Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Several entries and memorial inscriptions for this soldier give his name as Jones C. (Christopher) as he must have been known by his stepfather’s surname, however, he enlisted under his true name of Christopher Fothergill Ridley and is recognised as such in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s list of casualties of the Great War 1914-1919.
Christopher Fothergill Ridley was born 1896 in Coundon Grange, County Durham, the only son of Edward Ridley and Annie Fothergill, natives of Bishop Auckland. They were married June 16th 1894 in the district of Bishop Auckland. Christopher’s father abandoned his wife and son, Christopher in 1901 was living with his step-grandfather John Heslop and grandmother Annie, nee Fothergill, at 26 Wesley Street, Coundon Grange along with his aunts Mary and Ada Fothergill. His mother Annie is listed as a visitor with Edward and Elizabeth Jones at 7 West Row, Eldon, Bishop Auckland, entered in the census as, “deserted wife”. June 1904 Annie remarried, under the surname of Fothergill, in Bishop Auckland, to David Jones born 1867 in Cardiff, Cardiganshire, Wales, (he was not the son of Edward Jones). David worked as a hewer, Christopher, at the age of 14 was employed as a horse driver, taking the tubs from the face to the shaft, they lived in at Western, Bishop Auckland.
Christopher Fothergill Ridley enlisted in Bishop Auckland September 7th 1914, when he was barely 18 years old, declaring himself to be a plate layer. He was assigned the rank of Private 8761 4th Battalion Durham Light Infantry as a reserve for a period of 6 years. On mobilisation they were deployed to the Tyne Defences, moved in the December to Killingworth and on to Forest Hall. It was here that Christopher was inoculated in preparation for his departure to the front, via Folkestone, August 16th 1916, as part of the British Expeditionary Force, now transferred to the 10th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, 43rd Brigade, 14th Division, with the rank of Corporal. He was wounded by gun shot September 2nd 1916 during the final days of the Battle of Delville Wood and was taken to the 43rd Field Ambulance returning to duty in the field the following day. The 10th battalion next saw action during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette September 15-22nd 1916. Corporal Christopher Fothergill Ridley 8761 Durham Light Infantry was killed in action September 29th 1916 and buried on the battlefield, his grave marked with a cross and his military details. March 27th 1920 a letter was sent to his mother at 13 South View, Windlestone, Ferryhill from the No.1 Infantry Records Office in York, stating that, “it has been necessary to exhume the remains of the late 8761 Corpl. C. Ridley, 10th Battalion, D. L. I.. for proper burial at Blangy Military Cemetery near Arras, 1 mile east of Arras”, and that the new grave was, “marked with a cross”, and was, “conducted with every measure of care and reverence, and the re-interment conducted by an Army Chaplain”. Blangy Cemetery was not to be the final resting place of Corporal Christopher Ridley as April 24th 1924 he was once again exhumed and became one of 7000 graves concentrated from 100 cemeteries in the area brought in to Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, Pas de Calais, France, 4 kilometres north of Arras, grave XVII. L. 13.
Christopher was aged 19 and single at the time of his death in 1916. There was no will found in his pay book, therefore, his mother became the sole beneficiary of monies owed to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Christopher Ridley (Jones) is remembered at Chilton on C107.04, C107.12 and C107.14 (Darlington D40.039)
