A draft of 60 NCO’s and men, mostly from from 11th
(Reserve) Battalion, who were due to reinforce 10DWR disembarked in France. The
majority of this draft have been identified.
Among the men posted from 11DWR was Pte. Harry Ambler. He was a 40 year-old
painter, originally from Brighouse but had lived for many years in Middleton,
Lancs.; he was married with five children. He had enlisted in Bury in July.
L.Cpl. Joseph Baxter (see 29th September) had
originally served with 10DWR but had not proceeded overseas in August. Pte. Thomas
William Binks was a 27 year-old labourer from Usworth, County Durham; he
had originally served with 8DWR and had been wounded before being transferred
to 10DWR. L.Cpl. James William Booth
was a 22 year-old farm labourer from Bradford. Pte. Harry Braithwaite was a 32 year-old window cleaning contractor from
Bradford; he was married, with four children (2 other children had died). Pte. James
Broadbent was a 38 year-old labourer from Oldham. Pte. George Brown
(17287); in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a
positive identification of this man. Pte. William Seymour Budd had been one of
the Keighley men attached to Tunstill’s original recruits and had initially
trained with the Battalion. He had been 34 years-old when he enlisted in
September 1914. He had been born and brought up in Keighley and, in June 1910,
had married Sarah Jane Kingham. The couple had one child, Louisa, and had been
living in Bengal Street, Keighley, with William working as a fitter in an
agricultural machine factory. The reason for his delayed departure from England
is unclear. Pte. William Bulmer was a 40 year-old coal miner from
Castleford; he was married, with four children. Pte. Irvine Clark (see
14th September 1914); his departure for France may have been
delayed on account of his age as he had only turned 19 on 14th
September, after the main body of the Battalion had embarked. L.Cpl. Harry Clark (see 7th September) his departure had been delayed due to
treatment for syphilis. Sgt. Edward
George John Cooke was a 30 year-old engineer from Peckham and was married
with two children. He had served eight years (1901-09) with 1DWR and 2DWR and a
further four years on the Reserve. He had re-enlisted in September 1914 and had
been appointed Corporal in November 1914 and promoted Sergeant on being posted
to France. Pte. John Edward Dolan
had enlisted in June 1915, aged 29; he was married with two children and had
been working as a gas engineer in Armley. L.Cpl. Edwin Dracup (see 27th
September). Pte. Harry Duthoit
was a 40 year-old weaver, originally from Wakefield, but had been living in
Colne; he was married, with five surviving children (six other children had
died). Cpl. Wilfred Fletcher was a
21 year-old plumber from Halifax and had been married for just two months.
L.Cpl. Owen Gregan was a 23 year-old
weaver from Halifax. Pte. John William Harrison was 18 years old and
from Bradford. He would be wounded twice and would be transferred firstly to
9DWR and then to 2DWR. In the absence of a surviving service record I am unable
to establish any details as to the dates or circumstances of his having been
wounded. Pte. William Haste; in the
absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive
identification of this man. Pte. Rennie
Hirst was a 20 year-old ‘piecer’ from Huddersfield; he was married with one
son and his wife was heavily pregnant with their second child who would be born
on 16th October. Pte. Ernest Holland was a 23 year-old
labourer from Littleborough; he was married but had no children. L.Cpl. George Holmes (10794) was a 28 year-old
fitter from Bradford. Pte. Joseph Holmes
was a 34 year-old wood sawyer from Bradford; he was married but had no
children. Pte. Jonas Jowett; in the
absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a positive
identification of this man. Pte. William
Kershaw (12689) was a 21 year-old dyers’ labourer from Rastrick. Pte. John
Knox; in the absence of a surviving service record I am unable to make a
positive identification of this man. Pte. William
Knox, was 25 and from Ketton, Rutland, but had been working in Sheffield as
a milkman for the Attercliffe Co-Op in Sheffield when he enlisted in 1914.
Whilst in training in the Spring of 1915 he had married Ethel Thomas. Pte. Thomas Lloyd was a 32 year-old oil
distiller from Huddersfield; he was originally from Derby but had been adopted
by Mrs. Bottomley of Slaithwaite and was known in the family as ‘Jack’. He had
enlisted on 9th August 1914 and had trained with 11DWR. Pte. Fred Lockwood was a 24 year-old shop
assistant from Halifax. Pte. Charles William Long was a 31 year-old
stone dresser from Idle, Bradford; he had married whilst in training in May.
Pte. John Edwin Lumb was a 22 year-old weaver from Golcar; he had
enlisted in June. Pte. James McMath IMAGE
was a 25 year-old cloth finisher. He was originally from Derbyshire, but had
been living in Holmfirth; he was married with one son and his wife, Eva, was
pregnant with their second child. Pte. Daniel Nevison was a 28 year-old
cotton weaver from Barnoldswick; he was married, with two children. The details
of his service with the Battalion are unknown but he would be subsequently transferred
and would serve with 9DWR, 2nd/5th DWR and finally 5DWR. Pte.
Albert Henry Nutter (see 26th September). Pte. Ernest
Parkin was a 37 year-old stone dresser from Huddersfield; he was married,
with one daughter. Pte. Thomas Richardson was a 22 year-old iron turner
from Leeds; he had served three years with 3rd (reserve) Battalion
DWR and had been embodied on 8th August 1914 and transferred to
11DWR on 16th November 1914. Pte. Herbert
Ridley was 22 years old and from Fulham; he was married with one son and
his wife, Helen, was pregnant with their second child. He had enlisted in April
1915 and had been in training with 3DWR at Tynemouth. Pte. Cornelius Thomas William Rigby was a 42 year-old veterinary
medicine dealer; though originally from Staffordshire, he had lived for many
years in Denby Dale, Huddersfield. Pte. Michael
Henry Rourke was 33 years old and from Huddersfield; he had enlisted in
July 1915 and had trained with 11DWR at Brocton Camp. Pte. Charles Rushworth
was a 34 year-old dyers’ labourer from Bradford; he was married, with two
children. Pte. John Shone was a 23
year-old textile worker originally from Huyton but had been living in Steeton;
he was married but had no children. Pte. Harry Siddall was a 34 year-old
labourer from Sheffield. Pte. Joseph Smyth was a 22 year-old tinner from
Leeds; he was married, but had no children. Pte. Lewis Sykes had originally volunteered on 1st September
1914, having married only three weeks previously, and had been posted to 9DWR.
However, after eight weeks he had been discharged as medically unfit. In July
1915 he had enlisted again and had now completed three months’ training. Pte. George
Tate was a 25 year-old carter from Leeds. Pte. John Thomas Waddington
was a 33 year-old foundry labourer from Keighley; he was married, with four
children (six other children had died in infancy). Pte. Fred Wainman; in the absence of a surviving service record, I am
unable to make a positive identification of this man. Pte. Thomas Ward was a 21 year-old labourer from Huddersfield; he had
had just two months’ training with 11DWR before being posted to France. Pte. George Edward Western was a 19 year-old
driller from Bradford. Pte. Norman Wilson was 21 and from Halifax where
he had worked in the grocery department of the Halifax Industrial Society.
 |
| Pte. James McMath |
“Just a postcard to let you know that I am still keeping very well. Hope you are the same. Will write you a letter when we get to our destination. We are at a resting camp and we are expecting to go up to the base any time now. It is lovely weather here but expect it will get hotter later on”.
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