Thursday 10th September 1914

Recruitment meetings in Airton and Kirby Malham

Following the success of the first three meetings held in the larger settlements in the district (Settle, Hellifield and Long Preston) which had yielded some 50 volunteers, Tunstill and his supporters then embarked on the planned series of meetings in the smaller villages. In most cases the reports in the Craven Herald do not specify the number of volunteers who came forward at each of these meetings and it is a matter of some speculation as to the exact day when many of the remaining Tunstill recruits actually volunteered. It is also clear that a significant number simply presented themselves at the 'recruiting office' at the Victoria Hall in Settle, manned by Edwin Roberts and others (see 8th September) rather than at one of the village meetings. However, as far as possible the recruits will be 'introduced' in relation to their local communities.

Two meetings were held on 10th September; in Airton at 7.30pm and then in Kirby Malham at 9pm. No specific details have yet been discovered about either of the meetings, but local men from each of the communities did volunteer to serve with Tunstill.

Kayley Earnshaw (cpgw)

The Earnshaw family had lived for many years in Airton and in the neighbouring hamlets of Calton Kayley Earnshaw was a key recruit to Tunstill;s Company. He was 34 years old and had a military career behind him. At the age of 18 he had joined the Royal Field Artillery as a gunner, attached to the 63^rd Battery. He had an eventful period of service during the Boer War. He sailed from Bristol in the transport "Ismore" and the vessel was wrecked off Columbia Point, about 90 miles from Cape Town. After spending some days on land, two gun boats were sent down from Cape Town, but they failed to rescue the men and further transport had to be requisitioned to take the men off. He was then involved in the Battle of Spion Kop (January 1900) and the relief of Ladysmith (February 1900). Following the latter he was drafted home suffering from fever. 
and Scosthrop.

At the end of his military service Kayley returned home and in the spring of 1905 he married Ellen Carradice. The couple then settled at Scosthrop in Malhamdale and had two daughters; Doris (1907) and Gladys (1908). Kayley took up work as a gardener, working for Mr. Dudley Illingworth at Hanlith Hall.

 

Hanlith Hall, 1912

From Kirby Malham, Tunstill recruited James Swinbank. James' father, widower Bernard Swinbank, was licensee of The Lister's Arms Hotel, as well as farming land in the area. James was the youngest of his three sons (aged 27) and worked on the farm.

The Lister's Arms, 2014

 

In addition to the recruitment meeting, other events were taking place which would affect Tunstill's Company:

Frederick Hird enlisted, at the Caterham Depot, with the Coldstream Guards, 4^th (Reserve) Btn. He would later become one of the original officers attached to Tunstill’s Company.

Frederick Hird had been born in Hull on 19^th October 1879; he was the youngest of three sons of James and Matilda Hird. James had been an officer in the Royal Navy and Frederick also joined the service. He served as an assistant paymaster with the Navy before, but was recently retired. In 1903, in Portsmouth, he had married an American woman, Henrietta Adelaide Jane Yolande. The marriage had subsequently failed and in December 1913 his wife had filed a petition for a judicial separation but the case had not been concluded by the time Frederick joined the Army.

 

 

Daniel William Paris Foster re-enlisted with the Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment at the Regimental Depot in Halifax, being re-appointed to his previous rank of Colour Sergeant; he was initially posted to 9^th Battalion but would become Quartermaster to the newly-formed 10^th Battalion and, as such, would work closely with Gilbert Tunstill.

Daniel Foster had previously served with the Regiment but had retired and taken up work as a clerk. He was 47 years old and had nine children from his two marriages. He and his second wife, Emily (Oldfield) were living in John Street, Greetland, near Halifax.

Harry Dewhirst signed his attestation papers in Bradford, immediately being appointed Colour Sergeant with 3^rd Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding) Regiment; he would later be appointed Company Sergeant Major to ‘A’ Company, 10^th Battalion – Tunstill’s Company.

Harry Dewhirst was just five days short of his 48^th birthday when he re-joined the Army. He had previously served 21 years with the Regiment, having first enlisted in 1885 and was a veteran of the Boer War. While serving in Barbados in 1892 he had married Harriet Blackman and they had two daughters. After Harry left the Army they had settled in Bradford, where Harry worked as an official in the County Court. He was typical of a large number of Army pensioners who returned to service to act as senior NCOs to the newly-formed Service Battalions.