Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

- completed by Torrens Valley Christian School

Oscar John Ridgeway was born in Aberdeen, South Australia on the 3rd of May 1897 to Anne and George Ridgeway (Appendix 1). Three siblings followed (Mary, Fredd, and Ellen) but unfortunately on the 11th of December 1902 Ridgeway’s brother Fredd (born on the 22nd of July 1901) died. This was a real tragedy for the family. However, his mother Anne had a further three siblings (Annie, Emmaneul, and George), all of which survived. His father worked as a storekeeper in Aberdeen in the northern part of Burra, South Australia (Anon, n.d.). and later died in 1930. Only ten years later Anne died in 1940, his mother’s occupation is unknown. (Anon, Ancestry.com.au. 2021).

Ridgeway’s childhood schooling was at Burra School, now Burra Community School. He started attending school on the 7th of July in 1902 and it is assumed he attended here throughout his entire schooling. In 1912, Ridgeway played football for the Aberdeen Football Club Colts. Ridgeway’s other hobbies growing up are unknown. Before the war, he worked as a labourer and had military experience, serving as a Senior Cadet for three and a half years (National Archives, 2019).

Ridgeway enlisted for the war in Oaklands, South Australia, 1915 (Burra Community Library Local History Collection). His service record includes a letter dated 14/01/1915 from George Ridgeway giving permission for his son to enlist in the war. On the 18th of January, Ridgeway enlists in the war. His attestation papers highlight that he claimed he was an 18-year-old from Burra, South Australia. There are other supporting documents such as his certificate of attesting officer and oath as well as his medical examination certificate. Ridgeway was recruited to the 22nd Battalion photograph shown in.

Ridgeway started his time serving in World War 1 by boarding the H.M.A.T Kanowa on the 23rd of June 1915. Ridgeway then boarded the Wiltshire at Suex on the 31st of August 1915 (Figure 6). He then arrived in Melbourne on the 25th of September 1915 and was admitted to Langwarren hospital. He returned to duty at Broadmeadows on the 26th of November 1915. He went and undertook various training camps for the war during this time. Later Ridgeway joined the 9th reinforcements’ 22nd Battalion and started serving with that unit around the 20th of February 1916. The Battalion left Australia on the Warilda to return to Egypt for training, they arrived on the 14th of March 1916 (Fuss and Satchell 2003). After this, Ridgeway and the 22nd Battalion arrived in France on the 5th of August 1916 (National Archives 2019).

The 22nd Battalion were in the second battle of Bullecourt fighting the Germans from the 3rd of May. The 22nd Battalion were to capture the Germans’ trenches and gain ground. The battle was unsuccessful as the 5th Brigade took heavy artillery fire from the front and from the direction of Quéant.

On the 21st of June 1917 in France, the 22nd Battalion were fighting in trenches at Broodseinde and Bullecourt seen in. However, Ridgeway was not on the battlefield as he was in hospital where he was being treated for sickness from the 21st of June 1917. Ridgeway spent one month in hospital before rejoining his Battalion. At this time, the 22nd Battalion was still in France fighting at the Battle of the Somme.

On the 27th of April 1918, Ridgeway was ‘wounded in action’ (National Archives 2019). The 22nd Battalion was fighting in the Somme valley to help stop the German spring offensive. Ridgeway was administered to the Beaufort War Hospital for a gunshot wound on this day this may be related to the ‘wounded in action’ statement the week prior. (National Archives 2019) Ridgeway spent three months in hospital before being discharged.

On the 7th of August 1916, Ridgeway’s hospital records shows that he received a gunshot wound to his thigh, classed as a ’mild’ wound (National Archives 2019). This was also reported in a letter to Ridgeway’s mother. This letter highlights that the gunshot happened only two days after joining the Battalion. He was then released from the hospital, rejoining the 22nd Battalion on the 28th of August 1916. Despite Ridgeway’s wounds, he rejoined the 22nd Battalion, who on this day, was charging forward into the Pozieres. The Pozieres was a battle that was taking place within the Battle of the Somme. This battle resulted in many casualties for Australian soldiers. (Anon, Awm.gov.au. 2016).

Ridgeway’s hospital records show that he spent the next part of the war unwell in various hospitals treating old gunshot wounds. He stayed in hospital from April 1918 until he was discharged in January 1919. (National Archives 2019).

During Ridgeway’s time in the war, he spent 3 years and 124 days in Egypt, England, and France. Ridgeway was discharged on the 2nd of May 1919 from his military duties and was able to return home. His total service was 4 years and 107 days. When Ridgeway was discharged, he received 3 medals for his time in the war, the 1914/15 Star, The British War Medal, and finally the Victory Medal. The 1914/15 Star Medal was awarded to soldiers in World War 1, the British War Medal was to recognise the end of the war and the contributions of those that who served (Department of Defence, 2024). The Victory Medal was to recognise the war effort and sacrifices made (Yisela, 2021).

After World War 1, Ridgeway was able to return home after getting discharged and was sent back home to his family and moved over to Victoria in a suburb called Richmond to start a new life on the 27th of March 1924. After the war, Ridgeway’s soccer club celebrated returning soldiers by awarding a cash gift. The returning soldiers who received this gift were all appreciative. The paper recorded that one man said it was ‘very thoughtful’, another said it was ‘pleasing to know that there are friends willing to give a man a push on in life.’ Ridgeway was one of the mentioned recipients in the paper (Trove, 2025). Ten years later, Ridgeway married Alma Maude Gifford on the 27th of March 1929 (Burra Community Library Local History Collection). When Ridgeway was 33, his father passed away on the 26th of May 1930. A year later Ridgeway and Alma had his son William Ridgeway on the 25th of January 1931. On the 6th of August in 1940, Ridgeway’s mother died and was buried in Middle Park, Victoria, Australia (Burra Community Library Local History Collection).

Ridgeway passed away on the 11th of November 1962 and was buried in Plympton in South Australia (Figure 14). His 22nd Battalion patch was engraved into his headstone to pay respect for his service in the war and along with his courage and bravery with his Battalion. (Ancestry.com.au., 2021).

Reference List:
ACT, R. (2024). Department of Defence. [online] Defence. Available at: https://www.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families/honours-awards/imperial-awards/1914-1915-star.
Ancestry.com.au. (2021). Oscar Jack Ridgway - Ancestry®. [online] Available at: https://www.ancestry.com.au/genealogy/records/oscar-jack-ridgway-24-1xyz85r.
Anon (n.d.). Burra School Records - Boys. [online] Available at: https://burrasa.net/pages/schoolboys.html [Accessed 22 Jul. 2025].
Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affaris, (2021).Dva.gov.au. AWM E02005 - Anzac Portal. [online] Available at: https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/resources/media/image/awm-e02005 [Accessed 23 Jul. 2025].
Australian War Memorial . (n.d.). SS Warilda: troopship, hospital ship, ambulance transport, wreck. [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/ss-warilda-troopship-hospital-ship-ambulance-transport-wreck [Accessed 1 Aug. 2014].
Awm.gov.au. (2016). 22nd Australian Infantry Battalion. [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51462.
Awm.gov.au. (2025). Australian Hospital/Troopship Warilda. Requisitioned in 1915 as a troop/cargo ship, it was taken ... [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C315541 [Accessed 31 Jul. 2025].
Burra Community Library Local History Collection. 2025. Oscar Jack Ridgeway.
Department of Defence. (2024). [online] Defence. Available at: https://www.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families/honours-awards/imperial-awards/british-war-medal-1914-20.
Following the Twenty-Second. (2019). Following the Twenty-Second. [online] Available at: https://anzac-22nd-battalion.com/.
Fuss, E. and Satchell, M. (2003). Burra Genealogy. [online] Burra Genealogy . Available at: https://www.burrasa.info/pages/burrasoldiersww1.html.
National Archives (2019). World War I Centennial. [online] National Archives. Available at: https://www.archives.gov/topics/wwi.
Trove. (2025). The Burra Record - A PAPER FOR THE NORTH AND NORTH EAST. BURRA, Wednesday, Mar. 26, 1919. - Burra Record (SA : 1878 - 1954) - 26 Mar 1919. [online] Available at: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/39137177 [Accessed 29 Jul. 2025].
Virtual War Memorial Australia. (n.d.). Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/631287.
Virtual War Memorial Australia. (n.d.). Oscar John RIDGEWAY. [online] Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/59842.

Yisela (2021). All the WW1 Inter-Allied Victory Medals - Medals & Awards from Great War. [online] Identifymedals.com. Available at: https://www.identifymedals.com/article/all-the-ww1-inter-allied-victory-medals/ [Accessed 29 Jul. 2025].