Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

... Sergeant (Sgt) (Cook) Richard Henry Ritter, 32nd Battalion. A labourer from Glenelg, South Australia, prior to enlistment as a Private in the 24th Battalion, he was transferred to the 32nd Battalion, promoted to Sergeant and appointed Battalion Cook on 15 August 1915. He embarked from Adelaide with A Company on 18 November 1915 aboard HMAT Geelong for Suez. The battalion relocated to the Western Front, France, during mid-June 1916. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) in March 1918 for his continuous devotion to duty. Sgt Ritter was wounded in action near Corbie, France, on 27 May 1918, and died of these wounds the following day in 5 Casualty Clearing Station. He was aged 38 years.

Source (www.awm.gov.au)

- completed by Port Broughton Area School

The First World War, or Great War, began in 1914 and changed the course of history. It was a war of empires, alliances, and industrial-scale destruction. The war would take Richard Henry Ritter from the copper mines of Moonta, South Australia, to the blood-stained fields of France.

In the quiet copper mining town of Moonta, Richard Henry Ritter was born to Ernest and Elizabeth Ritter on the 1 July 1881.(1) The Ritters of Moonta valued hard work and community. Before the Great War, Richard lived a modest life in his early years and worked as a laborer in Glenelg, a coastal suburb of Adelaide.(2) Richard was a quiet man, kind, and hard-working. Before the war, Richard had already shown his commitment to service spending four years in the Moonta Army Reserves.(3) This early experience reflected his duty of care that would define the rest of his life.
When the drums of war sounded in 1914, Richard, like many young Australians, felt a call to serve. Richard was one of more than 330,000 Australians who volunteered to serve overseas.(4) He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 23rd November 1914 at Oaklands, South Australia.(5) He was 34 years and 4 months old at the time of enlistment and was assigned service number 222. According to records, Richard stood 5 feet and 6½ inches tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes, and fair hair.(6) He wasn’t tall by army standards, but it’s clear he stood tall in other ways. Richards was described in his records and actions as steady, dependable, and selfless; Richard seemed to carry a quiet confidence. He joined the 24th Battalion and formally attested his commitment before an officer, swearing an oath to serve the King until the end of the war.(7) Richard declared his wife Edith Mary Ritter as his next of kin.(8)

Richard underwent a full medical examination and was deemed fit for active service. Like other recruits, he was issued a khaki woollen uniform and equipment, including a 303 Lee-Enfield rifle.(9) He began his military training at camps across Australia, learning marksmanship, trench tactics, and battlefield survival.

In August 1915, Richard was transferred to the 32nd Battalion and his reliability and discipline saw him promoted to Sergeant, the role of Battalion Cook.(10) The 32nd battalion, part of the 8th Brigade of the 5th Division, was involved in significant battles including Fromelles, Polygon Wood, and the final offensives against the Hindenburg Line. A battalion is made up of roughly 1,000 men with four battalions grouped together to form broader brigades. Only three days after they entered the front-line trenches, the men of the 32nd were thrust into their first major battle at Fromelles, where 75 per cent of the battalion’s total strength became casualties.

Richard departed Adelaide, South Australia on the troopship HMAT Geelong on 18 November 1915, when Australia had been at war for 467 days.(11) ‘HMAT’ stood for ‘His Majesty’s Australian Transport’ and HMAT Geelong was one of many ships requisitioned by the government for wartime service transporting the troops, equipment, and over 139,000 horses and the odd kangaroo. For many on board, including Richard, this was their first journey overseas. The sea voyage was long and filled with routine including drills, chores, and meals. But it also had moments of humour and fun such as boxing matches, games, and shared stories.(12) It was the last time Richard would see Australian shores.

Richard and the other volunteers were bound for Egypt and beyond where they would make final preparations for war. In Egypt, he underwent further training under the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps command, with sessions near the pyramids at Mena Camp and along the Nile. These preparations were vital for the realities of trench warfare awaiting in France.

Richard and his mates were soldier-tourists, they took in the sights of Cairo, rode camels and experienced climbing the pyramids. Many had their own cameras and took photos of their mates at the top of the Grand Pyramid and in front of the Sphinx. Many of the troopships that departed from the eastern seaboard stopped at King George Sound in Albany, or further up the coast at Fremantle, where they took on supplies. The epic four-week voyage across the Indian Ocean to Egypt has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.”(13) On-board, officers organised rigorous training drills and exercise sessions for the men. They were expected to do their own washing, sweep the decks and carry out other chores. Three hearty meals a day were served including breakfast which usually consisted of porridge, stew and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner.(14)

Richard was attached to A Company, one of the key companies within the battalion.(15) This position, though not on the front lines, was crucial. He was responsible for preparing meals that sustained the men who faced the horrors of war daily. Though Richard’s role as a cook placed him just behind the lines, he was constantly under pressure, preparing hot meals under fire, often exposed to shelling and gas. This was a vital role that ensured soldiers on the front lines had the strength to carry on in the face of unimaginable conditions. His work, though often behind the scenes, kept men alive. His dedication to this role earned him the Meritorious Service Medal in March 1918, for his continuous devotion to duty. Even in the chaos of war, his efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Sergeant Cook R.H. Ritter was awarded three significant medals for his dedicated service, the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal. The British War Medal and Victory Medal were officially issued in 1924.(16)

In May 1918, as the war raged on and the Western Front was as brutal as ever, on May 27 Richard was wounded during action near Corbie, France. He suffered severe gunshot wounds to his left thigh, left hand, and back. Richard was taken to the 5th Casualty Clearing Station for treatment, but he couldn’t be saved. The following day on 28 May 1918, Richard succumbed to his injuries.(17) He was just 38 years old. His death was also duly recorded for war pension purposes shortly thereafter. Mrs. Ritter received a letter informing her that His Majesty the King had honored her late husband with the Meritorious Service Medal, recognising the valuable contributions he made while serving in France during the conflict.(18)

Like most soldiers, Richard benefited from the care of Australian nurses serving on the front. These women provided critical medical and emotional support, often writing to families of the fallen. The presence of these nurses was a silent, powerful force behind the survival and comfort of the wounded.

Following Sergeant Ritter’s passing, his remaining personal belongings were sent to Edith. These included various personal belongings such as 3 discs, badges, 22 coins, a brooch, a matchbox, 2 purses, a pipe, a tobacco pouch, a medallion, 2 knives, a metal brooch, a cigarette case, 2 rosaries, 2 wallets, letters, photos, 3 handkerchiefs, a pair of scissors, a pencil case, a metal bracelet, and 3 pencils. She was also notified that His Majesty the King had posthumously awarded her husband the Meritorious Service Medal in recognition of his valuable service in France.(19)

He is buried at the Crouy British Cemetery in Crouy-sur-Somme, France. His grave bears the inscription: “Someday we’ll understand.”(20) These heartfelt words, chosen by his family, reflect their sorrow and hope that one day, for understanding the great cost of war such as pain and sacrifice will make sense. His death was a reminder that even those behind the lines bore the full cost of war. His service number was 222, but to those who knew him, he was a husband, friend, and a steady soul in a time of chaos.

Bibliography

Department of Veterans’ Affairs. (n.d.). Department of Veterans’ Affairs. Australian Government. https://www.dva.gov.au/

Department of Veterans’ Affairs. (n.d.). Transport. In Anzac Portal. Australian Government. https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/ww1/military-organisation/transport

Find A Grace (n.d) Richard Henry Ritter https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56040375/richard-henry-ritter

Imperial War Museums. (n.d.) The food that fuelled the front. https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-food-that-fuelled-the-front

NAA: B2455, RITTER RICHARD HENRY

War History Online. (n.d.). War History Online. https://www.warhistoryonline.com/