John Andrew Ritson

John Andrew Ritson was the great grandson of John Ritson; a shipbuilder from Maryport. The only son of Robert Ritson, surgeon of Blandford House, Reading and Molly Ritson he was educated at Rugby School before going to Trinity College, Cambridge. While at Cambridge he rowed for First Trinity and helped to win the Ladies Plate in Henley in 1913. In 1914 he was selected to row number four at the annual Boat Race between the two universities, the last one before the outbreak of the First World War. John was killed in action at the Battle of the Somme in the early hours of 23 July 1916, age 23 and is buried in Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, Somme, plot VI. F. 21. He is also commemorated at Rugby School and at Trinity College Chapel in Cambridge.