Roy Leslie Ridler-Anderson

Roy Leslie Ridler-Anderson was one of thousands of young men who lied about his age in order to enlist for military service during the First World War. Perhaps to serve King and Country, perhaps to follow in the footsteps of his father, Robert Cooper who had already been overseas for over a year, Roy Leslie first enlisted on May 13th, 1916 at 14 years old with the No. 10 Stationary Hospital, CEF in London, Ontario. He was discharged six weeks later at the end of June, 1916, after discovery that he was a minor. Roy Leslie attempted to enlist again two weeks later, on July 2, 1916, this time with the Canadian Army Medical Corps, Training Depot #1, but he again only remained in service for one month as his real age of 15 was again discovered, and he was released.

Four months later on January 15, 1917, and still at only 15 years of age, he successfully enlisted with the 63rd Depot Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, with whom he served In England for a year and a half. He was medically discharged because of his minor age on June 12, 1918, at 16 years of age, after disclosing his real age to medical personnel.

Like so many men of the time, Roy never spoke of his wartime service to his family…..including never mentioning the false name he enlisted under. His son, and my father Albert, tried to find out details of his fathers service, but without knowing the name he enlisted under, he was never able to do so.

Many thanks to Ancestry member and friend Jill Kennedy, who expertly dug into ancestral records for me, and was able to provide our family with his enlistment name; thus allowing us to access his digitized military file and learn the story of his service.

We Will Remember Roy Leslie Ridler-Anderson!