Wednesday 7th October 1914

A further round of medical examinations saw more men discharged from the army.  Most of these men were simply described as being ‘not likely to become an efficient soldier’ or ‘medically unfit’, though in some cases (see below) more specific reasons were given. Pte. Samuel William Foster was a 20 year-old blacksmith’s striker; originally from Shipley, he had been living in Bradford. He was discharged as having ‘flat feet’. Pte. Samuel Procter was a 21 year-old railway platelayer from Colne; he was discharged on the grounds of ‘general debility’. Pte. Francis Sharkey was a 29 year-old labourer from Bradford; he was discharged on account of having “bad varicose veins”. Pte. John Thornton (12317) was a 23 year-old warehouseman from Bradford; he was discharged on account of having “bad varicose veins”. Pte. Edgar Walters was a 27 year-old collier from Pontardulais in South Wales; he had a ‘chronic cough; probably pulmonary tuberculosis’. Within a week he would attempt to re-enlist, with the Cheshire Regiment, but would again be discharged after just 13 days. Pte. Joseph Simpson Wardman was a 33 year-old card grinder from Cleckheaton; he had ‘displaced semi-lunar cartilages in left knee’.

At some point, most likely in early October, two of Tunstill's original recruits were transferred to become drivers with the Army Service Corps. Both Thomas Edward (Ted) Askew and William Henry (Harry) Metcalfe became drivers in the horse transport section of the ASC and both were on active service in France before Christmas 1914, while the remainder of Tunstill's volunteers remained in training at Frensham. Both men had extensive pre-war experience of working with heavy horses and it seems clear that there expertise was valued and put to good use at the first opportunity.

Little can currently be said about Ted Askew's war service other than the fact that in November 1918 the Craven Herald reported that he was home on leave for the first time in more than three years.

For Harry Metcalfe, on the other hand, information from his grandson, Alan Metcalfe (to whom I am most grateful) has shed some light on his military career and on his life after the war. Harry arrived in France on 15^th December 1914 to rendezvous with the 2^nd Indian Cavalry Division, which had left Bombay on 19^th November 1914 and arrived in France on 14^th December.  It has not been possible to verify Harry’s personal war service record but something can be said of the Division as a whole. At times during the war the division served in the trenches as infantry, each Cavalry Brigade once dismounted formed a dismounted regiment. The 2nd Indian Cavalry Division (which was renamed 5^th Cavalry Division from 26^th November 1916) served in France and Flanders until March 1918 when the Division was broken up and reformed in Egypt as the 2nd Mounted Division. 

Harry and Ethel Metcalfe, taken late in Harry's Army
career (the overseas service chevrons visible on his
right sleeve were only authorised by an Army order
in December 1917.
 

What part Harry played personally and where exactly he served cannot be established, though some family anecdotes suggest that he may, at some point, have seen service in connection with the Canadian forces on the Western Front. What is clear is that Harry served throughout the war. He was home on leave when he was married on 23^rd January 1917 to Annie Ethel Wooler at St Mary’s Church, Long Preston. Harry returned to service and was not finally discharged to the Class Z Army Reserve until 21^st April 1919. 

After the war Harry and Ethel set up home on Church Street in Long Preston and Harry worked as a goods porter on the local railways, most likely at Hellifield, until at least 1924. He later worked as head horseman for Mr. Robert Preston, who was a major local landowner in Long Preston, and also as gamekeeper. Harry and Ethel’s first son, Jim (James Henry) Metcalfe was born on 14^th April/1920. Two other sons followed: William Edward in 1922 and John Wooler in 1924.

 

Annie died on 12^th April 1946 at the family home in Long Preston and Harry died on 17^th December 1956, aged 67, at Raikeswood Hospital in Skipton; they are buried together (along with their son Jim and his wife, Joan) in the churchyard at Long Preston.