The Dead Mans Penny

"The Dead Mans Penny"
of George William Victor Ryder

In the picture is a large Bronze plaque known as a "Dead Mans Penny", The Memorial Plaque was issued after the First World War to the next-of-kin of all British and Empire service personnel who were killed as a result of the war.

We have put this up as a matter of intrigue, we came across this plaque recently (Plymouth location) and were curious as to the name engraved, a one "George William Victor Ryder".
Soon our curiosity had to be satisfied and so began hours of research.
It wasn't long before we started seeing results:-

George William Victor Ryder b1897 to Joseph and Sarah Ryder from Plymouth maybe originally from the Stoke Dameral area.
George joined the Worcestershire Regiment 2nd Battalion in 1914, it is believed he had lied about his age, and George was enlisted as Private No 242006
The Worcestershire Regiment dates back to 1694 when Colonel Thomas Farrington, an officer of the Coldstream Guards raised a new regiment in London. It was then the custom for Regiments to be named after their Colonels, and this new Regiment was named Farrington’s Regiment of Foot. This method of naming regiments led to confusion, as regiments were re-named with each Colonel, and it was possible for more than one Colonel, and therefore more than one regiment, to have the same name.Until 1751, the Regiment had eight different Colonels, and therefore eight different names. In 1751 regiments were given numbers, and the Regiment was numbered 29.
George was Killed in Action (KIA) 9th Sept 1917 at Passchendaele (known as the battle of mud), his remains were laid to rest @Brandhoek Cemetery, Leper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium (Gr. Ref. I.G.4).

The 1914 Star

The Allied Victory Medal

The British War Medal

George was awarded 3 medals:-
1) The 1914 Star
Also known as 'Pip' or the 'Mons Star'.
This bronze medal award was authorized by King George V in April 1917 for those who had served in France or Belgium between 5^th August 1914 to midnight on 22^nd November 1914 inclusive. The award was open to officers and men of the British and Indian Expeditionary Forces, doctors and nurses as well as Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Navy Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve who served ashore with the Royal Naval Division in France or Belgium.
A narrow horizontal bronze clasp sewn onto the ribbon, bearing the dates '5th AUG. - 22nd NOV. 1914' shows that the recipient had actually served under fire of the enemy during that period. For every seven medals issued without a clasp there were approximately five issued with the clasp.

Recipients who received the medal with the clasp were also entitled to attach a small silver heraldic rose to the ribbon when just the ribbon was being worn.
The reverse is plain with the recipient's service number, rank, name and unit impressed on it.
It should be remembered that recipients of this medal were responsible for assisting the French to hold back the German army while new recruits could be trained and equipped. Collectively, they fully deserve a great deal of honour for their part in the first sixteen weeks of the Great War. This included the battle of Mons, the retreat to the Seine, the battles of Le Cateau, the Marne, the Aisne and the first battle of Ypres. There were approximately 378,000 1914 Stars issued.

2) The British War Medal
Also known as 'Squeak'.
The silver or bronze medal was awarded to officers and men of the British and Imperial Forces who either entered a theatre of war or entered service overseas between 5^th August 1914 and 11^th November 1918 inclusive. This was later extended to services in Russia, Siberia and some other areas in 1919 and 1920.
Approximately 6.5 million British War Medals were issued. Approximately 6.4 million of these were the silver versions of this medal. Around 110,000 of a bronze version were issued mainly to Chinese, Maltese and Indian Labour Corps. The front (obv or obverse) of the medal depicts the head of George V.
The recipient's service number, rank, name and unit was impressed on the rim

3) The Allied Victory MedalAlso known as 'Wilfred'
It was decided that each of the allies should each issue their own bronze victory medal with a similar design, similar equivalent wording and identical ribbon.
The British medal was designed by W. McMillan. The front depicts a winged classical figure representing victory.
Approximately 5.7 million victory medals were issued. Interestingly, eligibility for this medal was more restrictive and not everyone who received the British War Medal ('Squeak') also received the Victory Medal ('Wilfred'). However, in general, all recipients of 'Wilfred' also received 'Squeak' and all recipients of 'Pip' also received both 'Squeak' and 'Wilfred'.
The recipient's service number, rank, name and unit was impressed on the rim.

George was awarded both 'Squeak' and 'Wilfred' posthumously.....

                                                           all research carried out by Mrs Sharon Fletcher (Plymouth)

George William Victor Ryder (Dead Mans Penny pt2)

The Ryder Family

Further to our previous blog "Dead Mans Penny" we recently came across a copy of this letter (see below) sent from George to his parents and family (left), from France/Belgium dated 1917.
It is believed that this letter was sent not long before George was Killed at Passchendaele, during "The Battle of Mud"
The real irony, is George was not actually on duty when he was killed, but was carrying out an act of kindness for his brothers-in-arms. George had took  it upon himself to provide his brothers with a much needed cup of Char, (Hot Tea), somewhat a luxury between the dank, wet and dirty trenches of the front line during WWI.
It is believed that George and a fellow soldier were on route, giving the much needed hot sweet tea, to many of the exhausted men of the 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regiment, when they were hit by incoming German Shells and killed instantly.
We have attempted to decipher the letter shown, although there are a few words unreadable, but we believe it reads thus:-

Probably Georges last letter home

"Dear Mother and Father,
Just a few lines in answer to your kind letter which I received all right.
I was sorry to hear that you are having some dirty weather home there. Out here it is still fine, puts the lads in memory of the nice summer days they used to spend in England.
I have just received a nice photograph of the baby from Flo I think myself it is very pretty, I am sure it is going to be a charming girl don't you.
I received my weekly paper yesterday, and I found this card in it but I don't understand it, perhaps you can tell me?
We have been in the trenches once more and we let the Germans know it, but we are out for a rest now.
Tell Winnie I received her letter all right and I was glad to hear she still thinks of me.
I suppose Dad is getting on all right, still plenty of work at Bull Point. I had a letter from May and she says the news is very good home there, the only papers we can get is
what is sent out to us.
So we can't tell how long the War is going to last. Well this
is all I have to say for this time. So I will close with best
love to Dad, and Vi and all, from George.
                                                   xxxxxxxxxx        

Not a very long letter as you can see, but probably the very last correspondence any of the family had prior to Georges death.

The Burton/Ryder Wedding

We also came across this family photograph, probably one of the last family get togethers' George ever attended.
It is the wedding of his sister Florence to Myles Burton on the 1st June 1916 in Plymouth.

"Back Row ~ left to right:- George W V Ryder,
Edith Ryder, Sarah Ryder (Mother), May Ryder,
Unknown, Unknown, Joseph Ryder (Father).
Middle Row:- Unknown, Violet Ryder, Florence Burton (nee Ryder/Bride), Myles Burton (Husband), Unknown, Unknown.
Front Row:- Maude and Winnifred Ryder.

Joseph Ryder

The photograph to the left is believed to be that of Joseph Ryder, father of George William Victor Ryder (Named above).
Joseph was a young musician who came from Staffordshire, he enlisted into the Royal Artillery as a fresh faced young Officer in 4th March 1881 at the age of 23 and was initially posted to Plymouth Citadel just after his 24th birthday.
Prior to his enlistment, he met a beautiful young 18 year old, named Sarah Govett (picture below left), a country girl from St Dominic, Cornwall when she was a domestic servant in Plymouth.
After his enlistment, they continued their "Love Affair", even though her father, a heavy set Victorian Farm Labourer was against the romance so they continued in secret.
However, life would soon intervene and Joseph was soon posted overseas leaving Sarah heartbroken as contact could only be maintained by secret letters.
She was desperate to join him and be at his side, as he was to be at hers. Joseph however was a practical man and believed they should wait until he was posted somewhere more conducive to married life.

Years passed, but the separated couple remained faithful to one another and to the idea that they would indeed be together again one day. Eventually, Sarah made the rash decision to throw caution to the wind and take matters into her own hands (a very brave move for a young woman of the time). In 1888, Sarah found a ship bound to where her beloved was stationed and, persuading the Captain she managed to secure passage by working her way to the Island of St. Helena situated in the mid

Sarah Ryder (nee Govett)

Atlantic; the Island was notorious for being one of the most remote in the world, as well as being were the infamous Napoleon Boneparte had been exiled during his incarceration. It was not known for its salubrious accommodation; indeed the Army were largely under canvas.
On arrival at St. Helena, Sarah was delighted to be reunited with her beloved Joseph after years of separation. However, Joseph was now faced with a dilemma of his own, for Sarah to remain he would have to marry her within the next 24hrs, or she would have to leave on the very ship she arrived on as there was no accommodation available for single women. But if married then they could remain together in Married Quarters.
The very next day June 12th 1888, they married at St Matthews Church situated on the Island. Their first child was born in Mauritius and their second and third in Cape Town whilst Joseph was involved in the Boer War of 1899. Sarah and Joseph had a total of eight children, six girls and two boys May b1889, Edith b1890, Florence b1893, Violet Irene b1896, George William Victor b1897, John (Jack) b1899, Maude b1903 and Winifred b1908.
After Joseph retired from Military Service the family returned to Plymouth and Joseph and Sarah remained a loyal couple until her death in 1937...........his heart incomplete without her, Joseph remained a loving father until his own passing in 1945 at the grand age of 87 years.
                               "A True Love Story"

(photos from collection of Linda Jones)