James Ralph Ratcliffe, was born on the 31st of March 1913, and baptised on the 27th of April, that year, he was the son of James & Annie Ratcliffe, (nee Small), who had married on the 12th of October 1912 at St. Deniol’s Church, Hawarden. James Ratcliffe was 22, a bachelor living at 36, Kind Edward Street, and an Ironworker as was his father, James Ratcliffe. Annie Small, was 20 and a spinster, living at 27, Brook Road, Shotton, her father was Ralph Small also an ironworker. They married after Banns and their witnesses were Hugh Roberts & Jane Small.
I believe that James & Annie met when James. 19 and born in Bradley, Staffordshire, was living at Annie’s parent’s house at 27, Brook Road, Shotton and Annie, 18, born in Wenesbury (sic), Staffordshire was a Servant at 163, High Street, Connah’s Quay, the home of Richard Hardman Williams, and his young son Ralph Thomas, age 2 and 3 boarders, the Ham family. The Small family are interlinked with the Ratcliffe family and the Williams family. 2 cousins, related to the Small family were to lose their lives in WW2, James Ralph Ratcliffe and Joseph Hardman Williams, please click on the links above and see the census entries below.
I find the young couple with their family living at 26, Sealand Av., Garden City, Queensferry on the 1921 census, which was taken on the 19th of June 1921. Head of the household was James RADCLIFFE (sic), he was 30 years old, born in Staffordshire and a Shearer at Messrs J. Summers & Sons, Hawarden Bridge Steelworks, Shotton. His wife, Annie Radcliffe was also 30 years old and born in Staffordshire. Their children were William Radcliffe aged 6 years and 11 months old, Doris Radcliffe, 4 years old, Harold Radcliffe, 5 years and 7 months old and Annie Radcliffe, 1 year 3 months old, all born in Garden City, Queensferry. James Radcliffe was 8 years old, but born in Shotton, Flintshire.
I do not know anything about young James Ralph Ratcliffe’s early life or teen years, so if anyone can add to his story so he won’t be forgotten, please contact the website.
James Ralph Ratcliffe, met and married Ruth Elizabeth Lomax on the 4th of November 1933 at St. Mark’s Church, Connah’s Quay (Flintshire (Mold) C104/05/E5). James, 20, a bachelor and Steelworker lived at 2, Sealand Road, Sealand, his father was James Ratcliffe, Steelworker. Ruth Elizabeth Lomax was 19 and a Spinster, living at 25, Bryn Road, Connah’s Quay, her father was Joseph Lomax, Steelworker. They married after Banns. Their witnesses were Bertha Lomax and Harold John Ratcliffe.
We next see James & Annie on the 1939 National Register, which was taken on the 29th of September 1939, by which time they are living at No 2, Sealand Villas, Sealand Road, Hawarden, Flintshire. There is no sign of James Ralph, as according to the R.W.F. Enlistment Book (see below) he was in the 5th Bn of the R.W.F. and must have joined sometime after 1933. On the 28th November 1938 he was transferred to the 60th Anti-Tank Regt., Royal Artillery. T.A., so we know he was in the Services well before war was declared.
Going back to the 1939 National Register and the entry for the Ratcliffe family living at No. 2 Sealand Villas, this source tells us more information about the family. It gives the date of birth of James, (James Ralph’s father) as the 27th of September 1892 and he was an Electrician’s Labourer. Annie’s date of birth was the 2nd of March 1892 and as most women on this Register with no job, she is described as doing ”Unpaid Domestic Duties.“ A daughter, Mary Ratcliffe, at School was born on the 16th of June 1928. There are 3 other records but they are closed or redacted, so they may have been younger children, but this is not always the case on this Register.
On the same1939 Register taken on the 29th of September 1939, James Ralph’s young family are seen living at 17 Chester Close, Shotton, Flintshire. This source tells us that 25-year-old Ruth Elizabeth Ratcliffe had been born on the 20th of October 1914 and she, as said before, was doing “Domestic Duties Unpaid.” Her young daughter Ruth* had been born on the 25th of April 1934 and was “At school.” There is one redacted or closed record and that may have been another child born to James & Ruth, as I found a birth of a Harold J. Ratcliffe, with the mother’s maiden name of Lomax registered in the June quarter of 1936. The birth Certificate would have to be purchased to confirm or deny. (Flintshire (Mold)HAW/46A/72).
Young Ruth Ratcliffe’s was to marry on the 6th of September 1952 to Richard Bonner Hingeley.
To give an idea what James Ralph Ratcliffe endured, here are a few websites that might help you.
See – https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-two/war-in-north-africa/the-battle-of-el-alamein/
Also https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-el-alamein
http://nigelef.tripod.com/regtsumm.htm#atkregt
FIELD ARTILLERY FORMATIONS AND REGIMENTS OF THE ROYAL ARTILLERY IN WORLD WAR 2
The following tables list all AGRAs, and all types of field artillery and anti-tank regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Artillery, and the Air OP squadrons. The tables show the theatres they were in, major actions in those theatres and the formations that commanded them. They also show some of the lower level attachments of units, but do not generally include units that appear to have been ‘in support.
After the tables there are details about sources and abbreviations. Actions that resulted in a honour title being granted to a battery are shown as follows: Meiktila. When regiments changed their role, eg from field to medium, then they appear in the relevant table after the change. After each regimental table there is a summary about battery numbering
61 Anti-Tank Regt
TA
Of 51 Anti-Tank 1939
UK 1939-40 – 9 Inf Div
UK 1940-2 – 51 Inf Div
N Africa 1942-3 – 51 Inf Div
El Alamein 10/42 – 51 Inf Div
Sicily 1943 – 51 Inf Div
UK 1943-4 – 51 Inf Div
NW Europe 1944-5 – 51 Inf Div
Disbanded 1947
Regular batteries retained their numbers when they converted to anti-tank. TA batteries were sequentially numbered within regiments starting with 201 ATk Bty in 51 ATk Regt. These numbers appear to have continued into war formed units and regiments converted from infantry and yeomanry, although a few regiments had batteries numbered A – D. However, disbandments, reducing to three batteries and then increasing to four resulted in a certain amount of randomisation of battery numbers within regiments.
So James Ralph Ratcliffe was certainly in the Battle of El Alamein according to the above, but there is a mystery as his casualty Card states that he died “At Sea Unknown.” of Seminoma* .(Please see below). And if that is so, he may have been buries at sea, as he has no known grave and is remembered on the Alamein Memorial which commemorates 12.000 servicemen of the British Empire who died in the Western Desert campaigns of the Second World War including the Battle of El Alamein.
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seminoma
This same Memorial has the names of the men of B.O.A.C., who perished in the “SS Ceramic.” They were missing presumed lost after the sinking of the S.S. “Ceramic” between the 6th December and the 7th December 1942, age 26 years. Leonard Pratt who is remembered on the Hawarden War Memorial was on board that ship. Please click on the link to read his story. Two other couples from Deeside were also to be lost on the SS “Ceramic,” their tragic stories are on the website and can be seen by clicking the links as you read Leonard’s story.
The Casualty List (Page 12) At Sea. – Royal Artillery – 4193953 Ratciliffe J.R. W.S/Bdr Died 1/12/42.
James Ralph Ratcliffe in the England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966, 1973-1995 gives his Probate: –
RATCLIFFE, James Ralph of 17, Chester Close, Shotton, Flintshire died 1 December 1942 on war service. Probate Chester 12 November to James Ratcliffe, General Labourer.
As so many other widows had to do in this terrible time, Ruth Elizabeth Ratcliffe was left to pick up her life again, and she eventually remarried on the 26th of August 1961 at St. Ethelwold’s Church, Shotton, to Hugh McNeill, 43, a bachelor and Painter & Decorator, living at 15, Chester Close, Shotton, his father was William McNeill, Tea Blender (Deceased). Ruth Elizabeth Ratcliffe,46, Widow, Post Woman, living at 21, Chester Close, Shotton, her father was Joseph Edward Lomax Steelworker (Deceased). Witnesses were David McNeill & Edward James Ratcliffe.
I think that Ruth Elizabeth & Hugh McNeill met as they lived in the same street, they are seen on the 1939 National Register. Hugh is seen with one other McNeill entry that may have been his brother. Hugh was born on the 24th of December 1917, David McNeill was born on the 20th or the 29th of November 1909. They were living, probably as Boarders at No. 11 Chester Close and Ruth was living at No. 17. So they may have known each other for many years.
James Ralph was sadly missed by his young family and friends, they made sure that he would be remembered into perpetuity by adding his name to the WW2 War Memorial
