In Vailly British Cemetery, France is the Commonwealth War Grave of Captain Ronald Christie M.C., serving with the Army Service Corps attached Royal Garrison Artillery who died 12/04/1918.

He was the son of Frank and Gertrude Christie, of 5, Sinclair Gardens, West Kensington, London. He was born at Tynemouth, Northumberland.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

Ronald Christie was born January 30th 1896 in Greenwich, Kent. He was the eldest of 2 sons offspring of Frank Christie and Gertrude Fletcher.

His father Frank was the son of John Charles Denham Christie and his wife Alice Pond. Starting out in the iron trade John C. D. Christie made his fortune in the Dunbarton Iron Works and in banking in Lambeth, London, then worked for Brunel on the SS Great Eastern Railway. After settling in Greenwich he moved his family to Willington Quay joining the ship building firm of Thomas Adamson & Sons, his family by 1881 resided in Tynemouth where he was listed in the 1881 census as an iron ship builder.

Frank Christie who was born in the district of Tynemouth, Northumberland in 1869 was married at St. Alphege Anglican Church, Greenwich,Tuesday, June 26th 1894 to Gertrude Fletcher. Born in Gateshead, historically in County Durham in 1873, she was the daughter of Horatio Fletcher, a man of means and Ann Squire, they had lived in Greenwich for some time. After a reception hosted by the bride’s mother they left to honeymoon on the Continent.

In 1901 Frank Christie and his family were living at Percy Villas, Horsecroft Road, Hamel Hempstead but had transferred to Tynemouth, Northumberland, by the time their son Kennith was born, August 3rd 1908. In 1911 they occupied an 11 room residence at 5, Bath Terrace, Tynemouth. Frank Christie is listed as a coal exporter and employer. To assist his wife in the running of the household there was a cook/domestic servant and a nurse/housemaid who attended to the needs of Kennith (2), Ronald (15) was a scholar.

When Britain declared a state of war existed with Germany, August 4th 1914, men from all walks of life volunteered to serve their Country in answer to Kitchener’s call to arms and the order that all regiments raise new battalions. Despite his age of 44 years Frank Christie resident of 14, Percy Park Road, Tynemouth, enlisted in London, October 12th 1914 and was assigned to the newly formed 1st Sportsman Battalion Royal Fusiliers, then transferred to the 30th Battalion from whence he was discharged, June 28th 1916, under King’s Regulations 392 XIX, “no longer physically fit for war service,” “debility permanent, not a result or aggravated by military service”.

Ronald Christie who was 18 years of age had attended Oundle School in Worcestershire and had then served as an apprentice naval architect with Messrs. Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson Limited. Enlisted in 1914 Ronald was offered a commission. As 2nd Lieutenant he was mobilised, raised to the rank of Lieutenant, attached to the 50th Distribution Train and departed to France, April 19th 1915.

The 50th Divisional Train was attached to the 50th Division which crossed into Belgium and without any nursery training saw action during the 2nd Battle of Ypres, April 22nd-May 25th 1915, held the line during June and spent the winter of 1915 in the trenches of the Ypres salient. The Division Train during this time was responsible for the transport of ammunition, water, food, equipment and maintenance.

In 1916 Lieutenant Christie was transferred to the Royal Army Service Corp (MT) Mechanical Transport and appointed Adjutant Army Service Corp, July 7th 1917.  During 1917 he was awarded the Military Cross for, “act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active service against the enemy on land.” Raised to the rank of Lieutenant/Acting Captain he was attached to the 9th Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery.

Lieutenant/Acting Captain Ronald Christie, Army Service Corps died of wounds April 12th 1918 (concentration documents), the Register of Soldiers Effects states 12th to 13th April 1918  the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has adopted April 12th 1918. His death occurred at a hospital only ever referred to as H.O.E. 18 Vasseny, he was buried in Vasseny French Military Cemetery, Soissons, map reference 291. 8 x 192. 3.  near the road to Couvrelles. A cross erected on his grave stated Hosp. Plaque No.364.

As the administrator of her late son’s Will, Gertrude Christie received all monies due to him from the Army, his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. The personal assets of Ronald Christie, resident of 14, Percy Park Road, Tynemouth, Northumberland in the sum of 439 pounds  2 shillings 5 pence (with Will), August 10th 1918, were assigned to his mother Gertrude Christie.

After the Armistice of November 11th 1918 at the request of the French and Belgian Governments the clearing of the battlefields began. Isolated graves and small concentrations were brought into larger cemeteries for reburial. The body of Lieutenant/Acting Captain Christie was the only British soldier buried in Vasseny French Military Cemetery and recorded for official purposes November 23rd 1920.

His family were informed of the necessity that his body be exhumed and assured this would be undertaken with all honour and reverence in the presence of an Army Chaplain. The remains of Lieutenant/Acting Captain Christie were brought into the newly formed Vailly British Cemetery in the small town of Vailly-sur-Aisne, Aisne, France, May 8th 1923, where he is at rest grave, IV. A. 18. At the time of his demise in 1918 Lieutenant/Acting Captain Ronald Christie was 22 years of age and single. The C.W.G.C. has recorded his details with the full rank of Captain.

Mr. & Mrs Christie were also associated with the address of 5, Sinclair Gardens, Shepherd’s Bush, London, W14. Gertrude Christie nee Fletcher died in the district of Hammersmith, London, in 1938, her widower Frank Christie in the district of Islington London, in 1958, Ronald’s brother Kennith Christie in Lambeth, Greater London in 1988.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

Ronald Christie is remembered at Tynemouth on T36.01, in T36.14 page 7, T36.17, at Wallsend on W7.09 and W7.23 and in North Shields on N34.77 Panel 47.