Coventry War Memorial Park Plaque - 6
Lance Corporal Sydney James Riley 7th Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment
Sydney James Riley was born on Wednesday 17th March 1897 in Coventry, son of Harry, a Turner in the Motor Car Trade and Elizabeth nee Glover. He was one of five children, Evelyn born in 1890, Harry George 1892, Bernard William 1899 and Gladys May 1900. In 1901 the family were living at 88 Foleshill Road in the city and by 1911 had moved to 83 Kensington Road.
Sydney attended Wheatley Street School and was highly regarded by his Headmaster W M Turrell, who was impressed by Sydney’s regularity, punctuality and conduct, so much so he appointed him as First Boy at the school during his last year. Following his education in 1911 aged 14, Sydney went to work at Frank’s Weaving Factory, West Orchard and Wells Street in Coventry, where he remained until the outbreak of World War I on 4th August 1914.
Following his 18th Birthday Sydney enlisted into the 29th Division Royal Fusiliers. He attested on 11th December 1915 in Coventry and mobilised on 26th April 1916 as a Private with Service Number G-18219. Not only was he given a glowing reference by his former headteacher but also by the Manager of Frank’s Weaving, Mr F Chatterill who said of Sydney “He is far above average in smartness and ability and by hard work and perseverance, he has become draughtsman, cashier and general assistant to me, and I can confidently recommend him for the position he is seeking”.
Upon his enlistment, Sydney who now lived at 22 Kensington Road was described as 5’.6½ “ tall, weighing 107½ lbs and with a fair complexion. He undertook initial training in Edinburgh, but on 16th July 1916 overstayed his leave and was punished by two days confined to barracks and forfeited a days pay.
Sydney was posted to the Western Front for service in France and Flanders as part of the British Expeditionary Force on 29th August 1916, transferred to the 7th Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment on 10th September and promoted in the field to Lance Corporal on 30th October.
He fought on the Western Front enduring inhuman conditions for a year, until The Battle of Poelcappelle that was fought in Flanders, Belgium, on 9 October 1917 by the British Second Army and Fifth Army against the German 4th Army. The battle marked the end of the string of highly successful British attacks in late September and early October, during the Third Battle of Ypres.
Sydney attended Wheatley Street School and was highly regarded by his Headmaster W M Turrell, who was impressed by Sydney’s regularity, punctuality and conduct, so much so he appointed him as First Boy at the school during his last year. Following his education in 1911 aged 14, Sydney went to work at Frank’s Weaving Factory, West Orchard and Wells Street in Coventry, where he remained until the outbreak of World War I on 4th August 1914.
Following his 18th Birthday Sydney enlisted into the 29th Division Royal Fusiliers. He attested on 11th December 1915 in Coventry and mobilised on 26th April 1916 as a Private with Service Number G-18219. Not only was he given a glowing reference by his former headteacher but also by the Manager of Frank’s Weaving, Mr F Chatterill who said of Sydney “He is far above average in smartness and ability and by hard work and perseverance, he has become draughtsman, cashier and general assistant to me, and I can confidently recommend him for the position he is seeking”.
Upon his enlistment, Sydney who now lived at 22 Kensington Road was described as 5’.6½ “ tall, weighing 107½ lbs and with a fair complexion. He undertook initial training in Edinburgh, but on 16th July 1916 overstayed his leave and was punished by two days confined to barracks and forfeited a days pay.
Sydney was posted to the Western Front for service in France and Flanders as part of the British Expeditionary Force on 29th August 1916, transferred to the 7th Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment on 10th September and promoted in the field to Lance Corporal on 30th October.
He fought on the Western Front enduring inhuman conditions for a year, until The Battle of Poelcappelle that was fought in Flanders, Belgium, on 9 October 1917 by the British Second Army and Fifth Army against the German 4th Army. The battle marked the end of the string of highly successful British attacks in late September and early October, during the Third Battle of Ypres.
Sydney James Riley's original and replacement plaques in Coventry War Memorial Park. April 2021
Only the supporting attack in the north achieved a substantial advance. On the main front the German defences withstood the limited amount of artillery fire achieved by the British after the attack of 4 October. The ground along the main ridges had been severely damaged by shelling and rapidly deteriorated in the rains, which began again on 3 October, turning some areas back into swamps. Dreadful ground conditions had more effect on the British, who needed to move large amounts of artillery and ammunition to support the next attack. The battle was a defensive success for the 4th Army, although costly to both sides.
The weather and ground conditions put severe strain on all the infantry involved and led to many wounded being stranded on the battlefield. Sydney died on 12th October 1917 aged 20 in these horrendous conditions and his was body never found. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial (so named as the Tommies likened the German pill boxes in the areas to Cottages lived in by workers from Tyneside) near Passchendaele
The stone wall surrounding the cemetery makes-up the memorial to the missing, one of several Commonwealth War Graves Commission Memorials to the Missing along the Western Front. The UK missing lost in the Ypres Salient are commemorated at the Menin Gate memorial and the Tyne Cot Memorial. On completion of the Menin Gate, builders discovered it was not large enough to contain all the names as originally planned. They selected a cut-off date of 15th August 1917 and the names of the UK missing after this date were inscribed on the Tyne Cot memorial instead.
Sydney was posthumously awarded the 1914-18 British War and Victory Medals. He is also commemorated on a plaque in the Coventry War Memorial Park. Such a complete waste of a promising young life.
The weather and ground conditions put severe strain on all the infantry involved and led to many wounded being stranded on the battlefield. Sydney died on 12th October 1917 aged 20 in these horrendous conditions and his was body never found. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial (so named as the Tommies likened the German pill boxes in the areas to Cottages lived in by workers from Tyneside) near Passchendaele
The stone wall surrounding the cemetery makes-up the memorial to the missing, one of several Commonwealth War Graves Commission Memorials to the Missing along the Western Front. The UK missing lost in the Ypres Salient are commemorated at the Menin Gate memorial and the Tyne Cot Memorial. On completion of the Menin Gate, builders discovered it was not large enough to contain all the names as originally planned. They selected a cut-off date of 15th August 1917 and the names of the UK missing after this date were inscribed on the Tyne Cot memorial instead.
Sydney was posthumously awarded the 1914-18 British War and Victory Medals. He is also commemorated on a plaque in the Coventry War Memorial Park. Such a complete waste of a promising young life.
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This page last updated 17 Jun 21