Ralph was born 1899 in Whitehaven, Cumberland, he was the sixth child of Joseph Stockdale and Ann (nee Moore).
On the 1901 census he is living at 55 Church Street, Whitehaven, Cumberland with his parents and siblings.
He was buried in Whitehaven Cemetery, his MI is on his the headstone with his grandparents, and his grave is classed as a War Grave.
Article from The Whitehaven News, Thursday, October 31, 1918:
Article from The Whitehaven News, Thursday, November 7, 1918:
SAD DEATH OF A WHITEHAVEN FLYING OFFICER.
Last week we published in "The News" the fact that Flying Officer Ralph Mossop, of Whitehaven, had met with an accident owing to the failure of his engine while he was flying and a consequent awkward landing.
This week we have the sad duty of recording his accidental death. Flying Officer R. Mossop, who was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs J. S. Mossop of Queen Street, Whitehaven, was 19 years of age , and winning a scholarship at the Irish Street Council School he proceeded to St Bees, where he was a member of the Cadet Corps. On leaving school he entered the Union Hall, Whitehaven, under Mr E. B. Croasdell, where he soon established himself a favorite. On reaching the age for active service he joined the flying corps, and after a short furlough, following the accident of a fortnight ago, he left home on Monday morning last for the aerodrome, where he was stationed, and having passed the necessary medical examination resumed duty yesterday, and late in the afternoon his parents received word that he had been accidentally and instantaneously killed. Further details are anxiously awaited. Flying Officer Mossop was a fine stamp of a man physically, tall and well built, and of a cheerful pleasant disposition. He was an old scholar of the Whitehaven Congregational Sunday School and of the same church's Lads' Brigade. Of Mr and Mrs Mossop's sons, one is discharged, after serious wounds, and another is on active service. Mr and Mrs Mossop will have the sincere condolence of all who knew their son, that such a promising career should have been so tragically ended.
FUNERAL OF THE LATE FLYING OFFICER RALPH MOSSOP
The funeral of the late Flying Officer Ralph Mossop, who met his death accidentlly, as reported in our last issue, took place on Saturday last. The body, on its arrival at Whitehaven, was taken at once to the Whitehaven Congregational Church, which church the deceased and his parents (Mr and Mrs J. S. Mossop, of Church Street) attended. The body remained there until the service was held. There was a large and thoroughly representative attendance. The service was most impressively conducted by the Rev. Herbert Stowell, M.A. The hymn "Nearer, My God to Thee," was rendered by the choir and friends, and the anthem "What are these Arrayed in White," was sung with tender feeling by the choir. There was a large number of wreaths, including one from the staff at the Union Hall; from the officers and the teachers of the Congregational Sunday School; and from the officers at the Aerodrome. Mr J. M. Nelson presided at the organ, and played "The Dead March" at the close, after which the body was conveyed to the cemetery, where the remainder of the service was held. Mesrs. R. Jackson and Son were the local undertakers. On the following Sunday morning Mr Stowell made an appropriate allusion to the death of Flying Officer Mossop, who as an old Sunday School scholar and member of the Lads' Brigade had endeared himself by his cheerful and pleasant disposition to all connected with these organisations.