William Henry Ridgard
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
William Henry Ridgard was born in 1871 in Lenton, Nottingham and may well have been the oldest of the Woodborough soldiers who went to war and did not return. According to the 1901 census he was aged 30 years making him 44 years old when he was killed. It is understood that he also served in the Boer War (1899 -1902). He lived on Church Walk with his wife Lily and in the 1901 census is recorded as having a son called William aged 10 years. He is also listed in the 1911 census as being a hairdresser and photographer but it is thought he had a number of other occupations, namely Newsagent and Assistant Brewer at the Nags Head. It also states that he and Lily had 5 children , sadly however 4 died in infancy prior to 1911.
William was the first Woodborough man to be killed in the war and as he died during the early stages of the war, it may be assumed that he was a volunteer. He enlisted at Epperstone, probably at the Cross Keys Public House which was used as a recruitment station. It also seems likely that he volunteered at the same time as his fellow villager, Arthur Spencer as their service numbers have only three digits between them. Both men joined 1/8 Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derbys) Regiment, and this was to eventually take them to Flanders in April 1915. The 1/8 Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derbys) Regiment were serving on the Kemmel Sector of the Ypres Salient. The exact circumstances leading to William's death are not known. However, it is recorded in the Battalion’s diary that on 7 May 1915, "Lance Corporal Ridgard died of wounds - head". It is very unusual that his name was actually recorded in the diary as normally if was only officers who were mentioned. William is buried in Loker churchyard in the British extension of the civilian cemetery. Loker is a small farming community situated in gently undulating countryside, not unlike that of Woodborough
The caption on his photo published on 31st May 1915 states he was shot by a sniper whilst constructing a dugout.
