Eric Andrew Riddell
Born 20 Jul 1911 - Died 19 Jul 1941
- Service number
- 1722 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- Bombardier/Military AWMM New Zealand Artillery, 4 Field Regiment AWMM
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Eric Andrew AWMM
- Surname
- Riddell AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- 1722 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- —
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 20 Jul 1911 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- Pre 29 Sep 1939 AWMM 9 Pupuke Road, Takapuna, North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Mrs T.M. Riddell (wife), 12 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Pre 05 Jan 1940 AWMM Married AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- 1722 AWMM
- Military service
- 13 years AWMM
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- 1939-1945 Star AWMM
- Africa Star AWMM
- War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
- New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW2 29 Sep 1939 AWMM
Age 28 AWMM
Meter Reader/Civilian AWMM - Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Vessel was Empress of Canada AWMM Gunner/Military AWMM New Zealand Artillery, 4 Field Regiment, 25 Battery AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- WW2 POW - Stalag XVIII-A, Wolfsberg, Austria AWMM
28 Apr 1941 AWMM
Captured in Greece, reported missing May 1941 AWMM - WW2 POW - Greece AWMM
- WW2 POW - Stalag XVIII-A, Wolfsberg, Austria AWMM
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
- Height, Unknown Period AWMM
5 foot 9 inches AWMM - Killed or died while a Prisoner of War, Cause of Death AWMM
Died of sickness whilst a prisoner of war AWMM - 19 Jul 1941 AWMM Other, WWII AWMM
Strangulation of bowels. AWMM
- Height, Unknown Period AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Bombardier/Military AWMM
New Zealand Artillery, 4 Field Regiment AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Son of William James Riddell and of Annie Riddell (nee Graham), of Takapuna; husband of Thelma Mary Riddell
Served as a Sergeant and for 13 years with the 1st Battery, Field Artillery
Reported missing 24 May 1941; file annotated located at Stalag XVIIIA 13 September 1941.
His wife, Thelma, received notice of his death and then a letter saying he was a prisoner of war. This was a false hope and caused her some considerable distress. This was reported as "official errors" and drew editorial comment in the newspapers, The Herald and The Auckland Star. The service record includes letters between the Director of Publicity and the Director Base Records regarding the official communication to Gunner Riddell's family and a letter of apology to Thelma.
He was orginally buried in the Public Cemetery at Lauamund, Drauwerk, Carinthia then transferred to the then British Military Cemetery at Klagenfurt later renamed the Klagenfurt War Cemetery
His portrait is amongst those displayed in cases in the Auckland War Memorial Museum Hall f Memories, WW2
Remembered on the Takapuna War Memorial, The Strand, Takapuna. AWMM
About death
- Death
- 19 Jul 1941 AWMM
Age 29 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Killed or died while a Prisoner of War AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- Klagenfurt War Cemetery, Austria AWMM Grave 1 Plot 6 Row A AWMM
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- —
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM
- Takapuna War Memorial, The Strand, Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
- Takapuna War Memorial, (ex RSA Roll, on a boulder), The Strand, Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
Related objects
Sources
- External links
- Ministry for Culture and Heritage, New Zealand History online. Takapuna War Memorial.
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/memorial/takapuna-war-memorial
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2805638
Sources Used
- Ministry for Culture and Heritage, New Zealand History online. Takapuna War Memorial.
- References
- Auckland Museum. Roll of Honour, Auckland Province, 1939 - 1945. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 93/139.
- Information kindly provided by family
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 1 (Embarkations to 31st March, 1940). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
WW2 1: WW2 152 - Deaths While Prisoner of War - Navy, Army, Air Force and Civilians [WW2 NZ POW Deaths], Archives New Zealand, Wellington, AAAA 7393 Box 1 (R25405152).
- Mason, W.W. (1954) Prisoners of war. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
- McClymont, W. (1959). To Greece. Wellington, N.Z.: Department Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
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