Friday 5th January 1917

Billets in St. Peter’s Church, Hospice and Cavalry Barracks in Ypres

Ypres was heavily shelled by the Germans and a number of shells fell in St. Peter’s Church, killing four men outright and wounding more than thirty others. The four men killed were Pte. Fred Ainley, who was a 23 year-old weaver from Huddersfield (his brother, Joseph, RFA, would die of wounds in May 1917). Pte. Sydney Fox was 24 years old and from Manningham, Bradford (he had worked for Lister & Co., dyers) and had married Rosina Webber in February 1916. He had six brothers serving in the Army. Pte. Frank Harrison (19068) was 21 years old and from Bradford. Pte. Oliver Stancliffe (see 17^th October 1916). One of the men wounded, Sgt. Thomas Stephen Moyle MM (see 8^th December 1916), died within hours; he had been home on ten days’ leave in December. All five men would be buried at Menin Road South Military Cemetery alongside Sgt. Sam Phillips (see 30^th December) who had been killed in similar circumstances a week earlier. Pte. Harold Walker Bray (see 7^th October 1916) would write to the mother of Pte. Ainley, informing of her son’s death.

Sgt. Thomas Stephen Moyle MM

One of ‘Tunstill’s Men’, Pte. Mark Beaumont (see 6^th October 1916), was serving as a stretcher bearer and was injured whilst attending the wounded; he suffered severe shrapnel wounds to his left thigh. He was evacuated to the General Hospital in Rouen, where he underwent an operation for the removal of the shrapnel. Among the other men wounded was Sgt. Michael Kenefick MM (see 12^th December 1916); he suffered wounds to his left thigh and right arm and would be admitted via 10^th Casualty Clearing Station to 2^nd Canadian General Hospital in Boulogne. Sgt. Herbert Veal (see 29^th July 1916) was evacuated to 17^th Casualty Clearing Station. Cpl. Henry Markham (see 16^th December 1916) suffered severe wounds to his right thigh and left foot and was evacuated to 13^th Stationary Hospital at Boulogne. L.Cpl. John Henry Crawshaw (see 25^th November 1916) suffered wounds to his face and right arm; he would be evacuated via 70^th Field Ambulance and 17^th Casualty Clearing Station to 15^th Casualty Clearing Station. Also wounded was Pte. William Frederick Ackrill (see 17^th December 1916); he suffered wounds to his legs and sides and would be evacuated via 17^th Casualty Clearing Station to 13^th Stationary Hospital at Boulogne. Pte. Fred Brook (see 29^th July 1916) he suffered wounds to his right leg and left shoulder and, following treatment (details unknown) he would be evacuated to England on 26^th January. Pte. John Cork (see 2^nd July 1916) suffered wounds to his head, arms and leg and would be evacuated to 13^th General Hospital at Boulogne. Pte. Joseph Dobson (see below) was also severely wounded; he would be evacuated to England. Pte. Sydney Exley (see 30^th October 1916) suffered severe shrapnel wounds to his left leg; he would be evacuated to 8^th Stationary Hospital at Wimereux. Pte. John Greenwood (see 19^th December 1916) was evacuated to 17^th Casualty Clearing Station with severe wounds to both legs. Pte. Ernest Morrison (see 17^th October 1916) suffered severe injuries to his right leg and ankle; he was evacuated via 17^th Casualty Clearing Station to 3^rd Canadian General Hospital at Boulogne. Pte. Fred Smith (23056) (see 19^th December 1916) was wounded (details unknown) but would be treated in France and re-join the Battalion. Pte. Albert Edward White (see 17^th July 1916) suffered relatively minor shrapnel wounds to his left hand and right shoulder; he would be treated at 2^nd West Lancs. Field Ambulance and would re-join the Battalion a week later.

As a result of the shelling the billets at St. Peter’s Church were abandoned, and ‘C’ and ‘B’ Companies would instead be billeted at the Infantry Barracks and at Zillebeke Bund respectively. 


Pte. Joseph Dobson was a 29 year-old driller (working for Mr. Wigglesworth in Saltaire) from Bradford; he had been an original member of the Battalion, but, for reasons unknown, he had not been posted to France until some time in 1916, rather than in August 1915 when the Battalion departed.
More men departed on leave to England; among them was L.Cpl. Richard Cleasby Chorley (see 16^th September 1916).

2Lt. George Stuart Hulburd (see 27^th May 1916), who had been taken ill (details unknown) and had returned to England seven months earlier, now returned to France en route to re-joining the Battalion. 

2Lt. George Stuart Hulburd

Image by kind permission of Paddy Ireland

Pte. Thomas Martin Douglas (see 31^st October 1916), who had been in England since having been wounded in July 1916, was discharged from Keighley War Hospital; the details of his immediate posting are unknown, but he would subsequently (date and details unknown) be transferred to the Labour Corps.

Just a month after her son, Pte. Charles Walton (see 19^th December 1916), had reported with 10DWR, Susannah Walton died, aged 62, at the family home in Halifax; her cause of death was recorded as ‘capillary bronchitis and heart failure’.

The weekly edition of the Craven Herald carried news of Capt. Gilbert Tunstill’s mention in despatches (see 4^th January) and also reported on some of the Helllifield men who had been home for Christmas, including Ptes. Sydney Hoar and Harley Bentham (see 17^th December 1916).

CAPTAIN TUNSTILL’S DISTINCTION

Included in the list of officers recommended for some mark of distinction by Sir Douglas Haig is Temporary Captain H.G. Tunstill of Otterburn, attached to the West Riding Regiment.

SOLDIER’S LEAVE

A number of Hellifield soldiers have been fortunate in visiting their homes this Christmas, amongst them being Pte. S. Hoar, A. Hailwood and H. Bentham. Pte. S. Hoar was invalided home from the Front about six weeks ago, suffering with trench fever, and has been in the Royal Infirmary at Glasgow. Pte. H. Bentham, who has been at the Front for six months, is at home on a month’s leave preparatory to undertaking a course of training in the O.T.C. Wireless Operator J. Wightman, H.M.S. Athersdone, has also been on a visit to his parents.

Capt. Gilbert Tunstill

Image by kind permission of Henry Bolton

Pte. Harley Bentham

A payment of £1 15s 4d was authorised, being the amount outstanding in pay and allowances to the late Pte. Albert Edward Lawton (see 10^th October 1916), who had been killed whilst on patrol in January 1916; the payment would go to his widow, Jane, for herself and their daughter.