Arthur Preshous RYDER

30 October 1914

ADDINGHAM SOLDIER KILLED IN ACTION

Mrs. J.T. Robinson, of Low Mill, Addingham, received a communication on Friday from York (headquarters of his regiment) that her brother, Private Arthur Ryder, 2nd Battalion West Riding Regiment, had been reported killed in action in France on August 23rd. The last they heard from him was a post card received on August 17th, saying he was happy, but owing to not having heard from him since, Mrs. Robinson decided to write to the War Office, and she received the above statement. Private Ryder was 19 years old, and had been in the Army three years. He must have been only three days in France before meeting his death. He was one of five brothers serving the Colours, his youngest brother, who is a bugler, being only 15 years old. He was an orphan and was brought up by Mrs. Robinson.

24 December 1915

CRAVEN’S ROLL OF HONOUR –ADDINGHAM

Pte. A.P. Ryder, 2nd Battalion West Riding Regiment, killed in action in France, August 23rd 1914, aged 19 years. Brother of Mrs. J T. Robinson, Low Mill Street, Addingham.

14 April 1916

TO THE MEMORY OF ADDINGHAM COMRADES

The following lines have been written by Corpl. Sylvester Selby, R.E., of the British Expeditionary Force, France.

“To the memory of our dear comrades from Addingham who fought so valiantly, and died so nobly in the sacred cause of freedom, justice, and liberty.”

We shall meet our loved ones gone some sweet day bye and bye.
Be ye not weary in well doing, for in due season ye shall reap, if ye faint not.
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more sorrow, neither death.”

LOVED ONES GONE

Have they gone for ever, from us,
Shall we never see them more,
Never catch the gleam of sunshine
As they did in days of yore?

Why have they been taken from us
In the fullness of their youth,
When all earth seemed full of gladness
To young hearts all full of life?

Dragged from home, and friends, and loved ones,
In far distant lands to fight
For the glory of old England,
And for honour, and for right!

On the burning plains of Egypt,
On the muddy fields of France,
On the watery bogs of Flanders,
British boys have done their part.

Done it nobly, never murmuring,
In the cause of freedom’s right,
Battles, of most bloody nature.
They have fought with gallant hearts.

Men of England! Men of Empire!
Rise in this our common cause!
Come, and smite this haughty tyrant,
That he may no more defile
Heaven’s good gifts and mankind’s God.

As we march along the country
And the devastation see,
Ruined churches, shattered houses,
Graves, with little crosses fixed.

Make us cry “O God, in Heaven,
Let us of Thy vengeance see;
Give us strength that we may carry
Justice right to victory.

Men of England! Men of Empire!
Come and help us in the strife;
Help to win a glorious victory
For the weak and for the right.

Onward, ever always onward,
Till the common task is done,
Till to those who have so suffered
In the cause of freedom’s right
Have been surely liberated
From the thraldom of his might,
Till for brothers, gone before us,
He has paid a fearful toll.

Shall we ever more behold them
In that told-of spirit land?
Where they say there is no sorrow,
Neither death shall be no more?

Let us each be all the stronger
In the hope of such great gain,
Let us carry on our labour,
Sure we’ll meet our friends again.

Corporal Sylvester Selby, R.E.
France, April 8th, 1916.

05 May 1916

DEATH OF AN ADDINGHAM SOLDIER PRESUMED

Mrs. J. T. Robinson, Low Mill Lane, Addingham, has received the following communication from the Rifle Record Office at Winchester, in respect to her brother, Rifleman Frederick Ryder, of the 2nd Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps, who has been missing since May 5th, 1915:–

“Madam, – It is my painful duty to inform you that no further news having been received relative to No. 9268 Rifleman Frederick Ryder, who has been missing since May 5th, 1915, the Army Council have been regretfully constrained to conclude that he is dead. His death took place on May 5th 1915 (or since). I am to express to you the sympathy of the Army Council with you in your loss”

Rifleman Ryder was a single man, 26 years of age. He had served in the Army nearly seven years, and his time would have expired in February last. He was one of five brothers all serving their King and Country. He lost a brother, Arthur Ryder, early in the war.

03 May 1918

CRAVEN AND THE WAR

Addingham Casualties

Mrs. J.T. Robinson, of Low Mill, Addingham, has received a letter from her son Joe, who is in hospital at Woolwich, in which he says it is a good thing he got through alive. He got two pieces of shrapnel in the thigh. Robinson is 19 years of age, and joined up in April, 1917, and had only been at the front a fortnight. Mrs. Robinson’s younger brother, Gunner Norman Ryder, writes her to say he is in hospital in France suffering from shell shock received during the heavy bombardment on the 11th, and he says he is going on fairly well. Gunner Ryder is one of five brothers who joined up, two having been killed and the others have all been on the casualty list.

[The two soldiers mentioned as having been killed are Pte. Arthur P. Ryder and Rflmn. Frederick Ryder.]