The day began quietly enough but subsequently became “full of excitement”. At 11.30am British artillery, supported by rifle, machine gun and trench mortar fire, opened a heavy bombardment on the German trenches. It was reported that, “Our shells fell in the desired position. If there were any of the enemy on or about there they must have suffered severely”. On the other hand, the German response caused no casualties and little damage.
At 3.30pm a German aeroplane flew over the British lines but
was driven back by anti-aircraft fire.
Orders were then received for the Battalion to take part in
a ‘smoke demonstration’. The idea was for smoke to be released along the
British front line, thus inducing the Germans to line their parapet in
anticipation of an attack. This, in turn, would then allow the British
artillery to shell the front line, communication and reserve trenches. After a
short artillery barrage smoke bombs were duly released at 4.15 pm, accompanied
by rifle, machine gun and trench mortar fire. The ‘demonstration’ had the
desired effect and created “great excitement” in the German lines; “They were
heard shouting, blowing whistles & ringing bells”. As planned, the British artillery then opened
fire against the German positions. This provoked a vigorous response by the
Germans which caused some damage to the British trenches and also resulted in
seven men being wounded.
In the evening, orders were received for the Battalion to be
relieved next day.
Among the seven casualties was Tunstill’s Man, Pte. Harry Killeen. Harry was part of the
machine gun section and the events were reported to his family by his Lance
Corporal, Harry Thornton:
“I am writing these few lines on behalf of all the team to
express our deepest sympathy for the misfortune which has befallen Harry. I
suppose our officer will have written to you before this, but I will tell you
how it happened. It was about 7.30 pm on Friday last. I was on duty with him
with the gun and we were doing our best to quieten a German machine gun which
was annoying us, but he had the advantage over us, owing to a bend in the line,
so he was able to fire from a house on our flank and he did not give us much of
a chance. Harry had just fired about five shots when the German machine gun
opened fire on us and Harry received a bullet in his shoulder. It was a clean
wound and not in a dangerous place, so I think he will soon be well again. We
are all proud of him for the way in which he bore it; he was so cheerful all
the time they were dressing him; he even had the heart to sing while they were
taking him away. I don’t know how we shall get on without him in the team; he
was such a good worker and a first-class gunner. I miss him already, as we have
been together ever since enlisting. We have been the best of chums and always slept
together. I got his photos and all his private things, which I am sending by a
man who is going on leave, as it will save trouble with the censor. I suppose
he will post this in London. I think I have told you all, so I will now close,
hoping you get this safely. Will you please ask Harry to write to us as soon as
he is well enough, which I trust will not be long. Hoping and trusting he will
soon be well again, with all the team’s good wishes for a rapid recovery”.Henry Vallance Killeen, known as Harry, had served with Tunstill’s Company from the outset. He was born on 9th June 1895, the first child of Edward Crofton Killen and his wife Minnie. Edward Killeen had followed a career in the police force and had been stationed in various towns across Yorkshire. By 1911 he had risen to the rank of Sergeant and was based in Keighley; early in 1914 he had been promoted again, to the rank of Inspector, and had moved to Bolton-by-Bowland. By then there were three children; Reginald Victor (Reggie) Killeen had been born in 1897 and Constance Mary two years later. The younger son, Reggie, had volunteered, under age, soon after the outbreak of war and had joined 12th Lancers. Harry volunteered in Keighley on 19th September 1914; it may be that he had remained in Keighley when the rest of the family moved to Bolton-by-Bowland.
Harry Mensforth Thornton
was another of the original Keighley recruits. His father had, in the past,
been landlord of the Black Horse Inn in the town but more recently had been
working as a spindle maker. He and his wife, Louisa, had two children; Harry
had been born in 1896 and Mary Louisa in 1899. Harry had been working in the
local textile mills when he volunteered for the army on 20th September
1914. This was a just a day after his cousin, Herbert Thornton, had signed up and they both joined Tunstill’s Company.
Herbert was the same age as his cousin, and was one of five children of Thomas
Bailey Thornton and his wife, Martha. Frederick Sharp Thornton and Thomas
Bailey Thornton were brothers and originally from Ludlow.
Also amongst the wounded was L.Cpl. Harry
Holmes (see 28th September
1915); he suffered a minor wound above his left eye. He was evacuated to 18th
General Hospital at Camiers, where he would be treated for ten days before
being passed fit for duty. Pte. John
Broadbent (see 20th April
1915) suffered a relatively minor wound to his left knee and would be
treated at 24th General Hospital in Etaples; he would re-join the
Battalion after two weeks.
 |
| L.Cpl. Harry Thornton |
 |
| L.Cpl. Herbert Thornton |
Pte. Harry Wood was injured when part of a
dugout collapsed; he suffered ‘a small, superficial, abrasion over lower dorsal
region. Complains of pain right across bottom of back; tender on pressure’. He
would be evacuated via 70th Field Ambulance, 2nd Casualty
Clearing Station and no.22 Ambulance Train to 18th General Hospital
at Camiers.
Pte. John Onion
was posted to France and would join 10DWR. He had enlisted in Bradford, aged 19
and working as a labourer, in August 1914 and had been posted to Gallipoli with
8DWR in July 1915; he had been wounded in August 1915 and had been in England
since then.
On the same day that Harry Killeen was wounded the Craven Herald carried news of deaths and
other injuries affecting his home village of Bolton-by-Bowland. Pte. Harold
Carey had been killed (see 9th
January) and Pte. James Mason wounded (see 2nd January).
BOLTON-BY-BOWLAND - PRIVATE HAROLD CAREY KILLED
Quite a gloom was cast over the village of Bolton-by-Bowland
when the sad news was received from the War Office by Mr. Alfred Carey, of the
Copy Nook Hotel, that his son, Harold, was killed instantaneously on December
27th whilst in the trenches in France. Deceased joined the 'A' Company,
6th Duke of Wellington's, twelve months ago, and has been at the
Front since the middle of June. Private Carey is, as far as known at present,
the first in this parish whose life has been sacrificed for his King and
Country, and his father and mother have the sympathy of all who know them.
They have received several letters from the Front, one from
Lieutenant Stocks, who says:- "On behalf of the Officers, N.C.O.'s and men
I wish to express to you our deepest sympathy in your great loss. Since your
son joined us out here he has always shown plenty of pluck and fearlessness,
and we are all sorry to lose him."
Pte. F. Clarke writes:- "Just a few lines to tell you
of the death of your son Harold. He was my best friend out here. I was with him
in the dug-out at the time of his death. We were having a sleep when the
dug-out was hit by a German shell, a piece of which hit Harold and he drifted
right away. All the boys feel it as if he was our own brother. He was a good
soldier, and was liked by all his mates. We had our Christmas dinner together,
and he was talking about bringing me to dinner after the war."
Pte. J. F. Core also writes:- "Just a line to let you
know how deeply I sympathise with you in the death of your son Harold. Being a
mate of mine all the time he was in training and in active service, I thought
it was as little as I could to write a few lines to you. He was killed by a
shell which came through the dug-out when he was in it. He was killed instantly
and was a good soldier, always doing his duty, and was always ready to do a
good turn for anybody and I can only say how deeply we all regret to lose such
a good pal."
At the Parish Church on Sunday morning hymns which had been
special favourites of the dead soldier were sung, and the Rector (the Rev. C.
C. Broadhurst) in preaching on the subject of Christ's miracle of changing
water into wine continued:- "And then there is the change from life unto
death. To some, that change cools gradually but to some it comes suddenly as to
Harold Carey, who died on the 27th in his country's service. His
passing has brought, or ought to have brought, the war very near to every
inhabitant of Bolton; for though some months ago Arthur Bleazard was reported
missing, yet we hope, may we not hope in vain, that he may still be alive,
though a prisoner; but Harold Carey is the first on our Bolton list to have
given his life in fighting for his country, but in this we feel that he died
without pain. We must be more determined than ever to do all that is in our
power to carry this war to a righteous conclusion."
After the services, the Prayer of Commendation in the Burial
Service was read, and afterwards Mr. Lambert played the Dead March in 'Saul.'
Wounded.
Private James Mason, son of Mrs. Mason, of Calder House has
been wounded by a shell near Armentieres, and is now in hospital in England,
but we are glad to know that he is progressing favourably. He is attached to
‘A’ Company, 10th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s.
The same edition also carried further news of the continuing
fund-raising efforts in support of Tunstill’s Company:
COMFORTS FOR THE 10TH WEST RIDINGS
Mrs. H.G. Tunstill acknowledges with grateful thanks the
following donations to the “Comforts Fund” for the 10th West Riding Regiment:
Already acknowledged £124 9s. 6d.; Mrs. Horner, 2s 6d.; Arncliffe and
Littondale (per Canon Shuffrey), £2 10s.; proceeds of whist drive and dance at
Kirby Malham, £15 4s.; Mrs. H.G. Tunstill (monthly), £2. This makes a total of
£144 4s., but out of this £88 15s. 6d. has already been spent on comforts for
the men.
In addition to this, shirts, socks and woollens have been
sent by Mrs. Tunstill, on behalf of many friends in the district, and have been
greatly appreciated by the men.Captain Tunstill writes, “Can you possibly send
us 600 pairs of socks, the men really need them so badly. They were delighted
with their beautiful Christmas presents, and send many thanks and good wishes
to their friends in Craven and district”.
Four hundred pairs of socks have been sent from the
“Comforts Fund” and Mrs. Tunstill would be glad of any contribution of socks to
help make up the number required. She also wishes to thank all those who worked
so hard in making the whist drive and dance at Kirkby Malham such a success,
the effort in spite of a very wet night, raising £15 4s. for the Fund.
The same edition also featured an extract from a letter home
from Pte. Job Kayley (see 1st January), (the citing
of it as being a ‘cheerful’ letter seems a little odd):
LONGPRESTON
Cheerful letter from the Front.
From one of five brothers, four of whom are already serving,
and the fifth has attested: “I was put on guard at Headquarters on New Year’s
night and something is going to happen in the morning. All our lot are standing
to and we shall have to stop at our posts if we get our heads blown off. I am in the Guard Room and there are two
prisoners in bed, and I shall have to look after them when the boys go over the
top. This room had the top blown off with shells and the Germans could send
another in any minute. We have been billeted in empty houses for four days. The
people have just left them but plenty are living close up to the front line and
won’t shift. We have lost about 200 in our Division. I got your parcel alright
this time and was very pleased with it. Hoping you will all have a Happy New
Year.
From a friend somewhere in France.
Job”.
An extract from a letter from Pte. James William Briggs was published in The Brighouse Echo. He was a 36 year-old silk dresser from Brighouse; he was married, with three children. He “writes acknowledging receipt of a splendid Christmas parcel from the Brighouse Soldiers Comforts Fund. The writer says, ‘It is a pleasure to know that the boys from Brighouse who are out here are not forgotten by the Brighouse people. I am in the best of health and still keep pegging at it”
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