Saturday 7th November 1914

Tunstill's Company remained in training at Frensham.

Friday 6th November 1914

News of the deaths of both Pte. Walter Isherwood (see 27^th October) and Pte. Joshua Crossley (see 3^rd November) was reported in the weekly edition of the Craven Herald:

THE SETTLE COMPANY - Two Deaths

“We regret to record that the Settle Company of Lord Kitchener's Army (formed by Mr. H.G. Tunstill) has lost two good men in Pte. Walter Isherwood, of Newton-in-Bowland, and Pte. Joshua Crossley, of Bolton-by-Bowland. Both were in No. 1. platoon of the 'A' Company of the 10th Service Battalion, and none were more appreciated or will be remembered with more pride. They have sacrificed their lives for their country's good just as much as if they had fallen in the fighting line. They died of pneumonia and measles. There have unfortunately been four cases of measles in the Settle Company, but with the exception of two men in hospital suffering from this disease, the health and spirits of the men are excellent. It is almost inevitable that in a body of men some will succumb to the disease, and the unfortunate result named above is much regretted. With these exceptions the Settle Company has had a wonderfully good bill of health. The Company is still at Frensham Camp, Farnham”.

 

The other two men reported to be still in hospital were Harold Greenhow and Carl Parrington Branthwaite. Greenhow had volunteered at Bolton-by-Bowland (see 14^th September) and Branthwaite had also been among the earliest recruits to the Company, enlisting at the meeting held at Hellifield (see 8^th September). 

On the same day the Craven Herald also carried news of a consignment of socks and mufflers delivered by Geraldine Tunstill to the recruits at Frensham. This would be just the first example of an on-going fund-raising and support effort which was to be co-ordinated by Geraldine and a group of local supporters and would continue to provide a range of ‘comforts’ to the men over the following months.

GIFTS FOR THE SETTLE LADS

Mrs. H.G. Tunstill has taken down for distribution to the O.C. West Riding Regiment at Frensham Camp nearly 300 beautifully made socks and knitted scarves. The men were most grateful and greatly appreciated not only the articles, but the kindness of those who had made them for their use. The gifts included – Settle War Relief Fund, 100 pairs of socks; Miss Atkinson (pupils at Technical School, Settle) 25 mufflers; Mrs. Abbott, Settle 4 pairs of socks; From Otterburn (per Mrs. H.G. Tunstill) 11 pairs of socks and 53 mufflers; from Hanlith and Kirby Malham (per Mrs. Illingworth) 38 pairs of socks and 22 mufflers; from Slaidburn (per Mrs. King Wilkinson) 18 mufflers; Arncliffe and Littondale (per Miss Hammond) 8 pairs of socks and 8 mufflers; Hellifield (per Miss Russell) 5 mufflers; total 161 pairs of socks and 131 mufflers.

 

Thursday 5th November 1914

Tunstill's Company remained in training at Frensham.

Wednesday 4th November 1914

Pte. Joshua Crossley, who had died the day before, was buried at the Military Cemetery at Aldershot. Gilbert Tunstill subsequently wrote to the family:

"I have just returned from the funeral of your son Joshua. I need not tell you how I sympathise with you, and how deeply I regret the loss of one who put in his lot with me. He had a soldier's funeral. Three volleys were fired over the grave, and the last post sounded. His coffin was wrapped in the Union Jack and borne from the hospital to the cemetery on a gun carriage. He gave his life to his country in its hour of need, and no man can do more. The number of his grave is 1743 in the Soldiers' Cemetery, Aldershot."

The memorial plaque received by Joshua Crossley's family after the war.

  

Pte. William Jones (see 9^th September), who had volunteered at Long Preston was appointed Lance Corporal; he had extensive military experience, having served 12 years in the Regular Army (1900-12).

Pte. Richard Farrar was appointed Lance Corporal. He was a 33 year-old ‘teamer’, originally from from Carnforth but had been living in West Vale, near Halifax; he was married with two children. He was a former regular soldier and had also served five years with the South African Constabulary.

Pte. Arthur Edward Hunt was appointed Lance Corporal. He was a 24 year-old baker, originally from Stroud but had been living in the village of Grasscroft, east of Oldham and had enlisted in Huddersfield; he was married with one child. 

Tuesday 3rd November 1914

Tunstill’s Company suffered a second death arising from the outbreak of measles which had occurred in October. Joshua Crossley, like the first victim, Walter Isherwood (see 27^th October) was just 16 years old. He had enlisted at the meeting held in Grindleton (see 16^th September). Like Isherwood, Crossley’s death was stated to be a result of measles and pneumonia. The news was conveyed to his family by telegram the same day.

Joshua Crossley
(from Craven's Part in the Great War)

Monday 2nd November 1914

J.B. Priestley wrote home to his family with news of his progress. In addition to commenting on the deteriorating weather conditions and the effect which that had been having on the men at Frensham (see 28^th October), he also reported that “still wilder rumours circulate as to our ultimate destination: India, Egypt, South Africa, France, but it just depends on how things progress with our troops at the Front. No one knows anything definite. I hope to be home for a few days at Christmas”.

Sunday 1st November 1914

Although the precise date cannot be confirmed it seems that it was around the first week in November that 2Lt. Dick Bolton wrote up, in his personal note book, a list of all the current members of number 4 platoon, ‘A’ Company. The list ran to 62 names. Of the 62, 16 were men from Grassington who had joined Tunstill’s Company on 21^st September; a further 14 were volunteers from Cowling who had joined at the same time; 15 were men from the Keighley area who had joined the Company on arrival in Keighley; while four were among the original Settle volunteers. Of the remaining 13, at least five were ex-regulars added to the Company to give military experience, of whom two (CQMS Sharman and Sergeant Cartwright) were given senior positions. The other eight seem to have no particular place of origin or date of enlistment in common.

The list can be dated to a very specific period on the grounds that all of the Cowling recruits are named with the exception of Johnny Hoyle who is known to have been discharged on 30^th October; this provides a probable origin on or after 31^st October. The latest date for the list would be 4^th November, as this is the date that William Jones, identified in the list as ‘Private’ was promoted Lance Corporal.