Opening of the Ryland Room

May 6, 2008

8th May marks a very special occasion at The Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum when the present World War One room is formally re-named to become the Ryland Room. Its purpose is to demonstrate how brave and selfless acts of gallantry and sacrifice can affect the course of all our lives and in this case, many of those living today in the County of Gloucestershire.

On 29th July 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, Second Lieutenant Herbert C Ryland led 11 Platoon, ‘C’ Company, 12th Battalion (Bristol’s Own) of The Gloucestershire Regiment, into action. Their objective was to capture three enemy machine gun posts north east of Longueval and close to the edge of Delville Wood. While consolidating their position after a successful attack, the platoon came under machine gun fire and several men were wounded. Second Lieutenant Ryland fell to the ground, having been struck by a bullet to the hip.

Private Nelson Griffin and Private Charles Blake came to their platoon commander’s aid and succeeded in getting him under cover, thereby saving his life. This selfless act tragically resulted in the deaths of both men, killed by the same machine gun which had seriously wounded their officer.

Second Lieutenant Ryland was born in Stow-on-the-Wold, Private Blake came from Portishead and Private Griffin from Coaley, near Stroud.

After the war, Herbert Ryland married and had children, one of whom started a company which was to become a leading employer in the county and a world leader in its field of expertise. Thus, the sacrifice by two Gloucestershire families in 1916 ensured that another family of the same county survived, and later flourished to the great benefit of the County of Gloucestershire and this Museum.