No.200252, Private, Ralph WESTLEY
Aged 24
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Ralph Westley was born in Fordham in 1893, (Newmarket Q2-1893 3B:551), son of Edgar and Mary WESTLEY(née TWEED),
1901 census...Aged 8, he was at Lime Kiln Lodge, Bury Road, Snailwell with his father Edgar WESTLEY [42] gamekeeper, born Chippenham; his mother Mary [37] born Cheveley; sisters Phoebe [15] born Chippenham, Maggie [5] and Edith [3] born Fordham and Alice [1] born Snailwell, and brother Edgar [13] born in Moulton 1911 census...Aged 17, a farm labourer, he was at Philadelphia Farm, Snailwell with his parents, sisters Phoebe, Edith and Alice, and brothers Edgar (farm labourer), Stanley [9] born Snailwell and Henry Edwin [5] born Kentford. His mother had lost one child, believed to be another Ralph, born and died in 1891. His elder brother Edgar was killed in action in France in 1918. see here |
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Some confusion here: He enlisted in Batley and was born in London according to "Soldiers Died" (there is just this one Westley in the KOYLI died on CWGC records) and Ralph is on the memorial as being with KOYLI). This soldier here however has his mother recorded as Polly. The pension card however clearly identifies this soldier as the Snailwell man He must have been originally in another battalion, since he was in France by December 1914 and the 10th Battalion did not go overseas until September 1915 only the 2nd Battalion were in France that early. It seems unusual that enlisting in September ( by his war gratuity) that he would have shipped to France so quickly, regulars and Reservist in the 2nd Battalion would normally have gone over in August 10th Battalion KOYLI, is recorded as being between Polygon Wood and Routel Village on 4th October 1917, when they lost 82 killed, only 12 having identified graves. With no Army records found and his dying of his wounds, there is no way of being sure when or where Ralph was wounded especially as he has no known grave. |
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