Friday 11th February 1916

Billets at Fort Rompu.

Heavy rain fell for much of the day and the Battalion provided a working party of one officer and eighty men to work in the Bois Grenier line. Meanwhile, there was considerable German shelling of Erquinghem; around fifty shells between 10.45 and 11am. However the damage was slight (mainly to the Royal Engineers store) and only a few men were reported wounded.

 

More men departed for England on one week leave (see 23^rd January); among them were Sgt. Tom Pickles (see 7^th July 1915) and Signaller Arthur Herbert Procter (see 7th September 1914).

 

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald carried news of the death of Trooper Reggie Killeen and of the memorial service which had been held in his home village of Bolton-by-Bowland. Reggie was the younger brother of one of Tunstill’s original recruits, Pte. Harry Killeen (see 6^th February), who had only recently been wounded and was still being treated in hospital in Manchester.

BOLTON-BY-BOWLAND - TROOPER REGGIE VICTOR KILLEEN KILLED

Sad news from the front to Bolton-by-Bowland continues to be received. Inspector and Mrs. Killeen, of the Police Station, have been informed that their younger son Reggie has died for his country. This so soon after the wounding of their elder son, who is now in hospital at Manchester, is a very hard blow to the parents who have the sympathy of the whole district.

Reggie, who is only 18 years of age, joined he 12^th Lancers in September 1914, and was afterwards attached to the 3^rd Dragoon Guards. He was sent to France early in October 1914 and has often been in action. He has had a lot of experience in trench warfare, and bomb throwing.

Trooper L. Boyer writes:- "I thought it my duty to write and let you know the sad end of Reggie. I feel very sorry, as he was my mate. I am in the same troop and squadron, and he died a hero fighting, and his death was instantaneous. He had no pain. I was only five yards from him when he was killed."

At the Parish Church on Sunday evening, the Rev. C. Broadhurst made feeling reference to the loss the village has sustained. His text was St. John. ii. 25, 'I am the Resurrection and the Life.' He continued "When he who has parted this life is laid to his rest, whether amidst the roar of artillery, or whether he be in the quiet of our own country churchyard, the first words of the Burial Service are words, not of death, but of life. 'I am the Resurrection and the Life.' It does not say I promise to bring the Resurrection of Life, but I am the Resurrection and the Life - an absolute certainty, which God alone could say. Surely it is as a thought to help us in the hour of sorrow that he whom we loved, losing his life, has gained it. That the boy which fought a brave fight for his country rests in peace, but this soul - his real life - lives in Paradise."

In spite of an exceptionally wet morning, special constables from Gisburn, Bolton-by-Bowland, and Grindleton attended the service at the conclusion of which the organist played the Dead March in 'Saul.'

Trooper Reggie Killeen

 

Trooper Claude Darwin, (see 3^rd December 1915) serving at Heliopolis in Egypt, was transferred from the Australian Light Horse to 5^th Australian Army Service Corps. He was the brother of Tunstill recruit, Pte. Tom Darwin, who was currently being treated for ‘debility’ whilst serving with 10DWR (see 4^th February).