Selected Biographies

Ringer, Frederick ‘John’ – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 27.10.1880.[1]  Parents: William Ringer (Bricklayer’s Labourer) and Adelaide [née Boreham].  Family Connections: Father to Thomas Warnford Frederick Ringer [b1915] and stepfather of Edward Victor George Dare [b1901]; also, brother of William Ringer [b1872] and Samuel Charles Ringer [b1878] and brother-in-law of Thomas Dare [b1869].  Home: Liston Lane, Long Melford (1881 to 1901), Chapel Green, Long Melford (1911), Little St Marys, Long Melford (1921), 2 Bull Lane, Long Melford (1939).[2]  Occupation: Iron Moulder’s Labourer (1901 and 1911), General Labourer (1939).  Married: Alice Elizabeth Dare in 1906.  Service Record: John is recorded as a ‘Soldier’ [unit unknown] at the baptism of his son Thomas in September 1915.[3]  Although no definitive military record has been found, he may be the F. J. Ringer who enlisted as Pte.15554 with 6^th [Service] Battalion, King’s [Royal Lancaster] Regiment and was posted to Gallipoli from 8.9.1915 as part of 38^th Brigade, 13^th [Western] Division.  If this assumption is the correct, he was later transferred as Cpl.308471 to the Royal Tank Corps.[4]  During the Second World War John was a member of the Local Defence Volunteers in Long Melford, being part of ‘H’ Company, 10^th Battalion, Suffolk Home Guard when it was formed in August 1942.  His name is recorded in the official tribute to the organization entitled The Lion Roared his Defiance, photographed in and around Long Melford in 1944.[5]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1956.

Ringer, Samuel ‘Charles’ – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 31.3.1878.[6]  Parents: William Ringer (Bricklayer’s Labourer) and Adelaide [née Boreham].  Family Connections: Brother to William Ringer [b1872] and Frederick John Ringer [b1880]; also, father-in-law of Reginald Albert Deeks [b1909], uncle of Thomas Warnford Frederick Ringer [b1915], and brother-in-law of Arthur Thomas East [b1885].  Home: Liston Lane, Long Melford (1881 to 1901), Little St Marys, Long Melford [1914 to 1919].[7]  Occupation: Foundry Labourer (1901 and 1911).  Married: Florence ‘Florrie’ East (Horsehair Weaver) in 1898.  Service Record: Before 1914 Charles served for 12 years as a member of ‘C’ Company, 2^nd [Volunteer] Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, and 3 years with the East Anglian Division of the Army Service Corps.  Samuel enlisted on 17.11.1914 as Pte.2742 with ‘D’ Company, 1/5^th Battalion, Suffolks and was posted to Suvla Bay, Gallipoli from 10.8.1915 as part of 163^rd Brigade, 54^th [East Anglian] Division, where he served alongside his brother William throughout the campaign.  Within hours of landing their unit they were moved forward into frontline trenches on the south face of a steep and rocky hill called Karakol Dagh.  At dawn two days later the Suffolks and the three other untested battalions of 163^rd Brigade were ordered to secure the heights to the east.  Advancing nearly a mile through a hail of Turkish artillery and machine gun fire, by the end of the day the enemy had been held at bay and a secure forward defence line established.  When the brothers and their comrades were finally relieved by fresh troops after three gruelling days, they were found in a sorry state, having baked under the searing heat they had run desperately short of drinking water and been plagued by swarms of flies attracted by the dead and dying around them. When the Roll was called it was found the Suffolks alone had lost 186 men either dead or wounded with a further 150 laid low by dysentery.  After four months of grinding stalemate the British Government decided to evacuate all Allied troops to Egypt, taking up positions guarding the Suez Canal.  On 1.9.1916 Charles was transferred to 4^th [Reserve] Battalion, Suffolks before moving to a variety of other units as follows: on 30.6.1917 as Pte.256773 to the Labour Corps; 21.6.1918 to 14^th [Service] Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment; 16.7.1918 to 15^th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment and finally as Pte.90792 to N^o. 311 Protection Company, Royal Defence Corps on 31.10.1918.  His service ended in March 1919 when he was issued with a Silver War Badge and discharged due to sickness.[8]  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1935.

Ringer, Thomas Warnford Frederick – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 6.8.1915.[9]  Parents: Frederick John Ringer [see above for details] and Alice Elizabeth [née Dare].  Family Connections: Half-brother to Edward George Victor Dare [b1901]; also, nephew of William Ringer [b1872], Charles Ringer [b1878] and Frederick John Ringer [b1880].  Home: Little St Marys, Long Melford (1921), 2 Bull Lane, Long Melford (1939).  Occupation: General Labourer (1939).  Married: Margaret Sylvia Mary Adams in 1940.   Service Record: Thomas was a member of the Local Defence Volunteers in Long Melford, being part of ‘H’ Company, 10^th Battalion, Suffolk Home Guard when it was formed in August 1942.  His name is recorded in the official tribute to the organization entitled The Lion Roared his Defiance, photographed in and around Long Melford in 1944.[10]  Died: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in 1983.

Ringer, William – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 29.4.1872.[11]  Parents: William Ringer (Bricklayer’s Labourer) and Adelaide [née Boreham].  Family Connections: Brother to Samuel Charles Ringer [b1878] and Frederick John Ringer [b1880]; also, father-in-law of Arthur Robert Raynham Clover [b1896] and brother-in-law of Basil Louis Anthony [b1888].  Home: Liston Lane, Long Melford (1881 and 1891), St Catherines Road, Long Melford (1901 to 1939).  Occupation: Coconut Mat Trimmer (1891 to 1911), Agricultural Labourer for Charles Westropp of Melford Place Farm (1921 to 1939).  Married: Ellen Maria East in 1900.  Service Record: In 1908 William volunteered as Pte.25 in ‘D’ Company, with 5^th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment [Territorial].  At the outbreak of hostilities his unit was reformed as 1/5^th Battalion, Suffolks and posted to Suvla Bay, Gallipoli from 10.8.1915, as part of 163^rd Brigade, 54^th [East Anglian] Division, where he served alongside his brother Charles throughout the campaign.[12]  In December 1915 his unit was evacuated to Egypt, where much of the following year was spent in guarding the Suez Canal against possible attack by the Ottoman Turks.[13]  On 11.2.1917 he transferred to 1^st [Garrison] Battalion, Devonshire Regiment before moving as Pte.255119 to 431^st Agricultural Company, Labour Corps on 25.4.1917.  He was issued with a Silver War Badge and discharged in January 1919, due to sickness.[14]  Died: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in 1958.

Related Biographies

Anthony, Basil Louis – Born: Bromley, Kent on 17.5.1888.[15]  Parents: Louis William Anthony (Builder’s Foreman) and Rose Minnie [née French].  Family Connections: Brother-in-law of William Ringer [b1872], Samuel Charles Ringer [b1878] and Frederick John Ringer [b1880] all from Long Melford.  Home: 1 Havelock Road, Bromley, Kent (1891), 90 Masons Hill, Bromley (1901), Connaught Barracks, Rawalpindi, Punjab, India (1911), St Catherines Road, Long Melford (1921), 47 West Street, Erith, Kent [1927 to 1939].[16]  Occupation: Fitter’s Mate [1909], Bricklayer’s Labourer (1921), Packer at an Electrical Cable Works (1939).  Married: Edith Jessie Ringer in 1916.  Although still married to Edith he appears to be living as man and wife with a Cecilia Catherine from as early as 1929.  Service Record: Basil enlisted in 1909 as Pte.9064 with 1^st Battalion, The Prince of Wales’s Own [West Yorkshire Regiment], being stationed in India in March 1911, and then transferring in December to ‘H’ Company, 2^nd Battalion West Yorks.  He was sent France with his unit, returning to England in December 1914 after only two months at the Front.  On 22.1.1916 he was transferred as Pte.11271 to the 195^th Company, Machine Gun Corps, posted to the Western Front from 12.12.1916 as part of 25^th Division and seeing action at the Battles of Messines and Pilkem in 1917.  By the time of his discharge in 1921 he had been issued with a new regimental number as Dvr.7807462 with 25^th Battery MGC.[17]  Died: Dartford, Kent in 1946.

Clover, Arthur Robert Raynham – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 25.5.1896.[18]  Parents: Robert Raynham Clover (Moulder at Ward’s Iron Foundry) and Elizabeth Ellen Phoebe [née Lineham].  Family Connections: Brother to Harry John Raynham Clover [b1894] and son-in-law of William Ringer [b1872].  Home: St Catherines Road, Long Melford (1901 to 1921), 6 Star Cottages, St Catherines Road, Long Melford [1928 to 1968].  Occupation: Carpenter’s Apprentice (1911), Joiner [1915], Picture-Frame Maker [1920], out of work Carpenter (1921), Joiner [1937], Woodworker and Picture-Framer (1939).  Married: Mabel Ringer in 1927.  Service Record: Arthur enlisted as Pte.21319 with ‘D’ Coy, 10^th [Service] Battalion, Essex Regiment.  He was posted to France with 12^th [Reserve] Battalion, Essex Regiment from 31.12.1915 to 1.8.1916, transferring to 13^th [Service] Battalion, (West Ham Pals) Essex Regiment on 23.6.1916.  Briefly returning to England he was he returned to the Western Front on 11.1.1917, re-joining 10^th Essex, as part of 53^rd Brigade, 18^th Division.  On 22.10.1917 his unit was subjected to concentrated enemy shelling with gas and high explosive near the village of Poelcappelle in Belgium, causing Arthur and many of his comrade’s life-changing injuries.[19]  After lying blinded and in pain overnight, he was taken by field ambulance to the Casualty Clearing Station at Lozinghem forty-five bumpy and uncomfortable miles from the Front.  Suffering from the severe effects of mustard gas poisoning he was transferred several days later to the American run Base Hospital at Camiers, near the coastal port of Boulogne.  It was not until the beginning of November that he was transferred by hospital ship to England and on to the Military Hospital in Sheffield for long-term care.  Although the damage to his lungs slowly improved, his vision never recovered, leaving him permanently blind.  He remained hospitalised for a further year.  With the help of St Dunstan’s Home for blinded ex-servicemen he was retrained as a picture-framer, which provided him with a livelihood for much of his later life.  He was issued with a Silver War Badge and discharged on 18.12.1918.[20]  Arthur remained active in the community and in 1922 is recorded as a committee member of the Long Melford Ex-Service Men’s Club.  Died: Sudbury, Suffolk in 1968.

Dare, Edward Victor George – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 7.4.1901.  Parent: Alice Elizabeth Dare.  Family Connections: Stepson of Frederick John Rising [b1880] and half-brother of Thomas Warnford Frederick Ringer [b1915]; also, nephew of Thomas Dare [b1869].  Home: Chapel Green, Long Melford (1911), St Marys Street, Long Melford (1921).  Occupation: Porter for the Great Eastern Railway at Hythe in Essex (1921), General Labourer [1928].  Service Record: Edward enlisted in February 1926 as Gnr.770895 with the Royal Artillery, transferring to the Army Reserve in June 23.6.1941.[21]  Died: Poole, Dorset in 1985.

Deeks, Reginald Albert – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 14.7.1909.[22]  Parents: Walter John Deeks (Agricultural Labourer) and Emma [née Steggles].  Family Connections: Nephew of Ernest George Deeks [b1883] and cousin of Walter Henry Deeks [b1890]; also, son-in-law of Samuel Charles Ringer [b1878].  Home: Station Road, Long Melford (1911 to 1921), Spicers Lane, Hall Street, Long Melford (1939), Southgate Street, Long Melford [1981].  Occupation: Brewery Hand [1926].  Married: Florence Maud Ringer in 1936.[23]  Service Record: Reginald enlisted in 1926 for a period of four years as Gnr.772272 with the Territorial section of the Royal Artillery.[24]  At the end of his term in 1928 he re-enlisted with 2^nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, his unit being posted to France in 1940 as part of 17^th Infantry Brigade, 5^th Infantry Division.  Following evacuation from Dunkirk he was stationed in Egypt before joining the invasion force of Sicily and Italy in 1943.  Private Deeks was wounded in action in Italy on 15.12.1943.[25]  Died: Sudbury in 1981.

Notes – [1] Baptism Register of 13.12.1880 for Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford.  [2] Recorded as John Ringer on UK Census returns for 1881, 1891 and 1901.  [3] For evidence of him being in the Military see Baptism Register 5.9.1915, Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford.  [4] See also F. J. Rising’s Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329].  [5] Published by Marten & Son, Ltd., of Market Hill, Sudbury, Suffolk in 1946.  [6] Baptism Register of 5.5.1878 for Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford. [7] Recorded as Charles Ringer on all UK Census Returns from 1881 to 1911 and on his Army Records.  [8] For Details of 1/5^th Suffolk’s movements up to September 1916 see War Diaries [WO 95/4325 and WO 95/4658] and Service Medal and Award Rolls, Capt. A. Fair [MC] and Capt. E. D. Wolton [compiled by] “The Suffolk Regiment”: the history of the 1/5th Battalion [London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1923] pp.13-37.  See also his Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Service Medal and Award Rolls, First World War, Silver War Badge [WO 329] record [ref: B346571], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [9] 1939 Register.  [10] Marten & Son op. cit.  [11] 1939 Register. [12] See the entry for Samuel Charles Ringer [b1878] for an account of the Suffolk’s first days after stepping ashore in Gallipoli.  [13] For Details of 1/5^th Suffolk’s movements up to February 1917 see War Diaries [WO 95/4325 and WO 95/4658] and Service Medal and Award Rolls, Fair and Wolton op. cit., pp.13-52. [14] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Service Medal and Award Rolls, First World War, Silver War Badge [WO 329] record [ref: B342244], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329], and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [15] 1939 Register.  [16] Electoral Roll for Erith. [17] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329], Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372], and Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 [11/M/374462].  [18] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 17.9.1896, St Catherines Mission Church, Long Melford.  [19] For details of the action see 10^th Essex War Diary [WO 95/2038].  [20] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Service Medal and Award Rolls, First World War, Silver War Badge [WO 329] record [ref: B60781] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372].  [21] Royal Artillery Attestations 1883-1942. [22] Date of birth taken from his RA Record.  [23] Melford Bride and Groom, Bury Free Press 15.8.1936.  [24] Royal Artillery Attestations 1883-1942.  [25] British Army Casualty Lists 1939-1945.