John Riddell was an engineer with the NZ Entrenching Battalion and died of wounds at the beginning of July. He was wounded by a bullet in the upper right arm. It took him a month to die.
John's military career was marked by illness. His casualty sheet shows his first hospital admission in Decembr of 1917 for "myalgia, back and legs." He was there for ten days before rejoining his unit, then returned to hospital for a week with influenza on January 2nd, 1918.
The period of John's fatal wound coincides with the last gasp of the German Spring Offensive. With all to gain or lose, the German Army threw everything at the Allies - including teenage conscripts. The fighting was intense.
Almost immediately on arriving at No. 47 General Hospital in Le Trepot, John was put on the "dangerously ill" list. It must have been a serious wound and I imagine that infection was a likely cause of death. He died at 8.20 in the evening and was buried in the Mont Huon military cemetery at Le Treport. He was 31 years old.
FOR THE EMPIRE'S CAUSE.
DEATHS.
RIDDELL. — On July 2, 1918, at 47th General Hospital, France, from wounds, Corporal J. G. (Jack) Riddell, beloved son of W. N. and E. Riddell, 6 Ferguson street, Musselburgh; aged 30 years.
He did his duty. -Otago Daily Times, 9/7/1918.
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| Andersons Bay Cemetery. DCC photo. |
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