Frank Ridley Farrer Boileau (known as Frank) was born in Lucknow, Bengal, India on 29th November 1867 to Colonel Francis William Boileau and his wife Mary Letitia. He was the fifth of nine children, and had five brothers and three sisters. Born into a military family, his father was a Colonel as was his Uncle and his Grandfather had been a Major-General, Ridley’s destiny was inevitable an army career. He was educated at Cheltenham College between 1882 and 1885 and on leaving school immediately underwent military training before being Gazetted 2nd Lieutenant with the Royal Engineers on 16th February 1887.

As a professional soldier he saw active service in India serving in operations as part of the Lushai and Chitral Expeditions during 1892 and 1895. He also served in the Second Boer War and was mentioned in Despatches by Lord Roberts in 1900 following action at Zilikat’s Nek. From May 1902 Ridley transferred to Headquarters as Deputy Assistant Adjutant General R.E. where he served until March 1906. During this period as Brevet Major, Ridley took part in the coronation of Edward VII on 9th August 1902 in the ‘The King’s Procession’, a little way in front of the State Coach. He was part of a ‘State Parade’ which comprised some 1,300 officers, 23,500 other ranks, 2,000 bandsmen and drummers, 4,100 horses and 34 guns, as well as statesmen, politicians, and dignitaries from all corners of the British Empire.

In 1906 he took up a position as Professor at the Indian Staff College, Quetta, India, before being appointed General Staff Officer, 1st Grade, 3rd Division, Southern Command in January 1910. He was finally promoted Colonel on 21st January 1910.

Away from soldiering Ridley was elected a fellow of the Huguenot Society at the Windsor Hotel, Victoria Street, Westminster on 10th November 1897. He was living at ‘Elstowe’ in Camberley at that time and just a few years later, in January 1902, he married Mary Aurora Tudor at the parish church of Lustleigh in Devon where his future father-in-law conducted the ceremony. He and Mary had three sons together, Etienne born in 1902, Peter followed three years later and finally Hugh in 1906.

When war broke out, Ridley was posted with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France, disembarking in August 1914. He was CSO 1st Grade, 3rd Division with General Smith-Dorrien’s II Corps and fought at Mons and Le Cateau. The battle of Le Cateau, and Smith-Dorrien’s action, on the 26th August 1914, is considered critical in saving the BEF which was in retreat from following defeat at Mons.

Smith-Dorrien’s stand not only checked the German advance delaying its Schlieffen timetable, but the II Corps inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. However, facing overwhelming odds and experiencing heavy and unrelenting punishment from German artillery the II Corps suffered more than 7,800 casualties from a complement of 68,000 troops and lost thirty-eight guns. Despite German victory the action saved the BEF and that evening the exhausted men reached the safety of St Quentin.

Ridley died on the day after the battle on Thursday, 27th August 1914 less than a month after the outbreak of war. He succumbed in hospital in Boulogne the day after self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Subsequent records state that Colonel Boileau "went off his head" and shot himself following Le Cateau and died later in hospital. Many reports at the time described the level of stress and fatigue prevalent amongst the men of the BEF and indeed, General Smith-Dorrien himself expressed concerns in a diary note on 28th August stating: "some of the Staffs of Brigades and Divisions are quite worn out and quite unequal to working out orders". It is reported that other senior officers also collapsed following Mons and Le Cateau from exhaustion and there were other reported suicides. Ridley's death was reported in the Gloucestershire Echo on 21st September 1914.

Ridley Boileau was the highest ranking soldier to be commemorated of the Town War Memorial although it is unclear why he was included. No evidence has come to light during research linking him to the town or to anyone living and working in Hemel before or during the Great War. Indeed, almost all records refer to him as ‘Frank’ rather than ‘Ridley’ as he was recorded on the memorial. A search of the available records reveals only four other soldiers with the surname Boileau who died during the conflict. None has a name similar to Frank or Ridley or any name which could be easily confused.

His close association with General Smith-Dorrien, a native of Berkhamsted, may be a reason for his inclusion but this is only speculation and seems tenuous.

Colonel Frank Ridley Farrer Boileau is also commemorated on the War Memorial in Lustleigh, Teignbridge, Devon and on a memorial tablet in St John the Baptist Church, Lustleigh. The inscription reads:

"IN LOVING MEMORY OF FRANK RIDLEY FARRER BOILEAU, COLONEL GENERAL STAFF BORN 29 NOVEMBER 1867. DIED FOR HIS COUNTRY AT HAM FRANCE 27 AUGUST 1914 ALSO OF MARY AURORA HIS WIFE BORN 4 DECEMBER 1874 DIED 20 JULY 1958”

“AMAVIMUS AMAMUS AMABIMUS"

Ridley is also commemorated on the Frimley and Camberley war memorial in Berkshire. He was originally buried at Ham Communal Cemetery in France, but he was exhumed by Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) in June 1968 and re-interred at Terlincthun British Cemetery, Wimille Plot: XVI AB 1.

Ridley Boileau was 47 years of age when he fell.

He was eligible for the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.