Ralph Cyril Stoddard
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Ralph Cyril was born on 25th October 1894 and was the only son of Ralph a head teacher and Apame Stoddard, née Stevens of Mundy Street, Heanor, Derbyshire.His father Ralph was born in 1868 in Grindon, Staffordshire, his mother Apame Stevens was born in 1871 in Coventry, Warwickshire. They were married on 24th December 1893 at Holy Trinity Church, Coventry. In the 1911 census the family are living at Mundy Street, Heanor and were shown as Ralph 43 yrs a head teacher in a secondary school , he is living with his wife Apame 40 yrs and their son Ralph Cyril 16 yrs an articled clerk to a solicitor. His probate which was proven on 6th September 1917 shows him as Ralph Cyril Stoddard of Mundy Street, Heanor, Second Lieutenant R F C, died on or since 3rd July 1916, his effects of £93 6 shillings and 8 pence were left to Ralph Stoddard a school master.
Second Lieutenant Ralph Cyril Stoddard, South Lancashire Regiment, attached 4 Squadron Royal Flying Corps, was killed in action on 3rd July 1916. He is commemorated on the Arras Flying Services Memorial.
Article published 12th July 1916 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “Flight-Lieutenant R. C. Stoddard.“Previously reported missing, news has now been received that Flight-Lieutenant Ralph Cyril Stoddard attached to the South Lancs., has been killed in combat with two hostile machines. The deceased officer, aged 21, was the only son of the head master of the Heanor Secondary School. Prior to receiving his commission in October, 1914, he was training for the law, serving his articles with Messrs. Wilson and Sons, solicitors, Alfreton.” Details about the circumstances of his death were given in an obituary that was published in 'Flight' magazine 20th July 1916 :- “Second Lieutenant RALPH CYRIL STODDARD, R.F.C., attached South Lancs. Regiment, who was previously reported missing, is now reported to have been killed on July 3rd in combat with two hostile machines. He was the only son of the Headmaster of the Heanor Secondary School, Derbyshire, and was 21 years old. Before receiving his commission in October, 1914, he was training for the law, serving his articles with Messrs. Wilson and Sons, solicitors, Alfreton. He passed the Intermediate Law Examination at the early age of 16½. His Squadron-Commander writes:— " He was engaged with two hostile machines over the enemy lines, and was seen by another machine, which went to his assistance, to fall from several thousand feet in a spinning nose-dive. His machine lies in the enemy's lines, and is so crumpled that no-one thinks there can be any hope of either him or his Observer being alive. I cannot tell you how great a loss he is to the squadron. He was exceedingly keen and as brave as a lion. Only two days ago he kept on worrying me to let him go bombing, and eventually I let him take a load of bombs to drop on hostile batteries which were worrying our infantry."Both above articles are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
