Toronto) on the left flank of the Brigade advanced on the Goudberg heights, north of Passchendaele. Especially machine gun fire from Vine Cottage in particular caused delays. After a short but fierce fight, the stronghold was taken. A counterattack was repulsed by artillery. The 3rd Battalion entered the battle with 691 men. On 8 November, it counted 240 casualties, a third of its strength: 64 killed, 154 wounded and 22 missing.
Galfrid, 25, was killed by a machine gun bullet on 6 November 1917. He was buried on the Goudberg. In October 1919 Galfrid was reinteered in Poelcapelle British Cemetery Plot: XI, Row: D, Grave: 5.
In October 1917, the 3rd Battalion moved to Flanders, where they were to take part in the Battle of Passchendaele. On a chilly morning on 6 November, the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions launched their attack on the Passchendaele heights. The barrage was extremely intense. To give the German machine guns as few shooting opportunities as possible, the infantry followed the barrage closely. The 1st Division on the left attacked with the 1st Brigade, which in turned deployed the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions. Before the Germans had fully recovered from the shelling, their positions were surrounded. Everyone knew his task. Assisted by light machine guns and mortars, the infantry got the job done. The 3rd Battalion (Toronto) on the left flank of the Brigade advanced on the Goudberg heights, north of Passchendaele. Especially machine gun fire from Vine Cottage in particular caused delays. After a short but fierce fight, the stronghold was taken. A counterattack was repulsed by artillery. The 3rd Battalion entered the battle with 691 men. On 8 November, it counted 240 casualties, a third of its strength: 64 killed, 154 wounded and 22 missing.
Galfrid, 25, was killed by a machine gun bullet on 6 November 1917. He was buried on the Goudberg. In October 1919 Galfrid was reinteered in Poelcapelle British Cemetery Plot: XI, Row: D, Grave: 5.
Sources 3
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Personnel Records of the First World War (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC) RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 8267 - 33). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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War diaries: 3rd Battalion Canadian Infantry (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4913, Microfilm reel number: T-10705, T-10705, File number: 353). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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War Graves Registers: Circumstances of Death (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG 150, 1992-93/314; Volume Number: 233). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/492025 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=984c1001-cb6f-4007-8491-05a656610df5 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/6078243 |
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The Canadian Virtual War Memorial https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/492025 |