Maurice Tom Ridout

Story:
Maurice Tom Ridout was born in Stour Row, Dorset, in 1887 and baptised there on 1 Jan 1888 the son of William James Ridout and Mary Ridout (nee Coombs).  He lived his early life in the Stour Row area and received some of his education at Shaftesbury Grammar School, Shaftesbury, Dorset, which he left in 1902.  By 1911 he was living with his parents at Maperton, Wincanton, Somerset.   He had enlisted on 28 Mar 1907 with the Territorial Force of the North Somerset Imperial Yeomanry as a Private (Service No. 972).  On embodiment on 5 Aug 1914 he was promoted to Corporal and served in France & Flanders taking part in battles as Loos and Ypres, both in Belgium.  He was discharged on 1 Apr 1916 as his military undertaking had expired.  He was ultimately awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1914/1915 Star. He died under tragic circumstances following an accident with a machine saw at Home Farm, Maperton, which resulted in the later amputation of his arm. He survived a few days but eventually died on the 9 May 1917 and was later buried at Maperton, Somerset.