Ralph was born in Petersfield in 1893, the son of William and Charlotte Vidler. By 1913, Mr and Mrs Vidler were living in Rose Cottage in Chawton. At about the same time, Ralph and his sister went to Canada where he was a gardener and then became a Private in the Canadian Infantry.

Ralph joined the 16th Overseas Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force as 141309 Private Vidler and left Halifax on SS Empress of Britain on 23rd April 1916. Landing at Liverpool, he was transferred to the 36th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and then to the 1st Battalion in France on 16th August 1916.

By 9th October, the day when Ralph was killed in action at the Somme, the Canadians had pushed well up the Albert-Bapaume Road, beyond Courcelette. Although he has no known grave, Ralph is also commemorated on Steep village memorial together with the poet Edward Thomas. Private Ralph Vidler is listed on the Vimy Memorial.

Source: “The Remembered Ones of the Great War”, 2014, The Alton and Villages Local History Forum (with permission)