Thanks to Tom Moffatt I can update you with my research in to the above and a special thanks to William's mother and wife.....
Badge no B17923 was issued to William Frank Reardon Private G/9473 who served with the Royal West Kents (attached AVC) from 7 August 1915 to 8 September 1916 and did not go overseas and was discharged sick. (War Office Letter No 35/ Artillery/2660 dated 12 Oct 1915).
His WW1 discharge papers confirm the above details and in addition show he had previous service in the “colonial Forces two-year, time expired”. His address on discharge was shown as 19 Ranelagh Road, Lupus Street, South Belgravia and he was aged 53 and a clerk. (Born 1863). When he was medically examinedon 7 August 1915, he gave his birthplace as Stepney, London and his age 49! (Probably for the benefit of the Recruiting Sergeant i.e. looks better that he is under 50.) On attestation he gave his Next of Kin as his wife Catherine 9 Church Street Woolwich and stated they were married on 10 Sept 1912 at St George’s Hanover Square Register Office. His Silver War Badge was sent to him at 19 Ranelagh Road and receipt acknowledged on the 19th Oct 1918.
There was a William Francis Reardon Born Stepney C1865 who joined the 67th Imp Yeo on 16th Feb 1900 as 12394 but did not serve oversea. He gave his next of kin as his mother Mrs Frost of 41 Jocelyn Road, Richmond of whom more later
His story is a little more remarkable and thanks to searching via the females in his life, his mother and his wife (mentioned in his Army Papers) I was able to track him down despite his many name changes i.e from Michael to William, William Frank Etc and the various spellings of Riordan. I am very grateful to Tom Moffatt of Canda who has done the lion’s share of putting the following together. He was in touch with a family member so there is a little bit of family lore, but I have focussed my account as much on what I can prove from official records.
BT 158/2 Riordon Birth at Sea
BT 158/2 p.79 - Births at Sea on "Lady Jocelyn", carrying the 43rd Regiment from Calcutta, via Mauritius, to New Zealand. Male child - to Michael and Ann Riordon, Nov. 22, 1863. It should be noted that two women giving birth on this voyage died.
Father Michael Riordan was in the 108th Foot, Indian Army and was enroute to New Zealand son Michael Riordan was born at sea on the "Lady Jocelyn" Nov. 22, 1863, he was their 3rd child having two older brothers. Edward was aboard according to family notes, so likely Thomas Mortimer Riordan was as well.
His father died in 1872 shortly after discharge in Ireland and Michael and his brothers would have been eligible for entry in to the Royal Hibernian School. The Royal Hibernian Military School was founded in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland in 1769, to educate orphaned children of members of the British armed forces in Ireland.
Whilst the School records confirm the Regiment of their Father it may be that their Stepfather influenced their choice of the Yorkshire Regiment. For in 1873 their mother had remarried a John Dolan a soldier in Dublin who served with the Green Howards. Sadly, he too died in 1877
Michael was expelled in 1877 from this school and it is likely he joins the Army aged 14 in 1877. We also know from his Boer War enlistment papers that he claimed 7 years’ service in the 19th Foot before joining the US Army in 1884 (thank you jan808 above). This would fit nicely as the 1st Battalion Yorkshire Regiment left for Bermuda in late 1877. Three years later the tropical heat of the West Indies was exchanged for the bitter cold of a Canadian winter. They landed in Nova Scotia in white helmets and summer clothing in 12 degrees of frost. Eventually great coats, mufflers, otter fur caps and long boots became the order of the day with fur trimmed blue frock coats and gauntlets for the Officers.
Partly because of the bitter cold desertion to the United States became common place. It was said that one half of the battalion was employed to catch the other. It was against this background that Michael also deserted for America. We don’t know exactly when he deserted but it must have been before early 1884 as by then the Battalion had left Canada for Malta. It could be that the prospect of returning to UK prompted Michael to seek a new life in the US instead of going back to the UK. A search of the muster rolls may answer this.
We do know he enlisted in the US Army on the 25th March 1884 and that he joined 4th Artillery L Company on March 26 1884 at Fort Adams RI and was enlisted by Lieut Dyer and then in remarks “des 15 May 1884”, i.e. Deserted, so less than 2 months. RI is the acronym for RHODE ISLAND, that small state between Massachusetts (MA) and Connecticut (CT). Rhode Island was largely settled by Quakers, who were unwelcome in Puritan MA. In 1700s and early 1800s their views did not stop many families from getting wealthy from slaving as well as whaling.
I don’t know any more of his time in America or when he returned to the UK. His mother had remarried twice and been widowed twice but by 1883 she had remarried for a third time to a William Frost. At the time she gave birth to their daughter he was noted as a soldier in the 3rd Rifle Brigade. Mrs Anne Frost of 41 Jocelyn Street Richmond is given as William Frank’s next of kin when he joins the Imperial Yeomanry in 1900 and shown as his mother. When he enlists in to the EPH again he gives his mother as his next of kin at the same address.
The first I have of Michael becoming William Frank is in South Africa when he enlisted for the Eastern Province Horse (EPH) on 1st Jan 1901 and his attestation form suggests he is discharged from them on the 15 July 1901 as a Cpl Trumpeter having served 196 days. The Medal Roll for the Kings South African Medal shows him serving with the DEVOR as Cpl 493 on the 15th Jan 1901to 31st May1902. It then shows further service as L/Cpl 30221 in the EPH (only 15 days??). Also the Colonial Light Horse as 493.
The ref to the Colonial Light Horse can be explained by
The CLH was formed on 7 January 1901 as the second battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh's Own Volunteer Rifles.
The next time he joins the Army is on the outbreak of WW1 and his story comes full circle as at the start above, his mother has died in 1904 and he has married Catherine Connor
Family history has him finishing up working on a Horse Drawn London Bus and falling to his death and given a full military Funeral! I was hoping a search of newspaper archives might point to some elements of truth here but sadly I could not find any. Most of docs I have seen have him as a clerk in civilian life, latterly with the Ministry of Pensions. The 1921 Census shows him as an out of work Clerk formerly for HM Pensions. It also states he has been suffering from an injury since 21 May 1921. It certainly was not a war wound for service in WW1 although it could be because he fell off a bus drunk.
William Frank Riordan passed away on the 17 Dec 1922 and his Death Cert gives the cause of death as Cirrhosis of the liver and Ascites.
Still lots of gaps but a remarkable tale and hours of fun from a badge that cost £22
Andrew
