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Basil White Ridley (1887-1969)


Architect who commanded 29th DLI awarded MC and DSO


Basil White Ridley, the son of William and Mary Louisa Ridley, was born in Wandsworth, Surrey on 13 March 1887. He had two brothers and four sisters and lived in Surrey until he joined the army. In 1911 he was working as an architect’s assistant at Caroe and Passmore, a firm of ecclesiastical architects, along with his twin brother, Geoffrey William.

After the outbreak of war Basil was commissioned as a temporary 2nd lieutenant in the 7th Battalion South Lancashire (Prince of Wales’s Own) Regiment on 12 September 1914. On 19 December 1914 he was promoted to temporary lieutenant and to temporary captain on 17 April 1915. He landed in France with his battalion on 18 July 1915 and was appointed Adjutant in October 1916 until he was promoted to temporary major in July 1917. He was mentioned in despatches on 9 July 1917 and won the Military Cross (MC) the following month.

On 23 March 1918 Basil married Frida Bertha Gutknecht in Lausanne, Switzerland and they had two children. He was transferred to the 29th Battalion Durham Light Infantry on 1 July 1918, shortly after its formation, and was appointed temporary lieutenant-colonel in command on 8 August. In October the battalion was involved in heavy fighting during the crossing of the Loos River and he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). At some time he must have served in Italy as he was awarded the Silver Medal for Military Valour. He was mentioned in despatches again on 4 January 1919 and on 13 June 1919 he relinquished his commission on completion of service, retaining the rank of lieutenant-colonel and returned to London, practising as an architect.

In 1925 he and his twin brother, Geoffrey, were partners in J Mathews, Douglass and Ridley, a firm of architects in Paternoster Square, London and they were still with the firm in 1934. However by 1938 Basil and Frida had moved to Plumpton, near Lewes, in East Sussex and he had taken up farming. By the end of the Second World War the family had moved to Bedfordshire and Basil died there in 1969.

Birth date: 13-Mar-1887

Death date: 22-Dec-1969

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: ‘Chester House’, Mount Ephraim Road, Streatham, Surrey (1891 census)
‘Hazelglen’, Sanderstead Road, Sanderstead, Surrey (1911 census)
149 Hubert Grove, Stockwell, Surrey (London, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1965)
‘The Shieling’, Begwary, Bedford, Bedfordshire (Bedfordshire, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1986)

Education: Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey

Organisation membership: A.R.I.B.A.

Employment: Architect’s assistant (1911 census)
Architect (Partner in J Douglas Mathews, Son & Ridley)

Family: Father: William Ridley
Mother: Mary Louisa Ridley (nee Waller)
Siblings: Winifred Mary, Dora Florence, William Shafto (Died in infancy), Mabel Alice, Maud Shafto, Muriel Elaenor & Geoffrey William Shafto O.B.E. (Twin brother, Capt. Royal Sussex Regt.)
Wife: Frida Bertha Ridley (nee Gutknecht)
Children: Phillip Waller & Clarissa M E Ridley

Military service:

7th Battalion South Lancashire (The Prince of Wales's Own) Regiment
29th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
Lieutenant-Colonel

Medal(s): Distinguished Service Order
Military Cross
Mentioned in Despatches (2)
1914-1915 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Italian Silver Medal for Valour

Gender: Male

Contributed by John Edwards


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