William was born on 15th June 1887 in Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK. His parents were George and Margaret (nee Craig) Fox Ritchie. William’s father was a gamekeeper and forester.
Educated at Pinwherry and Colmonell public schools, William joined Princess Louise’s Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, a Regiment of the British Army, on 3rd April 1909. He served in Malta for three years before being posted to India. His Regiment was among the first to be sent to Flanders in 1914, which means William was an Old Contemptible.
Invalided home with Frost-bite, William trained as a Musketry Instructor but then applied for active service. He was posted to join 12 Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in Salonika. William was a Sergeant when he was killed at the age of 31 at Grande Couronne, Salonika. He was buried in Colonial Hill Cemetery, which is now known as Doiran Military Cemetery, in Greece. He was an extremely brave man and was recommended by his Commanding Officer to receive the Croix de Guerre for bravery.
A poem written by William Fox Ritchie in March 1915. Reproduced here by kind permission of Richard
“A Candid Opinion”
Do we want to back to the trenches?
To get biscuits and bully to eat
To get caught by a sniper’s chance bullet
Or crippled with frost bitten feet.
There are some say they’re anxious to get back
There are others who say they are not.
It is not that they care for the danger
Or are frightened that they will get shot.
It’s the awful conditions you live in,
Midst the rain and the mud and the dirt.
Where you’d give a month’s pay for a square meal,
And twice that amount for a shirt.
No, I’m not at all anxious to go back,
But I’ll hve to go that’s understood
So I’m willing and ready to go there
And if needs be to stop there for good. Willie F. Ritchie, 91st Highlanders, 23/04/1915
With many thanks to Richard for sending me the poem via Twitter. Information found via Find my Past
