Ritchie, Samuel
Private
No. 9088, 2nd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Killed in action on Wednesday 26 August 1914 (aged 27)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial, France
BIOGRAPHY
In the Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 – 1919 database it is recorded that Samuel Ritchie was born in Newtownards and enlisted in Belfast. Private Samuel Ritchie (No. 9088) served with the 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and he was killed in action on 26 August 1914, just three days after he arrived in France.
Records show that Samuel Ritchie first enlisted in the Army on 1 June 1907.
In some records his surname is spelt Richey and in others Ritchey.
Samuel Ritchie was born on 20 August 1887 in William Street, Newtownards and he was a son of Thomas and Juliana (Lucinda) Ritchie (nee McKitterick, sometimes McKittrick) who were married on 11 September 1884 in Regent Street Presbyterian Church Newtownards. Thomas Ritchie (aged 25) of Church Street, Newtownards was a son of John Ritchie, a block printer. Juliana McKitterick (aged 23) of Mill Street, Newtownards was a daughter of Robert McKitterick, a farmer.
The Ritchie family lived in William Street, Newtownards.
Thomas Ritchie worked as a watchman and labourer and he and Juliana had at least six children:
Robert John (born 3 October 1885 in Mill Street, Newtownards)
Samuel (born 20 August 1887 in William Street, Newtownards)
James (born 4 January 1889 in Mill Street, Newtownards)
William (born 5 August 1891 at 11 Fourth Street, Belfast)
Juliana (born 19 February 1894 at 14 Skipton Street, Belfast)
Jonas (born 14 May 1896 at 4 Fourth Street, Belfast)
Samuel Ritchie and Roberta Vance were married on 3 October 1913 in St Anne’s Church of Ireland Cathedral Church Belfast. Samuel Ritchie, a 25-year-old bachelor and labourer from 21 Dock Street, Belfast was a son of Thomas Ritchie, a labourer. Roberta Ritchie, a 21-year-old spinster from 17 Earl Street, Belfast was a daughter of Robert Robinson Vance, a labourer.
Private Samuel Ritchie (No. 9088) was 27 when he was killed on 26 August 1914, some ten months after he was married. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial in France.
Roberta (Bertha) Ritchie (nee Vance) and William Logan were married on 21 September 1918 in St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Church, Ballymacarrett, Belfast. William Logan, a 26-year-old bachelor from 92 Belmont Avenue, Belfast was a son of Andrew Logan, a labourer. Roberta Ritchie, a 26-year-old widow from 19 Cheviot Street, Belfast was a daughter of Robert Vance, a labourer.