Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Grave: | Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux | I. L. 16. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.125 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 40A GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | Distinguished Service Order | ||
Family :
Son of John and Anne Hedley husband of Ada Marie Hedley of Westgate House Hornsea East Yorks.Education & Career :
Lieutenant Colonel John Ralph HEDLEY DSO
Northumberland Fusiliers
6th Battalion (Territorial)
Commanding Border Regiment 5th Battalion
The Son of John Hedley and Anne Hedley (nee Bainbridge) he was born on the 21st March 1871.
Educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
He enlisted into the Northumberland Fusiliers in January 1901; Major 1912; Lieutenant Colonel 11th November 1915.
He was an Auctioneer of Eshott Hall, Felton, Northumberland with a business address at 71 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle on Tyne.
He was Initiated into Percy Lodge, No 1427, Province of Northumberland on the 18th January 1898 aged 26 years when his address was given as 6 Market Street, Newcastle on Tyne; Passed 15th March 1898 and Raised on the 20th September 1898. He was the Worshipful Master in 1903.
He was a Joining Member of Victoria Commemoration Reserve Forces Lodge No 2666, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Province of Northumberland on the 15th February 1906 resigning on 30th September 1911 and also a Joining Member of Humber Installed Masters’ Lodge No 2494 Hull, Province of Yorkshire North and East Ridings on the 6th March 1914.
He was the husband of Ada Marie Hedley of Westgate House, Hornsea, East Yorkshire. He was awarded the DSO on the 3rd June 1916, was killed in action on the 15th July 1917 aged 46. He is buried in Bacquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux, Pas De Calais, France, Grave Reference I.L.16.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 5th Battalion Border Regiment |
1/5th (Cumberland) Battalion August 1914 : in Carlisle. Army Troops attached to East Lancashire Division. Moved to Barrow. 26 October 1914 : landed at Le Havre and attached to Lines of Communication. [Official History of the war mentions attachment to Jullundur Brigade in Lahore Division]. 5 May 1915 : attached to 149th Brigade in 50th (Northumbrian) Division. 20 December 1915 : transferred to 151st Brigade in same Division. 12 February 1918 : transferred to as Pioneer Bn to 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division. 7 May 1918 : transferred to 97th Brigade in 32nd Division and absorbed the cadre of the regiment's 11th Battalion (Lonsdale). |
| Action : France & Flanders |
France & Flanders covers all the dates and corresponding locations which are outside the official battle nomenclature dates on the Western Front. Therefore the actions in which these men died could be considered 'normal' trench duty - the daily attrition losses which were an everyday fact of duty on the Western Front.
Detail :
Awarded the DSO whilst a Major in Northumberland Fusiliers (June 1916)
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Percy No. 1427 E.C. | Northumberland |
| Joined : | Reserve Forces Lodge of Northumbria No. 2666 E.C. | Northumberland |
| Joined : | Humber Installed Masters No. 2494 E.C. | Yorkshire (North & East Ridings) |
| Joined : | Alexandra No. 1511 E.C. | Yorkshire (North & East Ridings) |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
18th January 1898 | 15th March 1898 | 20th September 1898 |
Joined Victoria Commemoration Reserve Forces Lodge No. 2666 on 15th February 1906 and also the Humber Installed Masters Lodge No. 2494 on 6th March 1914.
Past Master
In the 1933 scroll he is listed as a Lt. Col. with a DSO so more than likely the same person, however there appears to be no corresponding entry in the contribution record for Alexandra Lodge (there is one for John Herbert Hedley but no connection).
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley