Charles Parker Ridley C.B. (1855 - 1937)

Ancestors

Husband of Edyth Hamilton (Cole) Ridley — married 14 Aug 1879 in London, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Helena Mary (Griffin) Ridley — married 11 Aug 1928 in St. Giles, London, England

Died 9 Feb 1937 at age 81 in England, United Kingdom

Biography

Colonel Charles Parker. Soldier. Born 12 May 1855; entered the British Army 1873; served in Egypt, the Miranzai Expedition and in the Anglo-Boer War.

Entered 1873; Brevet Colonel, 1899. Staff service: Station Commandant, South Africa, 1899; AAG (Assistant Inspector General Lines of Communication), South Africa, 1899-1900; Brigade General Mounted Infantry Brigade, South Africa, February 1900. War service: Egyptian Expedition 1882 (medal; bronze star); Miranzai Expedition 1891 (medal with clasp); Boer War, 1899-1900; on Staff.

His first marriage in 1879 was at St Thomas's Church, Regent St, London. He was with the 86th or 88th Regiment.

In 1884 he was serving in India as his daughter was born there.

In March 1900 he was Col in charge of a the 4th Brigade of Mounted Infantry and was under General Ian Hamilton in South Africa.

In July 1900 Charles commanded a mounted infantry column as a Brigadier-General which was chasing the elusive Boer general, Christiaan de Wet. Near Vredefort, on the morning of 24 July, the rear of de Wet’s column was attacked by a number of Ridley’s troops. Instead of fleeing, de Wet and his men turned and attacked with such ferocity that the men were twice forced to pull back. When a bugler rose to sound retreat on the second occasion he was wounded in the abdomen. Captain Neville Reginald Howse was an Australian Medical Officer attached to Ridley's column. Howse rescued and operated on a wonded bugler duirng the attack and was awarded a VC for his actions. He remains the only Australian medical officer to receive a VC. The citation for the award reads: ‘During the action at Vredefort on the 24th July, 1900, Captain House (sic) went out under a heavy cross fire and picked up a wounded man, and carried him to place of shelter.’

He acheived the rank fo Col with the Manchester Regiment.

In 1900 he was appointed Companion, Order of the Bath.

On 8/2/1901 he was Mentioned in Despatches by Field Marshall Roberts.

"Colonel C. P. Ridley, Commanding 4th Brigade Mounted Infantry, performed conspicuous service when the enemy attacked the convoy under his charge on the 15th February, and on other occasions subsequently."

Sources

• https://books.google.co.za/books?id=T0sOQOBGCwMC&pg=PA374&lpg=PA374&dq=Charles+Parker+Ridley&source=bl&ots=GbqrozYNr7&sig=v3HEfFb0h2y17B1Yrqf5eBjCo_I&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fENTVf_jJoblUqiXgJAK&ved=0CDUQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=Charles%20Parker%20Ridley&f=false
• Anglo Boer War. https://www.angloboerwar.com/name-search
• The Peerage. https://thepeerage.com/p68141.htm#i681406
• Anglo Boer War. Marshall's Horse. https://www.angloboerwar.com/?option=com_content&view=article&id=704
• Capt Neville Reginald Howse V.C. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C136147
• London Gazette 8/2/1901. Pages 847. https://www.angloboerwar.com/images/pdf/LG19010208wf.pdf

See also:

• 'Martin-Leake, Double VC' by Ann Clayton